The Right Kind of Wrong

11. Small Acts of Kindness

Savi was hunched over her books in the corner of the library, surrounded by a fortress of notes, highlighters, and textbooks. The quiet murmur of students filled the room, but she was oblivious to it all. The deadline for their project was approaching, and she was determined to get everything perfect. Her focus was so intense that she didn't even notice Rajat approaching her.

Rajat paused at the edge of the table, watching her for a moment. There was a tiny crease on her forehead as she frowned at the page in front of her, biting her lip in concentration. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. Over the past few weeks, he'd noticed these little things about her. How she would zone out completely while working, how she tapped her foot unconsciously when she was anxious, and how she always, without fail, chewed on her lip whenever she was deeply immersed in thought.

"Still alive, Chavan?" Rajat's voice broke the silence, startling Savi out of her trance.

Savi's head snapped up, her eyes wide with surprise. "What are you doing here?" she asked, blinking rapidly as if trying to process his sudden appearance.

Rajat held up a stack of books, a smirk playing on his lips. "Thought you might need these."

Savi stared at the books in his hand, her brow furrowing. "Are those for the project?"

"Sort of," Rajat replied, setting them down gently on the table. "These are all the latest references on the topic we're working on. Figured you'd appreciate some extra material."

Savi hesitated, eyeing the books warily. "Why are you helping me? I mean, you're never this... proactive."

Rajat leaned against the table, crossing his arms. "Maybe I just don't want to see you fall behind."

"Since when do you care if I fall behind?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing. "What's the catch, Thakkar?"

"No catch," he said, raising his hands defensively. "I'm just trying to be helpful. Believe it or not, I don't enjoy watching you struggle."

Savi's expression softened slightly, though she still looked unsure. She glanced at the books again, her fingers tracing the spine of one of them. "Well, thanks, I guess," she muttered reluctantly, not quite meeting his eyes.

Rajat grinned. "Don't sound too enthusiastic. I might start thinking you actually appreciate me."

Savi rolled her eyes but didn't respond, instead reaching for one of the books. She flipped through the pages, her mind already working on how to incorporate the new material into their project. Rajat watched her for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She was so focused, so determined. He admired that about her, even if he'd never say it out loud.

As she started taking notes, Rajat cleared his throat. "By the way, you might want to look over the last section of the report. I noticed you didn't get credit for your part in class today."

Savi froze, her pen hovering over the page. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly.

"I mean, when Professor Singh mentioned our progress, he didn't mention your contributions," Rajat explained. "It was all 'Rajat this' and 'Rajat that.' You deserve credit for your work."

Savi's face tightened, and she set her pen down with more force than necessary. "That's not a surprise," she muttered. "No one ever thinks I'm capable of doing things on my own."

Rajat frowned. "That's not true."

Savi met his gaze, her eyes flashing with frustration. "It is. People like my Badi Aaji have been underestimating me my whole life. No matter what I do, no one ever thinks it's enough."