When Eyes Meet

Episode 13

Sakshi glared at her instantly.

Meera innocently looked away toward the board like a terrible actor pretending not to know anything.

Attendance continued.

A few students answered too softly.

Some forgot to respond entirely.

One student accidentally said “Good morning” instead of “Present.”

The class laughed immediately.

Even Adit smiled slightly.

“It’s okay,” he said lightly. “First-day survival pressure.”

The atmosphere relaxed a little after that.

Finally, after finishing attendance, Adit placed the sheet aside and looked at the class again.

“So,” he said calmly, “before I start teaching… I want to know something.”

The room became attentive again.

“How many of you are here because you genuinely love media, storytelling, films, writing, communication… anything creative?”

Slowly, hands began rising across the classroom.

After hesitating briefly—

Sakshi raised hers too.

And almost unconsciously…

Adit noticed.

Adit looked around the classroom thoughtfully after noticing the raised hands.

“Good,” he said with a small approving nod. “Now let’s see how many of you can actually talk about why you chose this field.”

A few students immediately looked nervous.

Others avoided eye contact like their lives depended on it.

Adit noticed and smiled faintly.

“Relax. This isn’t an interview. I’m just curious.”

He glanced toward the first row.

“You,” he said gently to a student wearing glasses. “Why media?”

The boy straightened awkwardly. “Sir… I like editing videos and film-making.”

“Good,” Adit replied. “That’s a start.”

He asked a few more students after that.

Some answered confidently.

Some stumbled halfway through sentences.

One student admitted he joined the course because his parents forced him.

The entire class burst into laughter.

“Honest answer,” Adit said with amusement. “I respect that.”

Slowly, the atmosphere became lighter and more comfortable.

Then his eyes moved toward the middle row.

Toward Sakshi.

For one dangerous second, her heart immediately sensed what was coming.

“Sakshi.”

Her soul left her body briefly.

“Yes, sir?”

“You said you’re interested in creative fields.” His tone remained calm. “Why?”

Every single thought inside her head disappeared instantly.

Beside her, Meera looked way too entertained.

Sakshi swallowed nervously before answering.

“I like stories, sir.”

Adit watched her quietly, waiting for her to continue.

And somehow…

That calm attention made her even more nervous.

“I think…” she began softly, trying to organize her thoughts, “Stories make people feel sometimes understood.”

The classroom grew quieter.

Even Sakshi herself didn’t fully realize what she was saying until the words came out.

“A good story can stay with someone for years,” she continued slowly. “It can change how people see things… or even how they see themselves.”

For the first time since class began, Adit looked genuinely interested.

“Interesting,” he said quietly.

Sakshi looked down immediately after speaking, suddenly embarrassed.

But Adit continued watching her for a brief second before finally nodding slightly.

“That,” he said while turning toward the class again, “is one of the best reasons to study media.”

Sakshi’s heartbeat instantly forgot how to function.

Meanwhile, beside her—

Meera looked seconds away from exploding dramatically.

After that, the atmosphere inside the classroom became much more relaxed.

Adit seemed to notice that most of the students were still nervous, so instead of jumping straight into heavy lessons, he kept the class light and interactive.

“Since this is your first official class,” he said while leaning against the desk casually, “I’ll be kind enough not to traumatize you with assignments today.”

The class laughed immediately.

A few students even clapped jokingly.

“Don’t celebrate too early,” Adit added with a faint smile. “You still have an entire semester ahead.”

Groans filled the classroom dramatically.

For the next hour, he explained how their schedule would work — lecture timings, practical sessions, internal assessments, attendance rules, project submissions, and club activities.

Unlike the strict professors most students expected, Adit explained everything patiently, occasionally adding sarcastic comments that made the class laugh again.

“Media students and deadlines have a very toxic relationship,” he warned seriously. “Please don’t discover that personally.”

Even the students who looked scared earlier were slowly becoming comfortable.

Sakshi found herself listening carefully the entire time.

Not because she had to.

But because he made even ordinary explanations sound interesting somehow.

At one point, a student from the back asked nervously,

“Sir… are presentations compulsory?”

Adit looked at him calmly.

“Yes.”

The student looked devastated instantly.

“But,” Adit continued, “Trust me. By the end of this semester, half of you will voluntarily fight for microphones.”

The class laughed again.