EPISODE 14: Cultural Fest Rivalries
College ka cultural fest announce hua. Rohan immediately excited ho gaya — ye uski personality thi, social events mein genuinely invest hota tha.
Rohan- Yaar hum log ek group performance dete hain. Kuch fun hona chahiye.
Vihaan- Haan haan! Music act? Drama?
Aditya- Time waste.
Rohan- Aarav?
Main- Jo tum log decide karo.
Jo actually interesting tha woh performance nahi tha — woh politics thi jo immediately shuru ho gayi.
Campus mein do major groups they — ek jo seniors-backed tha aur fest committee mein direct representation rakhta tha, aur ek jo genuinely independent tha. Rohan ka group independent tha by default.
Fest committee ne slot allocation mein subtly backed group ko prime timing di. Independent groups ko off-hours pakda diye.
Rohan- Yaar ye fair nahi hai. Prime slot unhe diya aur hume 3 baje? Koi dekhta hi nahi hai 3 baje.
Vihaan- Bhai ye toh rigged hai pura.
Aditya- Technically committee ka discretion hai. Unka decision final hota hai.
Rohan- Technically ka matlab galat nahi hota!
Main ne chup rehkar dekha. Committee mein ek specific person tha jo slot allocation handle karta tha — ek junior. Uske andar ek constant nervous energy thi. Uski body language — baar-baar pen click karna, shoulders hunched rakhna — dikhati thi ki woh authority se darta hai. Ye woh type tha jo rules isliye strictly follow karta hai kyunki usme rules bend karne ki security feel nahi hoti.
Uski problem rule-breaking nahi thi. Uski problem uncertainty thi. Agar committee ka own rule kisi jagah formally cite kiya jaaye — properly, specific bylaw reference ke saath — toh woh nervous junior seniors ko defend nahi karega. Woh apni safety ke liye rulebook ke peechhe chhupega.
Main- Students' union constitution. Section 4, Clause B.
Teeno ne meri taraf dekha.
Aditya- Kya?
Main- First year orientation booklet. Page 12. Usme clearly likha hai ki independent groups aur committee-backed groups ke beech prime slots ka rotation mandatory hai.
Rohan- Tujhe orientation booklet ke page numbers yaad hain?
Main- Data tha. Store ho gaya.
Maine apni coffee ka sip liya.
Main- Woh slot allocation wala junior confrontation avoid karta hai. Agar tum log uske paas jaakar argument karoge, woh seniors ko bula lega. Agar uske samne Clause B ka printout rakhoge, woh silently slot change kar dega taaki official complaint na bane.
Aditya- Probability?
Main- 94 percent.
Maine rasta dikha diya tha. Document nikalwana aur us junior ke paas jaana mera kaam nahi tha. Rohan ne turant apna bag uthaya aur library ki taraf nikal gaya printout lene. Aditya uske peechhe gaya, logic check karne ke liye.
Main wahi baitha raha. Mujhe fest mein koi interest nahi tha. Mujhe sirf us nervous junior ke predictable pattern mein interest tha.
***
A.N: Aarav ne ek baar fir sabit kar diya ki uske dimaag se koi detail miss nahi hoti. Orientation booklet ka page number tak yaad rakhna! Lekin kya Aarav ka ye strictly logical aur emotionless approach uske doston ko aage chal kar usse door kar dega? Aapka favorite 'Friend Pillar' kaun hai ab tak—Rohan, V
ihaan, Aditya, ya Arjun? Let me know! 
VEIL: THE MASTER ROADMAP 
NOTE: Upar diye gaye episode numbers ek rough blueprint hain. Story ke flow aur demand ke hisaab se kisi bhi Arc ke episode numbers aage chalkar increase ya decrease kiye ja sakte hain. The story dictates the length!
