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Third person’s pov!

The college auditorium was buzzing with excitement. The seats were packed with students, seniors seated towards the front and freshers filling up the rows in the back. On the stage, the banner read, Freshers’ Day! Music played in the background as the college union members worked to keep everything in order.

The murmurs in the auditorium died down as a tall figure walked up to the podium. Atharv Acharya, the college union chairman, exuded confidence as he faced the crowd. His sharp features and commanding presence had everyone’s attention, even those who weren’t particularly interested in the event.

With a polite tap on the mic, Atharv began, his deep voice resonating across the hall.

“Good morning, everyone,” he started, his tone calm but firm. “It’s my privilege as the union chairman to welcome you all to this year’s Freshers’ Day celebration. First-years, this is your moment to shine and show us what makes you unique. Today is about breaking the ice, having fun, and officially becoming part of the college family.”

A round of applause erupted from the audience, with a few cheers from the seniors. Atharv waited for the noise to die down before continuing.

“Now, before we dive into the activities, a little reminder; participation isn’t just encouraged; it’s mandatory,” he added with a teasing smirk, earning a few nervous chuckles from the freshers. “And remember, it’s all in good spirit, so don’t take anything too seriously. Relax, enjoy, and let’s make this a day to remember.”

With that, Atharv stepped back, handing the mic over to Kabir, one of the senior union members.

The program began, and one by one, freshers were called onto the stage. Each student had to complete a light-hearted task assigned by the seniors, ranging from singing a song to imitating a professor. The seniors cheered enthusiastically, while the freshers awkwardly complied, their nerves slowly giving way to laughter.

In the middle of the program, Veda sat in the back row, fidgeting uncomfortably. She hated events like this—too much attention, too many eyes. Bhavya, sitting beside her, nudged her playfully.

“You are up soon, Veda. What do you think they will ask you to do?”

“I don’t know,” Veda muttered under her breath. “As long as it’s quick, I might survive.”

Little did she know that her turn wouldn’t be quick—or simple.

When Veda’s name was finally called, her stomach sank. She stood hesitantly, her legs feeling like jelly as she made her way to the stage. The lights blinded her momentarily as she climbed up, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

As she reached the center of the stage, the senior in charge of giving tasks leaned forward, his voice amplified by the mic.

“Veda, right?” He asked, smirking. She nodded stiffly, her palms clammy.

Just then, Kabir walked up to the senior and whispered something in his ear. The senior’s smirk widened into a full-blown grin, and he straightened, glancing at the audience before turning back to Veda.

“Well, Veda, your task is a simple one,” he said, pausing dramatically. “You have to propose to our union chairman, Atharv Acharya.”

The auditorium erupted into gasps and cheers, the seniors whooping and clapping. Veda’s eyes widened in shock, her face turning crimson. Her gaze darted to the backstage area, where she saw Atharv emerging, his expression unreadable.

Atharv’s heart skipped a beat the moment he heard the task. Propose to me? He was caught off guard, an unfamiliar flutter in his chest. As he walked onto the stage, he tried to compose himself, but the slight hitch in his step betrayed his composure.

Veda stared at him, horrified. This had to be a joke. A really, really cruel joke.

Atharv stopped a few feet away from her, his lips twitching as if he were holding back a smile. He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her. 

“Well, Veda,” he said, his voice low enough that only she could hear, “you heard the task. Are you going to back out?”

Her glare could have set him on fire. 

“This isn’t funny,” she said, her voice trembling with equal parts anger and embarrassment.

“Go on, Veda! We are all waiting!” The senior spoke up again, his voice booming over the mic.

The audience chanted her name, egging her on. Veda clenched her fists, shooting a look at Kabir, who was grinning like the devil from the side.

The atmosphere in the auditorium was electric, the energy palpable as the audience cheered for Veda to complete her task. The freshers joined in hesitantly, while the seniors enthusiastically chanted her name, urging her on.

On the stage, Veda stood frozen, her face pale as the spotlight illuminated her. She could feel hundreds of eyes on her, the sound of the crowd a deafening roar in her ears. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the sides of her dress, her heart racing uncontrollably. She glanced at Atharv, who stood a few feet away, calm and composed, a faint smile playing on his lips.

She felt the world closing in around her, the pressure unbearable. Her chest tightened, and her vision blurred slightly as her nerves overwhelmed her. She could feel the sting of tears threatening to spill but fought to hold them back.

The senior who had given her the task smirked. 

“Come on, Veda! We are waiting! The chairman’s right here,” he teased, his words amplified by the mic, making the crowd roar louder.

Atharv’s gaze flickered from the taunting senior to Veda, whose discomfort was painfully evident. His sharp eyes softened for a moment. He couldn’t let this go on any longer. Taking a step forward, he held up his hand, gesturing for silence. The room fell quiet almost instantly, the crowd eager to see what the charismatic chairman would do.

Atharv’s voice, smooth and confident, echoed through the hall. 

“Okay, Veda,” he began, a faint grin tugging at his lips, “let me slightly change the task.”

Veda’s wide, terrified eyes darted to his face as the audience murmured in curiosity.

“You have a problem with proposing. Don’t worry. I will take care of that part,” Atharv announced, his tone casual, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. “Your task is simple: just accept my proposal.”

A collective gasp rippled through the auditorium, followed by stunned silence. Even Kabir and Ashwin, Atharv’s best friends, looked at him with their mouths hanging open, unable to process what they had just heard. This wasn’t like Atharv. He had never participated in such antics before—not even during dare games.

On stage, Veda’s heart nearly stopped. Her already racing pulse skyrocketed, and she felt lightheaded. What was happening? This couldn’t be real. Her legs wobbled, and she gripped the edge of the podium for support.

Atharv, however, remained calm, the faint grin on his face turning into a lazy smile. He reached over to the floral decoration by the stage, plucking a single red rose with deliberate ease. Then, to the utter shock of everyone in the room, he dropped to one knee in front of Veda.

Gasps and whispers erupted from the crowd, the seniors looking at each other with wide eyes. No one had ever seen Atharv Acharya, the usually dignified union chairman, do something so out of character.

Atharv looked up at Veda, his dark eyes sparkling with amusement and something else, something softer. He held the rose out to her, tilting his head slightly as he said, his voice dripping with playful charm, 

“Miss Veda Datt, would you do me the honor of making this moment the most memorable one in Freshers’ Day history? Because I think no one else here has the courage to run away with my heart quite like you just did.”

The auditorium erupted into laughter, cheers, and whistles, but Veda couldn’t hear any of it. Her vision swam as her chest heaved, and she stared down at Atharv like he was speaking an alien language. She wanted to vanish, to escape the stage, the crowd, and the unbearable spotlight.

“Come on,” Atharv added with a teasing smirk, “the sooner you accept my proposal, the sooner you can get off the stage.”

That did it. Veda’s panic overtook her, and she lunged forward, nearly snatching the rose from his hand. Without a word, she turned and bolted off the stage, descending the stairs at record speed and darting out of the auditorium. Her footsteps echoed as she disappeared down the hallway, leaving the audience in stunned silence.

Atharv stood slowly, brushing invisible dust off his knees. He turned to face the crowd, his lazy grin back in place. But when his eyes landed on Kabir and Ashwin, standing at the side of the stage with identical expressions of disbelief, his grin faded.

Kabir was the first to recover, shaking his head as he pointed at Atharv. 

“What the hell was that?” He mouthed, his tone incredulous.

Atharv shrugged nonchalantly, his hands in his pockets, but his gaze flickered to the door Veda had run through.

A/N

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