The rest of the classes went in a daze. Rian hung out with the three girls and they taught him many things about the university. Unlike how it was shown in Bollywood movies that juniors and seniors were best friends and about their strong bond, it was all bullshit. Especially here, the juniors and seniors had a very formal way of interacting. The seniors had a massive ego and there was a rule, that juniors will have to address the seniors as 'sir' or 'mam' unless they give permission otherwise. The bond was very fragile between them and if juniors wanted the older assignments given by teachers then they had to do a 'task' given to them by seniors. It was not only applicable to first-year students but also to second and third-year students.
The assignments accounted for 20% of the total grade, the practical exams contributed 30%, and the remaining 50% of the grade was determined by the final exams. All three components required a minimum participation score of 5%. It was not possible to pass solely by taking the written final exams because the papers were difficult, and scoring full marks in all subjects for that 50% was nearly impossible. The overall passing percentage was 40, which placed a burden on the students. That was why people rarely skipped classes here, and Rian's absence for the whole week had already earned him a troublesome reputation among the teachers.
The next day Rian made sure that he reached the class on time and so he got up early. As he opened his bedroom door, the stench of cigarettes him. This time three guys were smoking with Lamar. Arpit coughed occasionally and was writing on the copy that looked like their assignment. The hall looked crowded with five people. They all turned to Rian, Lamar had a smug expression on his face as if taunting him to make a move now. One of the three guys was glaring at Rian, one had a blank expression and one was looking with curiosity.
"What's up?" Rian asked casually as he walked towards the sink and started splashing water on his face.
"Nothing you tell me." Lamar's smile got wider.
"I was not talking to you Lamda. I was asking the guy next to you." Rian spoke as he dried his face. The guy next to Lamar was the one with no expression and a heavy build.
"It's LAMAR" he glared at Rian.
"I heard you have been making some friends and it isn't even 3 days since you joined." The guy who was glaring earlier at Rian spoke.
"Well we all hear a lot of things, it's up to us what to believe."
"Shut the fuck up bitch. Maybe it's time we teach you some manners. Zayn why the fuck are you quiet. Let's beat the shit out of him now." He turned his gaze to the guy who was observing quietly with no expression.
"Well I am out Varun. I think it might be a bit hard to not get hit and I had a date with my girl today." The third guy spoke, still looking curiously at Rian.
"Look I will be straight and honest. I don't want to fight any of you and as my bro pointed out," Rian spoke pointing the finger at the third guy, "it will really be a pain, cause when you throw a punch you expect to take some blows too, and let's be honest I am neither a sadist nor a masochist. But what I do want to know is why the fuck are you angry with me? Did I fuck your girlfriend or what?"
The third guy started laughing and Varun glared at him before looking at Rian, "You see the cigarettes here are made by Kunal Sir, a second-year student and our senior and-"
Varun was cut off as the door suddenly opened revealing Dhairya barging in. "What the fuck are you guys doing here?" He glared at Varun before sensing the tense atmosphere.
"Well, we were thinking of teaching this coward a lesson." Varun glared back.
"What the fuck did he do?" Dhairya looked at Rian with a raised eyebrow.
"You haven't heard? He was bossing around the first day he came! He doesn't know anything about how things work here and by playing innocent everything he thinks he can get away. He was hanging with the three dolls at yesterday's lunch and apparently, their talk lasted for 40 minutes. Did you not tell him that they are off-limits?! And that Divya bitch!"
Dhairya's expression hardened as he looked at Rian.
"You were the one who told me to deliver the letter. I just did what you asked." Rian said with a troubled expression.
Varun glared at Rian, "So you are scared of him but not me? The Fuck?"
"You gave the letter?" Dhairya asked ignoring Varun.
"Yeah, and she was angry and told me to not bother her anymore and tell you the same."
"She was angry huhhh... Ok, then I got my answer. Fuck her! If she can't appreciate what I did then her problem. If they can't even do this little request then FUCK THEM. Let's see how they fucking get into the fucking council now!" Dhairya punched the wall.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" Varun looked at Dhairya.
"I gave the offer we discussed. They are playing hard to get."
"Yeah well, it's not like they are the most beautiful girls in the whole university."
"Uhhh.. They kind of are...."
"Shut up Rajat!" Varun glared at Rajat who was smiling.
"Well am out of here, we have class in 30 minutes and I need to take a shit." Rajat moved out of the room without waiting for the others. Varun glared at Rian for the last time before moving out, dragging Lamar with him.
Zayn got up too. "See you later." He spoke to Rian as he followed them.
Dhariya sat on the couch and looked at the assignment Arpit was doing.
"How much more time?"
"Uhhh... I need at least a day."
"No I need it right now, there's no point in giving you if you can't complete it on time. And don't expect us to have your back either."
"...."
"I didn't know the teachers gave assignments this early?"
"Since you delivered the letter and are behaving, in front of me at least, am gonna tell yaa." Dhairya looked at Rian as he continued, "These are the assignment we got from seniors, the older assignments and test papers. The syllabus is the same this time so there's a high chance that the question may come again and since this smart ass thinks he knows it all, we are making him complete it. Doesn't matter how he completes but we need this urgently as there's more."
"Ohhh I see now. So why not just ask more people?"
"Yeah that's what I suggested but we need more manpower to control them. There are around 1000 first years and there are still many who are uncontrollable and don't listen, but it's only been 2 weeks since the start of the college so time's gonna change everything."
"It's time for class, I have to go. I will complete the rest later I promise." Arpit got up and rushed out of the room before Dhairya could say anything.
"Fucking pussy" Dhariya muttered and he got up too.
"Oh hey wait" Rian called out.
"Yeah?" Dhairya looked back.
"Can you get me more of your cigarette? I loved it."
"OH hahahahahaha. sure."
Rian took out a 100rs bill.
"haha take one for 10rs this time." Dhairya laughed as he took out four cigs.
"Thanks, man" Rian smiled.
As Dhairya moved out of the room Rian's smile vanished.