The day after the fresher's party was a stark contrast to the night before. The loud music, the energetic dancing, and the carefree chatter had all faded into the background of everyday college life. The campus, though still buzzing with new connections and conversations, felt quieter. Familiar routines crept back in, grounding students in reality once more.
Anaya returned to class with Nisha, the bright sun casting long shadows across the quad as they walked side by side, their feet crunching softly against the gravel path.
"Do you think Pradeep was acting a little strange last night?" Nisha asked, giving Anaya a sideways glance.
Anaya blinked, her mind briefly floating back to the party. She'd caught moments—subtle ones—where Pradeep seemed a little more distant than usual. But she hadn't paid it much attention then. "I don't know... maybe? He's just being Pradeep, right? I didn't think anything was off."
Nisha raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Hmm, well, I guess I'll just have to observe you two more closely, huh?"
Anaya let out a light laugh, brushing the idea away. "We're just friends, Nisha. Nothing to observe."
They walked into the lecture hall as more students filtered in. The excitement of the previous night still clung to a few conversations, but most were slowly returning to the routine of classes, notes, and sleepy mornings.
The Lecture Begins
Their professor, Mr. Kapoor, stood at the front of the class—a tall, middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed beard and a habit of clearing his throat before speaking. His presence commanded attention, not through authority, but through an odd mixture of sarcasm and dry humor.
"Settle down, everyone," he said, adjusting his spectacles and flipping through a stack of papers. "We'll get into our main topic in a bit. But before that—club applications."
Anaya's pen froze above her notebook. Her heart dropped like a stone into her stomach.
"I hope all of you have already submitted your club choices," Mr. Kapoor continued. "But in case you've forgotten, you have until tomorrow afternoon. After that, the forms will close. No exceptions. Every student must be a part of at least one club—university policy."
Nisha leaned toward her. "You submitted yours, right?"
Anaya's face slowly drained of color. "I didn't even know there was a deadline."
"What?" Nisha hissed, stunned. "Anaya! The notice was posted on the college website two weeks ago!"
"I haven't checked the site in a while," she muttered. "I didn't think it was important."
"I submitted mine two days before the fresher's party. I was going to remind you, but you were busy helping Neha with decorations. And then I got distracted too..."
Mr. Kapoor's voice rose again. "Let me be clear. No club form, no club. No club, no internal credits. You do the math."
A few students chuckled nervously. Anaya let out a soft groan and pressed her palm against her forehead.
Nisha nudged her arm. "Don't panic. We'll go after class, okay? There might still be slots open."
Anaya nodded, her thoughts now completely detached from Mr. Kapoor's lecture.
The Spiral
The rest of the class passed in a blur. She wasn't even sure what the topic was anymore. Her mind spun through endless questions.
What were the club options? What if all the good ones were full? What if she ended up in one she didn't even like? What if everyone there already had their little friend groups and she just became invisible?
A familiar insecurity crept in—the one that whispered she was always one step too late.
After Class
When the bell finally rang, she barely noticed. Nisha stood, slinging her bag over one shoulder. "You ready?"
Anaya nodded weakly, still lost in her thoughts.
They made their way to the student services building. The campus felt warmer now, the sunlight wrapping the quad in gold. Students passed them laughing, chatting about club plans. It made her feel more behind.
As they neared the bulletin board in the club application hallway, Nisha pointed. "Look, the slots are still here. Not all is lost."
The large posterboard listed club names in bold, each followed by a grid of names. Some had been filled in to the last line. Others still had room.
Anaya squinted at the options.
Drama Club
Her mind immediately conjured an image of herself in full costume, standing on a stage with a spotlight beaming down. But the thought of memorizing long scripts and performing in front of hundreds made her internally shriek. She imagined herself mid-dialogue, forgetting her lines and freezing on stage.
No. Way.
Music Band / Singing Club
The next title made her pause. She imagined sitting under fairy lights with a guitar, jamming out with cool, effortlessly talented people. A vision of herself joining the harmony kicked in.
Except she couldn't play an instrument. And her singing was decent in the shower, but...
Terrifying.
Martial Arts Club
She blinked. Then laughed under her breath. In her mind's eye, she saw herself in a white karate uniform, flipping someone twice her size.
Then the image warped into her slipping on the mat and accidentally kicking her instructor.
Absolutely not.
Nisha noticed her expression and smiled. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
"I'm just... auditioning for imaginary disasters," Anaya muttered.
"Okay then, what about something that doesn't require broken bones or perfect pitch?"
Anaya's eyes scanned downward.
Debate & Literature Club
She stopped.
She could picture it clearly: a small, air-conditioned room with bookshelves, a circle of chairs, students calmly debating current issues or reading short stories. Not too loud, not too chaotic. No need for costumes or vocal cords or black belts.
She saw herself curled up in a corner with a notebook, working on a piece for a club newsletter. Or nervously joining a debate, heart pounding, but getting better over time.
"It's quiet," Anaya said softly. "And it's still creative. I think it fits me."
Nisha grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that."
The Decision
They walked to the desk near the end of the hallway. A tired-looking student council rep was checking forms and stamping them mechanically.
Anaya grabbed one of the last forms and filled in her details. When she reached the club selection section, she hesitated. Drama still felt too overwhelming. Music too risky. Martial arts too... life-threatening.
Her eyes settled once again on:
Debate & Literature Club.
It felt safe. Grounded. A place where words mattered more than performance. A space where she could quietly grow without needing to shout to be seen.
In a small but confident stroke, she circled it and handed the form to the rep.
"Last-minute entry," the rep said with a lazy smile. "You just made it."
As Anaya stepped out of the building, the warmth of the afternoon sun hit her skin. She exhaled slowly, the weight of the forgotten form finally lifting.
"Feels like I just dodged a cosmic-level disaster," she said.
Nisha chuckled. "Now let's just hope no cosmic-level drama follows you into the club."
Anaya laughed, brushing it off. "Please, I just want peace."
But fate, as always, had other plans.
Meanwhile...
Across campus, inside the boys' hostel lounge, Deepak sat bolt upright on the couch, eyes wide. "Bro! The club form deadline is tomorrow?!"
Pradeep, lounging beside him, barely looked up from his phone. "Which club are you applying to?"
"I don't even know! What about you?"
Pradeep's brow furrowed slightly. "I... haven't thought about it."
They sat there, both suddenly aware of how little time they had and how much was about to change.
And somewhere in the midst of all that last-minute chaos, none of them realized—
they were all unknowingly signing up for the same storm.
---
To be continued...