Get Ready

New Day, A New Challenge

On the Way to Class...

The morning sun cast long shadows across the college campus as Shristi walked toward her classroom, the crisp air tinged with the usual energy of students chatting and hurrying to their destinations. As she walked past one of the corridors, her eyes subconsciously caught sight of something-or rather, someone.

Wick stood a few feet away, speaking to a girl alone.

Shristi wasn't sure why she even noticed, but for some reason, it made her pause for just a second before shaking her head. Not my concern.

Before she could take another step, someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind.

She turned around, a little startled, only to see Khusi grinning at her.

"Oh, it's you, Khusi," Shristi said, exhaling. "What happened?"

Khusi clasped her hands together dramatically. "I need your help."

Shristi raised an eyebrow. "With...?"

Khusi smirked. "To become friends with Nick, of course."

Shristi blinked. "Uh... why me?"

"Well, you already know him," Khusi reasoned. "So, I'll just use that connection."

Shristi sighed, knowing she had no choice but to play along. "O-k-k-k-kay."

Before she could change her mind, Khusi whipped out her phone and called Nick.

When Nick answered, Khusi confidently introduced herself. "Hey, I'm Khusi-Shristi's friend."

Nick, caught off guard, took a moment before responding. "Uhhhh... hi?"

Khusi grinned. "Anyway, I'm heading to class. See you later!"

Nick, still a little confused, simply replied, "Okay..."

Shristi stifled a laugh as she watched Nick scratch his head in confusion before heading toward class.

---

In the Classroom...

As students settled into their seats, the usual chatter filled the air. Nick walked in at the same time as Wick, both of them completely unaware of how their arrival would immediately attract attention.

Annu, who had been watching, leaned back in her chair with a teasing smirk. "Well, well, well... looks like you two have perfect timing."

Wick raised an eyebrow. "And how's that?"

Annu's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Varsha and Tara are back."

Nick, who had just taken a sip of water, nearly choked. "Wait, what?!"

Wick, on the other hand, barely reacted, his expression indifferent. "So?"

Annu grinned, knowing this would stir things up.

Before she could say more, Bhumi, who had come to see Annu, overheard the conversation and turned to them. "Who are Varsha and Tara?"

Annu chuckled. "Oh, you don't know? Tara has a massive crush on your brother."

Bhumi's eyes widened slightly. "What?"

Annu continued with a smirk, "And not just that-she won last year's beauty contest. You could say one of the most beautiful girls in college has feelings for your brother."

Bhumi turned to Wick, who was completely unbothered, as if this information meant absolutely nothing to him.

Annu wasn't done yet. She turned to Nick and added, "And he-" she pointed at Nick, "-has a massive crush on Varsha."

Nick groaned, rubbing his face. "Why do you have to say it out loud?"

Annu just shrugged. "It's true. And let's be real-Nick is the most popular guy in college. Everyone knows he's always around girls, but he only truly loves Varsha."

Bhumi looked between the two of them before sighing. "Yeah... I think I should definitely stay out of this." Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving them to their drama.

Just then, Shristi walked into the classroom, adjusting the necklace around her neck.

Annu's eyes immediately landed on the shimmering piece of jewelry. "Wow, that's gorgeous!" she said, admiring it.

Shristi smiled softly, touching the pendant. "This necklace is an ancestral heirloom," she explained. "My grandmother gave it to me... It's very precious to me."

Annu nodded. "It's beautiful."

Before their conversation could continue, the teacher walked in, signaling the start of class.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with nothing major happening.

---

The Next Day... A Big Announcement

The entire college was buzzing with energy as students were called to gather in the main hall. The moment the principal stepped onto the stage, a hush fell over the crowd.

Clearing his throat, the principal addressed the students.

"Students, as some of you may already know, every five years, our college competes in an inter-college tournament against some of the most elite institutions in the country. But this year-" He paused, letting the suspense build. "We have been given a prestigious opportunity to host the tournament right here, at our own college."

A wave of murmurs and excitement spread through the hall.

"This is an immense responsibility, and an even bigger challenge. Many years ago, our college was victorious in this very tournament. More recently, we've consistently performed well in our annual sports competitions-thanks to the leadership of Vivek and Roy."

Students clapped in acknowledgment, some of them turning to look at Vivek and Roy, who sat confidently among the crowd.

"But this year," the principal continued, "we need to do much better in all categories. We must dominate this tournament."

The energy in the hall shifted. There was no more murmuring-only focused determination.

"The tournament begins in five weeks from today. You will have two days to form your teams. After that, the best players will be selected to represent our college-both in teams and as individuals."

A massive board was unveiled behind him, displaying the sports categories for the tournament.

Main Sports for the Tournament:

Chess (Men & Women)

Cricket (Men)

Football (Men)

Badminton Doubles (Men & Women)

Weightlifting (Men & Women)

Running (Men & Women)

Javelin Throw (Men & Women)

Shot Put (Men & Women)

Wrestling (Men & Women)

Volleyball (Men)

Tennis (Women)

Shooting (Men & Women)

Archery (Men & Women)

Kabaddi (Men)

Boxing (Men)

The students murmured among themselves as they processed the information. But the principal wasn't finished yet.

"This year," he continued, "we are also adding new categories-including some of the most challenging events ever introduced."

Newly Added Sports:

Karate (Men)

Taekwondo (Men)

eSports (Men)

Adventure Sports (Extremely difficult, conducted in the jungle)

A hush fell over the crowd at the mention of the mysterious sport.

"And finally-" the principal's voice grew more serious. "There is one more sport. A mystery event. It is rumored to be very dangerous. The best athletes will be selected for it, but we still do not know on what basis."

Whispers spread through the students. A sport so dangerous that even the selection criteria were unknown?

The principal gave them a moment to absorb the information before concluding, "Once all students have signed up, we will organize our own internal league to determine the final teams."

As soon as he stepped down, the room erupted into conversation. The competition was going to be brutal-and everyone was eager to prove themselves.

To Be Continued...