My Ex - Crush

Episode 58

Arjun's POV:

The bass from the speakers pulsed through the room as seniors celebrated around me, caught up in their latest win—the second GSen citation for our department. I should’ve felt proud, and I did, but that pride was buried under a mountain of stress. Sitting with Vignesh, who’d come back from his internship just to celebrate, I could barely mask the dread creeping up on me.

"Think this will be a tradition?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

Vignesh shrugged, grinning. “Getting the GSen citation? Probably. I think we’ve finally figured out what they want.”

I managed a nod, my throat tightening. If that was true, then next year, it would fall on me to lead and win. And the thought of that scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know how to juggle all these expectations and keep up with my responsibilities as the incoming USec. Every part of me wanted to look calm and collected, but my mind was spiraling.

Vignesh nudged me, his voice pulling me out of my thoughts. “Hey, Jagan told me you were a huge help with the GSen sheets. Don’t be modest.”

I forced a smile, but my thoughts kept circling. How could I live up to everything that would be expected of me? And what if I failed?

Vignesh, oblivious to my inner turmoil, suddenly grabbed my arm, dragging me over to a senior, Gowtham. I’d seen Gowtham around but never spoken to him.

“Arjun, meet Gowtham, the genius who cracked the GSen code! He didn’t get the citation himself, but his work laid the foundation. I call him ‘Gurunadha,’” Vignesh said, clearly in awe.

Gowtham smacked Vignesh lightly. “Don’t butter me up too much.” He turned to me, smiling. “Hey, I’m Gowtham.”

“Hi, bro. I’m Arjun,” I replied, trying to focus on the conversation instead of my racing thoughts.

“The new USec and GSen coordinator, huh?” he teased.

I managed a smile, but I was sure it looked weak. I was feeling the weight of it all more than ever.

Noticing my hesitation, Gowtham put a hand on my shoulder. “You seem stressed. Look, when I did GSen, I had no idea my work would help the next batch. It was all trial and error. You don’t need to have everything figured out right away. Just learn as you go.”

His words were meant to comfort me, but they only reminded me how far I felt from matching his confidence. “I don’t think I could ever match your level, bro,” I admitted.

Gowtham laughed, shaking his head. “Trust me, no one’s expecting that right away. This is all a learning experience.”

He went on to chat about his plans for the next week, and I tried to focus. But my mind was still buzzing with worry. Gowtham mentioned a panel discussion happening in Coimbatore, and my ears perked up when he suggested we present the GSen sheets there. Ashok shook his head.

“Sorry, bro, we have our viva that day,” he said.

Gowtham looked at me and Vignesh. “Then you two can go. You both know the GSen sheets well enough to present them.”

I felt my pulse quicken. I’d been plannig to attend Archcult, and this panel was scheduled on the last day. Archcult was my chance to unwind, to finally talk to Deepika—maybe even confess my feelings for her. The disappointment hit me hard.

Before I could process it all, Vignesh responded eagerly. “Sure, Gowtham! Arjun and I can take it. Arjun’s familiar with the work; he’ll explain it well.”

I stared at him, feeling my frustration rise. He didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go! I dragged him aside after the conversation, finally finding the words.