What lies behind you and
What lies in front of you,
Pales in comparison to
What lies inside of you.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I leaned against the cold, grimy wall of the bathroom stall, scrolling through my call log with shaky hands. Five, maybe six calls to Bansee. Every single one ignored. My brow furrowed in frustration as the unanswered calls stared back at me.

“What’s wrong with you?” I muttered, my mind spiraling. “Are you too ashamed to face me after what I said yesterday? All I did was tell you the truth. You’ve been lying to me for months, and you thought I wouldn’t notice? You thought I’d just keep forgiving you like nothing happened?”

I dialed her number again, letting it ring as my heart pounded in my chest, harder with every passing second of silence. But this time, she didn’t even let it go to voicemail. She cut the call.

That cold, sharp beep echoed through the empty bathroom, and the frustration in me finally snapped. I slammed my fist against the side of the stall, the impact reverberating through the walls. “So, that’s how it is, huh? You’re just going to block me?”

I laughed bitterly, though nothing about it was funny. My fingers moved quickly over the screen, typing a message fueled by anger. “Oi, what do you think I’m doing here, calling you like an idiot while you keep hanging up? Why aren’t you responding?"

I hit send. Waited. Nothing. Then, the message didn’t go through. That’s when the realization hit me. She hadn’t just ignored me—she had blocked me.

“You blocked me?” I hissed, gripping my phone tighter. “You coward.”

I stood there, fuming, my thoughts racing. She had always known how to get under my skin, and she was doing it again. Fine. She wanted to play games? I could play too. But this wasn’t over.

I stormed out of the bathroom, anger twisting in my chest, already planning my next move.

I walked into the canteen, barely noticing the hum of voices and the clatter of trays. My mind was focused—locked on one thing. Find Bansee.

“Hey, Dhruv!” I heard someone call. I looked over to see Dave, one of my classmates, waving me over from a corner table. “Where’ve you been?”

I slid into the seat across from him, the frustration still simmering beneath the surface. “Bathroom. Have you seen Bansee?”

Dave raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, she was in class earlier. I think she left a little while ago. What’s up? You look pissed.”

“Pissed?” I forced a short laugh. “Do I look pissed?”

“Yeah, man. What happened?” Dave leaned in, genuinely curious.

“The usual,” I muttered, running a hand over my face. “She’s playing games again. Blocks my calls after I called her out yesterday. Classic Bansee.”

Dave shook his head, leaning back. “Man, you’ve got to stop letting her mess with you like this.”

I shrugged, glancing at the time on my phone. “We’ve got twenty minutes before class. I need a coffee. You want one?”

“Yeah, sure,” Dave said, nodding as I got up to grab us both coffee.

A few minutes later, we sat at the far end of the canteen, cups of coffee in front of us. I took a sip, trying to let the bitterness calm me down, but it wasn’t working. Bansee’s face, her laughter, the lies she’d spun for months—they all kept flashing in my mind.

“You know she’s using you, right?” Dave said, breaking the silence.

I looked up, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“She’s using you,” he repeated, his voice serious.

I sighed, staring down at my coffee. “Yeah, I know.”

“So, why are you letting her?” Dave pressed, clearly concerned. “Why don’t you just walk away?”

“It’s complicated,” I muttered, taking another sip, though it didn’t taste any better this time.

Dave leaned forward. “It’s not that complicated, Dhruv. You know what she’s doing. You’re not stupid.”

“I know,” I said, my voice quieter now. “But the semester’s almost over. Everything’s going to change soon. She told me months ago she wasn’t serious about this—about us. She’s been planning to disappear after graduation, just walk away like none of this mattered.”

“And you didn’t believe her?” Dave asked, frowning.

“At the time, I thought she was bluffing,” I said. “But now, it’s clear she wasn’t. She’s been setting this up for a while—making me look like the bad guy, while she walks away clean.”

Dave shook his head. “You’ve been preparing yourself for this, haven’t you?”

“Yeah,” I admitted, “But it doesn’t make it any easier. She played her cards perfectly. And now she’s got the upper hand.”

Dave sighed, frustration creeping into his voice. “Man, you can’t keep letting her win like this. You’re better than that.”

I chuckled darkly, shaking my head. “Yeah, I know. But it’s like quicksand—the more I struggle, the deeper I sink.”

We sat in silence for a moment, the noise of the canteen fading into the background. My mind raced, turning over everything again and again. Bansee had played me, and she had played me well.

Dave took a long sip of his coffee, setting the cup down with a thud. “Dhruv, listen. You need to walk away from this. Before it messes you up even more.”

“I can’t,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“And why not?” Dave asked, his tone urgent now.

I looked up at him, my voice steady but dark. “Because I’m not done yet. Bansee thinks she’s won, thinks she can just walk away like this. But she’s wrong.”

Dave raised an eyebrow, a little concerned. “What do you mean?”

I smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. “I’m going to let her think she’s in control. Let her think she’s got the upper hand. And then, when the time’s right, I’ll make sure she knows exactly who she’s dealing with.”

Dave leaned back, a nervous chuckle escaping him. “Dhruv, you’re starting to sound a little… intense, man.”

“Good,” I said, standing up and draining the last of my coffee. “She won’t know what hit her.”

Without another word, I walked out of the canteen, leaving Dave behind, his worried gaze following me. But it didn’t matter. Bansee thought she could get away with this, but she had no idea what was coming.

She was in for a rude awakening.

I climbed the stairs slowly, my steps heavy, my mind a mess of frustration and anger. Every footfall echoed with the same dark thoughts that had been circling my head for hours. I barely noticed the voice calling out behind me.

"I know you're hurt, but is this really how you want to handle it?"

My fists clenched at my sides, and I didn’t bother turning around. My voice came out cold, sharp. "I know exactly what I’m doing. She thinks she can use people and just get away with it? She needs to learn she can’t walk all over everyone. I’m not like the rest of them. I have every right to take my revenge."

The voice softened behind me, almost pleading now. "Dhruv, I’m not here to stop you. Just think about it. Anger clouds judgment. Don’t end up doing something you’ll regret."

I sneered, barely containing my irritation. "Regret isn’t my concern right now."

I pushed the classroom door open, but it was empty. Completely empty.

“What the…?” I muttered, scanning the room. "Where the hell is everyone?"

I grabbed my phone, quickly scrolling through my notifications. Then I saw it: *Campus-wide message—Classes Cancelled.*

“Of course,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temples. “It’s like she’s in my head all the time.”

I pulled out my phone again, and this time, I called Dave.

Dave was sitting under the shade of a large tree when I found him, a book in his hands and a peaceful look on his face. It was the complete opposite of how I felt—like a storm brewing beneath my skin.

“Where are you?” I had barked into the phone when I realized class was cancelled.

“I’m in the garden, reading,” he replied. “Come down.”

And so here I was, sitting across from him, but the peaceful atmosphere didn’t touch me. My mind was still caught in the mess of it all.

Dave put down his book and looked at me, concerned. “So... what’s the plan now?”

I leaned back on the bench, arms crossed, eyes narrowed at nothing in particular. “I don’t know,” I said after a moment. “Part of me wants to ride this out until finals. I’ve put too much effort into this to let everything fall apart now.”

Dave raised an eyebrow. “What exactly are you hanging on to?”

I sighed sharply. “Before I even came to PG, my goal was to be top of the class. That was the plan during my bachelor’s, too, but then COVID hit, and everything fell apart. I got lazy. Lost my edge. I swore I wouldn’t let that happen again.”

Dave nodded, understanding. “Yeah, COVID messed things up for everyone.”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Exactly. But PG? It’s a shark tank. You have to be more than just hardworking—you need an edge. That’s when Bansee came into the picture.”

Dave smirked a little. “Ah, Bansee. The source of all this frustration.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, her. Bansee’s smart, ambitious, and she knows how to work the system. I figured, get close enough, and maybe I could get that edge I needed. So I made her my girlfriend.”

Dave blinked. “Wait... girlfriend? So that was all part of the plan?”

“Strategic, yeah. Ruthless, maybe,” I said, my tone casual, but the truth beneath was colder. “But that’s how things work here. You can’t trust anyone. Friends? They’re just competition you haven’t taken down yet. Bansee was useful—smart, driven, pretty. Everything lined up perfectly.”

Dave looked at me, intrigued. “And how did that work out?”

“At first, it was perfect,” I admitted, though there was a bitterness to my words. “She was sweet, supportive, always around. But that faded fast. Pretty soon, she was arguing, picking fights over nothing. I got bored.”

“So you ended it?”

I nodded. “Of course. I figured she was just as bored as I was. Moved on. Didn’t think twice about it.”

I could feel Dave’s eyes on me as I continued. “Then I started hanging with Remi’s group. You know Remington, right?”

“Yeah, he’s one of the sharper ones here.” Dave said.

“He introduced me to his circle. There was this girl, Ava—brains, looks, ambition. I thought she’d be a better fit than Bansee.”

“So, did you ask her out?” Dave asked.

I shook my head, laughing bitterly. “I was going to, but I ended up getting close to someone else instead. Talia. Not as pretty, but she had drive. Leadership material.”

Dave’s eyes widened. “And?”

“And she was already with Remi,” I said, watching Dave’s expression change from surprise to disbelief.

“Seriously?”

“Yeah,” I said, handing him a napkin when he nearly choked on his water. “After that, I cut ties with all of them. Focused on my studies. Didn’t miss a single class. It paid off. I was finally climbing the ranks.”

Dave shook his head, chuckling softly. “But Bansee wasn’t done with you, was she?”

“No,” I said, my voice dropping as my expression hardened. “She wasn’t. She noticed I was doing better without her. Started trying to worm her way back in—dropping compliments, acting sweet again. I wasn’t falling for it. Not this time.” I paused, thinking back to that day in the library. “Then I saw her reading Novel. Same app I use—Wattpad. Caught me off guard. We started talking again. Texting, staying up late. I almost believed she’d changed.”

Dave raised an eyebrow. “So... did you ask her out again?”

I leaned back, letting out a heavy sigh. “I was going to. But then it hit me—maybe she hadn’t changed at all. Maybe I was just getting sucked back into her game.”

Dave’s voice softened. “Dhruv, you’ve turned this into a game. And now you’re trapped in your own moves.”

I shrugged, a dark grin spreading across my face. “Maybe. But that’s how it works. You play the game, or the game plays you.”

Dave shook his head, looking a little unsure. “So... what are you going to do now?”

My grin faded, replaced with something colder. “Now? I let her think she’s in control. Let her think she’s winning. And when the time’s right, I’ll end it all. She won’t see it coming.”

The bell rang, signaling the end of our break. I stood up, glancing down at my phone. Bansee’s number was still blocked. Her last texts? Unanswered. Just loose ends waiting to be cut.

As we walked back toward the main building, Dave shook his head. “You’re playing with fire, Dhruv.”

I smirked, my voice low. “Only if  you don’t know how to handle the flame.”

With that, we disappeared into the crowd, the tension between us simmering like a storm that was waiting to break.

The sun was high, casting long shadows on the campus as I waved goodbye to Dave, but my mind was still racing after our conversation. Frustration simmered just beneath the surface, making it hard to focus on anything else. I needed air, clarity, something to distract me from the mess I was caught in.

As I walked, I spotted Bansee and her group leaving the library. They were laughing, completely unaware of my presence. Everything in their world seemed perfect, as if nothing had happened. But the sight of her—her laugh, the way she acted like everything was fine—set my blood on fire. I quickened my pace, my frustration sharpening into something darker, more determined.

Before I could reach them, I saw that girl from earlier. She stood at a distance, her eyes filled with concern, as if she already knew what was about to happen. But I ignored her. I didn’t care. My focus was locked on Bansee.

I planted myself directly in her path. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the queen herself, crawling back from whatever hole she slithered into.”

Bansee looked up, clearly annoyed but keeping her composure. “Do you have any manners? Is this how you talk to a woman?”

“Manners?” I spat back, my voice cold. “A woman like you doesn’t deserve manners. You really think people will talk to you with respect after what you’ve done? You’re delusional.”

She folded her arms, a smirk forming on her lips. “If I’m so awful, then why are you wasting your time on me? Move on. No one’s forcing you to stand here. Seems like you’re the only one with a problem.”

Her words made my anger flare hotter. “Oh, is that what you think? That you can screw people over and just walk away like nothing happened? You’re a coward. Pathetic. You think your charm and words will hide what you really are, but people will see through you soon enough.”

For a brief moment, something flickered in her eyes—fear, maybe. But she hid it quickly, her voice turning sharp. “So, what do you want, Dhruv? You think I’m just going to stand by and let you act like this? I’m not your puppet, and you’re definitely not important enough to change anything in my life.”

That last jab sent me over the edge. I grabbed her wrist tightly, anger burning in my chest. Her eyes widened, fear flashing across her face for real this time.

“Let go of me,” she hissed through gritted teeth.

I leaned in close, my voice low, barely controlled. “I dare you to try and stop me.”

Her voice wavered but stayed firm. “You know this could get you suspended, right? You could ruin your entire career.”

I tightened my grip. “Don’t worry about me. You deserve worse.”

Suddenly, the air was pierced by a loud, grinding noise. A helicopter. I looked up, the sound growing closer and louder, until an explosion shook the ground beneath us. The helicopter crashed into the campus, sending debris and fire in every direction. The blast was massive—students screamed as the shockwave hit, smoke billowing up and blackening the sky.

I released Bansee’s wrist, turning toward the wreckage, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing.

“What the hell?” I muttered, eyes wide in disbelief. “What the actual fuck just happened?”

Bansee stood frozen beside me, her hands covering her mouth in horror. The campus had descended into chaos. Flames licked at the edges of the buildings as students ran in every direction. Some were covered in blood, others were screaming for help.

Instinct kicked in. Without thinking, I sprinted toward the crash site, joining a handful of other students who were trying to help. Bodies were scattered across the ground—some still, others writhing in pain. I pulled as many people from the wreckage as I could, but then I heard a scream behind me.

A guy helping out had collapsed, clutching his arm in pain. His hand was bleeding badly. That’s when I saw it—a half-burnt man, barely alive, had sunk his teeth into the guy’s arm. He wasn’t just biting. He was gnawing.

“Get back!” I shouted, yanking the guy away from the burned man.

But it was too late. The man’s eyes were wild, his movements jerky and unnatural. He wasn’t human anymore.

Others started crawling out from the wreckage—deformed, twisted, moving in ways no living person should. Groans echoed through the air as they lurched toward the students who had come to help. I realized what was happening.

“They’re zombies,” I muttered, the horror sinking in. “Shit.”

The students who had been bitten or scratched began convulsing, their skin turning a sickly gray as they transformed into the same grotesque monsters.

Meanwhile, Bansee had retreated into the medical room, helping treat the wounded. But I knew we couldn’t stay there. I ran back, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her toward the exit.
“We need to get out of here. Now.”

She tried to yank her arm back, glaring at me. “What the hell are you doing? You think you can just—”

I didn’t let her finish. My hand came down hard across her face, the slap cutting through the chaos. “Shut up,” I growled. “I don’t have time to explain. If you want to live, follow me.”

Her friends stood frozen, staring at me in shock. Two of them, realizing the seriousness of the situation, quickly followed. Another tried to protest, but I shoved her aside, not interested in wasting time.

We bolted outside, but the scene was worse. A horde of zombies—grotesque, staggering, and fast—was heading straight for us. Bansee froze, her face pale with terror.

I grabbed her again, pulling her forward. “What are you doing, standing there? Do you want to die?”

Her eyes darted around, taking in the horror unfolding around us—the dead tearing into the living, blood everywhere. “This... this can’t be happening,” she stammered, her voice shaky.

I wasn’t interested in comforting her. “Snap out of it! Move, or you’re going to end up like them.”

We sprinted toward the department building, the zombies hot on our heels. They moved with terrifying speed, faster than anything I’d seen in the movies. The sound of their groans and snarls was getting louder, closer.

But I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. I wasn’t running from them—I was running for survival. And whether Bansee realized it or not, she was stuck with me now. Like it or not.