Chapter 16

The noticeboard of St. Xavier’s College buzzed with excitement. Bright posters in bold colors announced:

ANNUAL LITERATURE & BUSINESS FESTIVAL – CELEBRATING IDEAS, CULTURE & INNOVATION.

The campus, usually calm and scholarly, came alive with decorations, fairy lights strung across trees, and stalls filling the grounds. Students ran about with banners, professors supervised rehearsals, and laughter echoed from every corner.

For one day, worries of exams and responsibilities melted away. The college looked like a carnival of books, art, and ideas.

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Veeresh Raj, in his crisp white shirt and dark trousers, entered the grounds with his usual quiet authority. But today, instead of just the stern economics professor, he allowed a softer side to show. Students crowded around him for guidance on their Business Quiz Competition, and he explained strategies with his trademark precision—though this time, a rare smile played on his lips.

Poornima Rai, meanwhile, was in her element. Surrounded by students rehearsing Shakespearean dialogues and poetry recitals, she moved with effortless grace, encouraging, correcting, and applauding. Her laughter rang freely as one student acted out Hamlet dramatically, and another nervously read her own poem.

The fest brought out her warmth, her simplicity, her joy—and Veeresh, watching from a distance, felt that pull again.

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The afternoon unfolded with events:

The Debate Competition, where Veeresh judged with his sharp, commanding voice, students hanging onto every word of his feedback.

The Literary Skit, where Poornima clapped proudly as her students enacted Cleopatra and Antony with humor and drama.

Food stalls where professors and students mingled, laughing over cups of chai and samosas.

For once, barriers blurred—professors became mentors, friends, even companions in joy.

As dusk fell and fairy lights lit up the campus, music filled the air. The fest concluded with an open stage where students danced and sang. Professors, too, were drawn into the moment—Mrs. Banerjee sang an old melody, earning thunderous applause.

And then, as Poornima stood smiling near the tea stall, Veeresh walked over with two cups in hand.

“One kadak chai for Miss Rai,” he said with that familiar half-smile.

She looked at him, amused. “You’re getting good at remembering my habits, Professor Raj.”

“Part of economics,” he replied lightly. “Observation.”

They both laughed, and for a rare, fleeting moment, the shadows of their complicated worlds disappeared. It was just two professors under the lights of a college fest, sharing tea, their smiles speaking more than words could.