Never Have I Ever Spinoff Concept Season 3 (FAN MADE)

Chapter 7: Never Have I Ever Felt the Pressure

The episode picks up with Devi still in Sherman Oaks, trying to find balance between caring for her mom, keeping up with her responsibilities at Princeton, and managing her strained relationship with Ben. She feels the pressure mounting on all sides, especially as her grades start to slip due to missed assignments and lack of focus.

Devi is sitting at the dining table with her laptop open, trying to work on an essay that's due the next day. But her mind is elsewhere, swirling with thoughts about her mom's health, her deteriorating relationship with Ben, and the overwhelming stress of being behind in her classes.

Kamala comes in with a cup of tea. "Hey, you've been staring at that screen for hours. You need to take a break."

Devi sighs, rubbing her temples. "I don't have time for a break. I'm so behind on everything. My professors are starting to send me warnings about my grades."

Kamala places the tea in front of her. "You've been through a lot lately. Maybe you should talk to them, explain what's going on."

"I already did, but there's only so much sympathy they can give me before they expect me to catch up," Devi says, her voice tight with frustration.

Kamala sits down beside her. "I get it. But you can't do everything at once. You need to prioritize, take things one step at a time."

"I don't have time for one step at a time, Kamala. I feel like I'm drowning," Devi admits, her voice cracking. "I've worked so hard to get into Princeton, and now I'm screwing everything up."

Meanwhile, back at Columbia, Ben is dealing with his own set of pressures. With Devi still in California and their relationship feeling more distant than ever, he's been throwing himself into his studies. But the weight of his growing closeness with Maya is hard to ignore. They haven't crossed any physical boundaries, but the emotional tension between them is starting to take a toll on him.

After class, Maya catches up with Ben as they walk across campus. "You okay? You seem distracted."

Ben forces a smile. "Yeah, just a lot on my mind."

"Devi?" Maya asks, her tone understanding yet pointed.

"Yeah," Ben admits, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Things have been weird since her mom's heart attack. She's going through a lot."

Maya nods sympathetically. "That sounds really tough. But you shouldn't feel guilty about living your life here. You're allowed to have your own struggles too."

Ben knows Maya's right, but he can't shake the feeling that he's letting Devi down. He pulls out his phone to send her a text, but he hesitates. Every time he tries to reach out, it feels like they're speaking different languages. He puts the phone back in his pocket, unsure of what to say.

Back in Sherman Oaks, Devi is in a meeting with her academic advisor at Princeton via Zoom, and it's not going well. The advisor is outlining all the deadlines she's missed and the work she needs to catch up on.

"You've fallen behind on three major projects, Devi. If you don't get back on track soon, your grades are going to suffer significantly," the advisor says, her tone stern but not unkind.

Devi's heart sinks. "I know. I'm trying, but things have been crazy here. My mom had a heart attack, and I've been taking care of her."

The advisor softens slightly. "I understand that's difficult, but Princeton has resources available for students going through personal hardships. Have you considered applying for an extension or taking a leave of absence?"

"A leave of absence?" Devi repeats, horrified. "No, I can't do that. I'll fall even further behind. I need to catch up, not fall off the map."

The advisor sighs. "It's something to consider. Pushing yourself too hard might make things worse. Think about it, and if you need help, don't hesitate to reach out."

After the meeting, Devi feels even more overwhelmed. She stares at her laptop, the pressure building in her chest. Her mind is racing—what if she can't catch up? What if she fails out of Princeton? What if Ben is slipping away from her, and she's too distracted to notice?

Later that night, she calls Eleanor and Fabiola. It's been a while since they've had a real conversation, and Devi needs their support more than ever.

"Eleanor, Fabiola, I'm freaking out," Devi says the second they pick up on FaceTime.

"What's going on?" Eleanor asks, immediately concerned.

"I'm drowning in schoolwork, and I feel like I'm failing at everything. My professors are basically giving me ultimatums, and I don't know how to fix it."

Fabiola frowns. "That sounds rough, Devi. But you've been through worse. You got this. You just need to focus on one thing at a time."

"Yeah, and we'll help however we can!" Eleanor adds. "Do you need someone to help you with assignments? We can Facetime and go through it together."

Devi smiles weakly, grateful for her friends. "Thanks, guys. I just... I don't know how to balance everything. I feel like I'm slipping away from Ben, and I can't focus on school when I'm worrying about him."

Eleanor and Fabiola exchange a look. "Have you talked to him?" Fabiola asks. "About how you're feeling?"

"Not really," Devi admits. "We haven't really talked much at all."

"Maybe you should," Eleanor suggests. "If he knows what you're going through, he might be able to help."

At the end of the episode, Devi sits in her room, staring at her phone, contemplating whether to call Ben. The weight of everything—her mom's recovery, her academic struggles, her distance from Ben—feels like too much to handle. But she knows she can't keep avoiding the problems in her life.

She finally decides to call Ben, but before she can press send, her phone buzzes with a message from him: We need to talk.

Devi's heart sinks, knowing that whatever comes next could change everything.