After Arif's shocking success in the math test, whispers ran through the classroom. Students who had mocked him before now glanced at him with curiosity, if not a little fear.
Yet Arif didn't seek revenge or attention. He quietly returned to his seat, opened his notebook, and started solving a new set of problems.
"Hey… Arif, wait!" a soft voice called.
It was Sara, one of the girls from the front bench. Known for her top grades, she had never spoken to Arif before.
"I… I just wanted to say… congratulations," she said nervously.
Arif looked up and smiled faintly. "Thanks," he replied simply.
From that day, Sara started sitting near him during study periods. Slowly, they began sharing notes, discussing problems, and sometimes laughing at silly mistakes.
For the first time, Arif felt a small bridge forming between him and the world he had always observed from afar.