Soon, Veer spotted the heroine, and his heart did a little flip that felt entirely new. *Must be my teenage hormones,* he thought, a mix of excitement and awkwardness washing over him. He took a deep breath and started walking toward her, feeling like he was approaching a movie star instead of just another classmate.
As he got closer, he noticed her looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and a hint of suspicion, as if he were some creepy dude stalking her. Veer internally cringed, but he pressed on, determined to make a good impression.
"Hey," he said, trying to sound casual, though his voice came out slightly squeaky. "Nice to see you again. I'm Veer, new to your group."
She raised an eyebrow, studying him for a moment before her lips curled into a small smile. "Huh? Which group are you talking about?"
"Uh, you know, the star kids group," Veer replied, scrambling for words. "Did you not see your brother in a heated argument with your... ex-friend Jeet? I jumped in to sort things out, and Aryan was happy with me and added me to the group."
"Brave of you," she said, her tone teasing. "Or maybe just foolish. Well, welcome to the group! So, why are you here? Trying to win a medal or something?"
Veer felt his heart race. Was she flirting with him? Or just being friendly? Either way, he was warming up to the conversation, eager to know more about her.
"What's your name?" he asked, trying to sound cool and collected, even though he felt a bit cheesy.
"Suhana," she replied, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, making his heart skip a beat. She seemed pleased that he was asking her name instead of bragging about his knowledge.
"What a beautiful name you have. Just what I like," Veer said, chuckling nervously. *Great, now I sound like a cheesy romantic from a bad film.*
Suhana laughed, and it was music to his ears. She remarked sarcastically, "Very nice. Just keep your distance from Jeet; he has a flair for the dramatic."
"Noted," Veer replied, relief washing over him. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. He pointed toward the ground, as if indicating the competition. "So, what's your role in this epic saga?"
"I'm just trying to survive like everyone else," she said with a playful smile. "But I guess I'm on the cheerleading squad. If you need support, you know who to find!"
Veer felt a grin stretch across his face. "Well, it's nice to officially meet you. I hope to see some enthusiasm from you when I'm winning. And I'll be looking for that beautiful smile!"
As they chatted, Veer couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he had stumbled upon something special. His teenage hormones were in overdrive, and he was ready for the adventure ahead.
....
As classes finished with the usual flow of activities, the school transitioned into club time. Veer, still buzzing from his conversation with Suhana, made his way to the book club. He hadn't been to a club like this before, but it seemed like a quiet escape from the chaos of school.
Inside the cozy room lined with shelves of books, he approached the club leader, the same bookworm girl he had seen earlier. She looked up from her notes as Veer walked over.
"Hey," Veer greeted, trying to keep it casual.
The club leader glanced at him over her glasses and nodded. "Welcome. We're just getting started, so grab a seat wherever."
Veer settled into a chair, glancing around at the other students who were already engrossed in their books. He picked up a nearby book titled *How to Write a Novel* and flipped it open, scanning the contents. His mind raced as he imagined the possibilities of using the knowledge he had brought with him from his past life.
*I can use the books I've read before and get them published here,* he thought, excitement building. *Maybe even some movie scripts. With these star kids around, I could train them to pull off some blockbuster hits. I'd be the mastermind behind it all,* he mused, a quiet giggle escaping his lips.
The club leader shot him an irritated glance but didn't say anything, choosing to ignore his sudden amusement.
As the day passed, the club wrapped up, and Veer headed off to his martial arts class. The usual drills and sparring were a good way to blow off steam, but his mind kept drifting back to the possibilities he was plotting. After training, Veer returned home, where his new tuition teacher was already waiting for him and Sonia.
The study session began with Sonia, as usual, taking the lead with her not so enthusiasm, while Veer struggled to focus. His mind was elsewhere. Every now and then, his gaze flickered toward the teacher, and something stirred inside him. *hah.....veer,in just one day you felt like fell in love with two different girls.....that's not goo buddy.* he wondered, feeling that same unfamiliar sensation he had felt earlier with Suhana.
His teacher, strict as ever, caught him zoning out. "Veer, pay attention! You're not making any progress here," she scolded, snapping him out of his daze.
"Uh, sorry," Veer mumbled, trying to concentrate but still feeling distracted. After the lesson, Sonia dashed out of the room, eager to catch her favorite show on TV, leaving Veer and the teacher alone.
Veer, trying to shake off the awkwardness, decided to strike up a light conversation. "So, uh, you're pretty dedicated to teaching. It must be tough balancing everything."
The teacher gave him a curious look but nodded. "It has its challenges, but I enjoy it."
Not wanting to seem too obvious, Veer tried an indirect approach. "Do you have a lot of free time? You know, outside of work... for relationships or stuff like that?"
The teacher smiled faintly. "I'm not in any relationship and you should focus on your study more so i can be at ease" She didn't elaborate, but Veer sensed that was as much as he was going to get for now.
"Ah,i..i am studying hard and also your teaching method is really good" Veer replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but his curiosity about her was piqued.
As the evening came to a close, Veer couldn't help but reflect on the day. Between Suhana, his crazy plans for the future, and this growing feeling toward his teacher, his teenage life was getting a lot more complicated than he had anticipated.
---
Later that night, Veer sat cross-legged on his bed in a meditation posture, reflecting on the day. His mind was a whirl of emotions, thoughts bouncing from Suhana to his teacher, and then back to his ambitious plans for the future.
*I've been too childish today,* he thought, his brow furrowing in self-criticism. *I'm not getting control of my thoughts... I need to slow down. Veer, you have to control yourself. Love is good, but without knowing someone, it's just an infatuation, a fleeting feeling. I need to be better than that.*
He closed his eyes and began a deep breathing exercise, trying to clear his head. As he focused on his breathing, another thought crossed his mind. *I should be able to sense the energy of the world by now...* He strained for a moment, focusing inward. *Come on... where is the mana, the qi, the world's energy?* He searched for some sign, but there was nothing.
*Maybe this world doesn't have any...* he sighed. *That's going to be a problem.*
Veer had always been fascinated by the fantasy worlds he'd read about in his previous life—places where people could harness energy and grow stronger. And now, in this new life, the idea of becoming powerful intrigued him more than ever. *If there's even a sliver of truth to those stories, if magic or qi or anything like that exists, I'm going to find it.*
His thoughts raced. *Anything is possible... People believe in ghosts, so surely they must have encountered something powerful before. And if ghosts are real, why can't gods, demons, or reincarnations be real too?*
Despite his deep focus, Veer's search for energy bore no fruit. But he didn't lose hope. He relaxed his body and allowed his mind to quiet, knowing that strength—whether from the world or from within himself—would come in time. He shifted his thoughts toward rest, his body easing into a more comfortable position for sleep.
As his eyes closed, his thoughts wandered toward the shadows of his past. *Shadow... my brothers,* he thought, his chest tightening with a bittersweet emotion. *I hope you're alive, somewhere out there. And I hope I can find you.*
With that final thought, Veer let sleep take him, his mind filled with the memories of those he had left behind and the hopes for the future that lay ahead.
---