Rhea's Pov
Neil answering in class changed something.
Not dramatically.
No background music.
No slow claps.
Just… a shift. Like when the fan changes speed and suddenly you notice it's been too loud all along.
Back bench etiquette demanded we roast him.
Samar leaned toward me and whispered, "Blink twice if he's been possessed."
I muttered, "If this is possession, it's the most academic ghost I've ever seen."
Neil didn't react.
That was the second shock of the day.
Lunch Break
The front benchers were gathered near the washbasin mirrors—because obviously intelligence requires good lighting.
Middle benchers (Dev and Aryan) sat on the steps, debating something deeply philosophical like whether attendance should be illegal.
We—the last benchers—claimed our usual spot near the far window.
Neil sat down without being told.
No dramatic entry.
No 'make space' announcement.
Just… there.
Samar slid his lunchbox toward him. "Eat."
Neil looked at it. Then at Samar. "Why?"
"Because you look like a tragic backstory," Samar said. "And Ma packed extra."
Neil hesitated, then opened it.
Small thing.
But Neil usually never accepted anything without turning it into a joke.
I watched him carefully.
He ate silently.
This was officially unsettling.
Aryan called out from the steps, "Oi Neil! Say something controversial so I know the universe is balanced."
Neil glanced up. "The canteen food is actually edible today."
Aryan gasped. "He's gone. That's not Neil."
I smirked despite myself.
After Lunch – English Period
Group discussion.
Worst words ever invented.
The teacher divided us randomly.
Of course.
Me. Neil. Samar. Two front-bench NPCs who looked personally offended to be breathing the same air as us.
One of them spoke first. Loud. Confident. Wrong.
Neil corrected him.
Politely.
I almost fell off my chair.
The NPC stared. "Excuse me?"
Neil shrugged. "I'm not. You're mixing up the themes."
Dead silence.
The teacher looked impressed.
The NPC looked traumatised.
I leaned toward Neil and whispered, "Since when do you use manners as weapons?"
He replied quietly, "Since sarcasm stopped working."
That sentence sat heavier than it should have.
Last Period – Free Period
Everyone relaxed. Phones out. Bags open. Chaos resumed.
Except Neil didn't pull out his phone.
He pulled out a notebook.
Dev noticed first. "Is that… studying?"
Aryan squinted. "Blink twice if he's being blackmailed."
Neil didn't look up. "Can you both shut up for five minutes?"
They did.
Miracle number three.
I watched him scribble something, erase it, then sigh.
"You're thinking too hard," I said.
He looked at me. "I wasted a lot of time not thinking at all."
That was… honest.
Uncomfortably so.
I didn't crack a joke. Didn't roast him. Didn't soften it.
I just nodded.
Sometimes people don't need commentary.
They need witnesses.
End of the Day
The bell rang.
Everyone rushed out.
Neil packed slowly.
As we walked out together, Samar nudged him. "So… you good?"
Neil paused. "Not yet."
Then he added, "But I will be."
I glanced at him.
He wasn't looking for approval.
Or forgiveness.
Just stating a fact.
And for some reason, that felt stronger than any apology.
Rhea's Thought (End Note)
Redemption isn't becoming perfect.
It's choosing to stay when it would be easier to disappear again.
And Neil—
for the first time—
was staying.🙂👏