The celebration was in full swing after the game. Laughter and chatter filled the air as teammates and old friends gathered, some clinking their glasses, others enjoying soft drinks. The atmosphere was electric, but Arjun remained calm, casually sipping his soda, blending into the crowd.
Then came Prakash. Confident as ever, he strode in, swirling a bottle of expensive wine in his hand, his smirk carrying the arrogance of someone who had never known defeat.
"Arjun," he drawled, eyes gleaming with amusement. "You seem to be getting close to Ananya lately."
Arjun raised an eyebrow, a smirk of his own playing on his lips. "And that concerns you... why?"
Prakash chuckled, taking a slow sip. "Oh, not at all. I just thought you should know where you stand." He held up his wine glass, letting the deep red liquid swirl lazily. "See this? A taste of luxury. Something you'll never experience. Sorry—what am I saying? You can't experience it."
A few classmates laughed, chiming in. "One year of his salary is probably equal to that wine bottle."
Prakash turned in a slow circle, gesturing grandly. "You know, Arjun, I'm already sponsoring this reunion. If you need a little handout, I don't mind sponsoring you too."
More laughter erupted. Arjun remained unfazed. His fingers tightened around his glass, but his expression was unreadable.
"I don't need your wisdom, Prakash."
"Wisdom?" Prakash smirked. "No, my friend. It's reality. The reality where you can't afford to be in my league."
His tone dripped with condescension, but Arjun didn't flinch. Prakash took another slow sip before tilting his head. "Why don't you work for me, Arjun?"
Arjun let out a dry laugh. "Your pity is unnecessary. I know exactly what game you're playing."
Prakash's smirk widened. "Sharp, as always. But tell me, did you expect to be out of a job so soon?"
For a moment, Arjun's mind went blank. Then, realization hit like a punch to the gut.
"You did this?" His voice was eerily calm.
Prakash shrugged. "Just a little suggestion to your manager and team lead. 'Control your employees, and you can exploit them better.' It seems they took my advice quite seriously. Three years of hard work... gone, just like that."
A slow clap echoed through the air. Arjun.
"Well played, Prakash," he said, his voice laced with something unreadable. "Still holding onto that schoolyard grudge?"
"You misunderstand." Prakash feigned innocence. "I just wanted you to grasp the status gap between us."
Arjun took a step forward, his gaze locking onto Prakash's. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder, his grip just tight enough to make Prakash tense.
"So," Arjun murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you want to fight again?"
Prakash's fingers clenched around the wine bottle, just for a second.
Arjun chuckled softly. "Relax. I'm joking. But you should know—I've gotten better."
Leaning in, his voice dropped lower, meant only for Prakash. "Out of a hundred times, ninety-nine times I let things slide. But if staying silent means I am easy to bully... then let me tell you something, Prakash—you'll be the one vanishing from this world first. I think you understand what I mean."
A single bead of sweat trickled down Prakash's forehead. The confident smirk wavered, just for a moment.
Arjun straightened, his expression casual again. "This is a party, right? Smile a little, or people might think I did something to you."
With a lighthearted laugh, he clinked his soda against Prakash's wine glass.
Prakash said nothing. He turned and walked away, vanishing into the crowd.
Rahul sidled up beside Arjun, watching Prakash's retreating figure. "What the hell did you just say to him? He looked like he saw a ghost."
Arjun took a sip of his drink, grinning. "Oh, that? He thought he could push me out. I just reminded him—chess isn't over until the king falls."
Meanwhile, Prakash wasn't done. He found Ananya, who was standing with a few classmates, her expression unreadable.
"Ananya," he greeted smoothly. "How's everything going?"
She gave him a polite nod. "Good, class president."
Prakash shot a subtle glance at his friend. The message was clear.
Immediately, the girl beside him chimed in. "Our class president is so successful, and soon, he'll be taking over the company. Honestly, if my status were higher, I'd propose to him myself." She turned to Ananya, her voice sickly sweet. "What do you think? Isn't he a good match for you?"
The air went still.
Ananya's expression didn't waver. Then, in a voice as cold as ice, she said, "I'm already engaged."
Silence.
"What?" someone gasped.
"Yes." Ananya's gaze remained firm. "You'll get the details soon."
Even Arjun heard it. He let out a quiet sigh, his last lingering hope crumbling into dust.
Decisions were made. Consequences had arrived.
He exhaled slowly.
Rahul and Raj exchanged glances, shaking their heads. "Damn. The most beautiful woman in our class... already taken."
Arjun forced a grin. "Let's enjoy the party, guys."
And he did. He laughed, joked, and smiled with the others. But beneath it all, he was hiding something.
The weight of a loss that only he could feel.