Space academy

**Scene: The School Library - Late Afternoon**

The library is quiet, with sunlight streaming through the tall windows, casting soft shadows over the shelves. Naina sits at a corner table, her head bent over a pile of books, her glasses slipping down her nose as she reads. She adjusts them, her heart filled with warmth because today, like every day, she is helping Sameer.

Sameer strides in confidently, his signature leather jacket and charm turning heads. He spots Naina and smirks, walking over to her table with an air of casual indifference.

**Sameer (teasing):** 
"Hey, Nerdie! What's cooking in those thick books today? Saving the world with your smarts?"

Naina looks up, the slight sting of his words present, but she hides it behind a soft smile. To her, his teasing is just part of who he is. She chooses to focus on the moments where they laugh together, where she believes he shows her his true self.

**Naina (softly):** 
"Just finishing up some notes for the exam. You can have them when I'm done."

Sameer sits beside her, leaning back casually as if this is routine. To him, it is. A bet. A game. Get close to the nerdy girl, get good grades. His friends had laughed, knowing he'd never actually be serious about her. After all, Sameer was popular, cool, and never someone who'd fall for someone like Naina.

**Sameer (mocking concern):** 
"Good thing you're here to save me from failing, huh? I mean, what would I do without you?"

Naina blushes slightly, her heart fluttering. To her, these moments are real, even if she knows they come wrapped in teasing.

**Naina (gently):** 
"You'd do fine. You’re smart, Sameer. You just… don’t show it."

Sameer chuckles, leaning closer, his tone dropping to something softer, but still playful.

**Sameer:** 
"Maybe I just need you to show me how it’s done, Nerdie."

Naina's breath catches for a second, her heart beating faster. She can't help but feel that underneath the teasing, there might be something real. Something that connects them. But she pushes the thought aside, not wanting to expect too much.

**Naina:** 
"I’ll help you, Sameer. You just have to try."

As she says this, Sameer reaches out, lightly flicking her glasses with a grin.

**Sameer (laughing):** 
"Try? Come on, Naina. That's what you're here for!"

He doesn’t notice how her smile falters for a brief second, or how her eyes dim just slightly. She looks back at her notes, pushing down the hurt. Sameer doesn't see her as she sees him. But she can’t help it. For Naina, Sameer means everything, even if he only sees her as a way to get good grades.

Sameer, however, is oblivious to her feelings. To him, she’s just part of the game—a bet he’s winning. He picks up one of her notebooks casually and flips through the pages.

**Sameer (smirking):** 
"Well, keep being my little genius, and who knows? Maybe one day you’ll stop being such a nerd."

He tosses the notebook back on the table and stands, ruffling her hair as he walks away, laughing to himself. Naina watches him leave, a soft sigh escaping her lips. She whispers to herself, knowing he’ll never hear it:

**Naina (softly, to herself):** 
"I wish you could see the real me… the way I see the real you."

Her heart aches as she turns back to her books, knowing that despite how much she wants things to be different, for now, she’s just a "nerdie" to him, and nothing more.

**Scene: School Canteen – Afternoon Break**

Sameer sits at a table surrounded by his friends, Harshad and Nandini. The canteen is buzzing with students, their laughter and chatter filling the air. Sameer leans back in his chair, tossing a basketball from hand to hand, looking effortlessly cool as always.

**Harshad (smirking):** 
"Sameer, yaar, you’ve been spending *way* too much time with that nerdie, Naina. Hope you're not falling for her charms, bro."

He chuckles, nudging Sameer playfully. Nandini bursts into laughter, joining in the teasing.

**Nandini (laughing):** 
"Sameer, seriously! *Naina*? I never thought you'd actually take advantage of her like that. But, hey, good for you! Who knew you'd have the patience to hang out with such a bore?"

Sameer, putting on his usual cocky grin, rolls his eyes. He knows exactly how to play this game, and today is no different.

**Sameer (with exaggerated frustration):** 
"Oh, come on, have you even seen how *boring* she is? It’s a nightmare hanging out with her. Constantly talking about equations and books. It’s unbearable!"

He leans in, lowering his voice for added drama.

**Sameer (mocking):** 
"I’ve gotta suffer through it just for the notes and her nerdy knowledge. The things I do to stay at the top of my class. Trust me, there’s nothing more to it. I’m just playing the game."

Harshad, grinning, tosses a piece of his sandwich at Sameer, hitting him lightly.

**Harshad (laughing):** 
"Just make sure you don’t start liking her, man. Can’t let a nerdie win your heart, right?"

Sameer laughs loudly, his carefree mask still intact, but something about Harshad’s words stings just a little. Liking Naina? The thought makes him uncomfortable, and he quickly shrugs it off.

**Sameer (dismissively):** 
"Please, as if! Have you *seen* her? Glasses, old sweaters, always buried in books. There’s no way."

Just as he’s about to brush it off completely, Harshad leans in closer, his voice dropping to a serious tone.

**Harshad (mock-serious):** 
"But you haven’t forgotten the bet, right, Sameer? You know what’s at stake here. We all agreed—get close to her, use her to get top marks, and *never* let her know. You better not be going soft on us."

There’s a pause as the weight of Harshad’s words hangs in the air. Sameer’s confident grin falters for a fraction of a second, but he recovers quickly.

**Sameer (forcing a smile):** 
"Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten. Naina’s just a project. Nothing more, nothing less. I’ve got it under control."

Nandini laughs again, clearly entertained by the whole situation.

**Nandini (teasing):** 
"Good boy, Sameer. Can’t have you turning into a nerd yourself! But wow, the way she looks at you sometimes… poor girl probably thinks you're her prince charming or something."

Sameer’s laugh this time is a little hollow, but he forces it out, playing along with the teasing.

**Sameer (mockingly):** 
"Prince charming? Please, I’m just a means to an end for her, just like she is for me."

He’s still smiling, but inside, something feels off. He pushes the thought away, leaning back in his chair again, spinning the basketball in his hands. He looks cool, collected, the popular guy who’s got everything under control. But for the first time, the joke doesn’t sit quite right with him.

**Cut to: Naina's Perspective - School Hallway**

Naina walks down the hallway, her arms full of books, completely unaware of the conversation happening in the canteen. She’s thinking about Sameer, her heart full of hope and maybe something more. In her mind, Sameer is her friend—someone who’s slowly seeing beyond her glasses and books. She believes he values her for who she is, and that despite his teasing, there’s a connection between them.

As she walks past the canteen doors, she catches a glimpse of Sameer with his friends. They’re laughing, as usual. Sameer’s charm radiates from across the room, making her heart skip a beat. She hesitates, wanting to go in, but something holds her back. She turns away, not wanting to disturb him. In her mind, she convinces herself that he’ll come find her later, just like he always does.

But what Naina doesn’t know is that, for Sameer, she’s nothing but a game. A bet. And while she walks away with her heart full, Sameer sits at the table, surrounded by friends, laughing off something that’s starting to weigh a little heavier than it used to.

Authors note- hey there I know I maybe changing scenes abruptly,shifting the focus from one character to another  but can't help it! I'm not a writer I'm just writing as and when I feel like.