Chapter 6: Meera’s Lab

**Five.**

Kunal dragged me to the teaching block where experiments were held.

The corridor buzzed with the usual after-class chatter—students leaning against walls, water bottles clinking, and the faint smell of phenol from the labs drifting out. My stomach did a nervous flip.

"They're doing experiments now, let's wait."

We found a spot near the water cooler. Kunal was bouncing on his heels, like a kid about to open a Diwali present.

Soon, a lot of people came out of the lab. Then the senior who'd given us the seat—her name was Priya—came out and saw us.

She waved us in. "It's fine, we're the ones doing experiments inside. Outside is just the waiting area."

Kunal said "oh" twice and pulled me to an empty seat.

Priya and Kunal sat facing each other, and I listened from the side.

No wonder postgrads are so impressive—their abilities are on another level.

Priya explained reactions as if she were telling a bedtime story, her hands dancing through the air. Kunal’s eyes shone with understanding—finally, someone who spoke his language.

Soon, Kunal was nodding in sudden understanding.

I was about to ask something when the lab door swung open.

The person who came in stared at the three of us.

She entered like she owned the place—head held high, glasses perched on her nose, the kind of presence that made everyone else fade into the background.

"Hey, Meera, you're back?"

It was the pretty girl with glasses who'd sat across from me in the library.

So her name was Meera.

Meera glanced at Kunal and me.

Her eyes scanned us like a teacher sizing up naughty students. I suddenly felt small and exposed.

Priya explained, "Oh, these are the freshers we met at the library. He had a few problems he couldn't solve, so he came to ask."

"Mm," Meera replied, still as cool as ever, her fingers adjusting her dupatta as she looked away in a way that said we were barely worth her notice.

Kunal and I exchanged a look. I could see the words in his eyes: What a cold girl.

Her reputation was clearly well earned.

Kunal stood up. "Well, senior, since we've asked, we'll get going. Thank you!"

He tried to bow out gracefully, but Priya stopped us with a raised hand.

"No problem, you're welcome. Oh, by the way, our lab is short two assistants. Are you interested?" Priya suddenly said.

Kunal and I both froze.

My mind whirred with questions. Lab assistant? Us? Was this a prank?

Then I noticed Meera frown next to her. Clearly, she wasn't thrilled about it.

She shot Priya a look that could freeze water, but Priya only grinned wider.

I was about to refuse, but Kunal jumped in, "Sure! Um, Rohan, go add her on WhatsApp, we'll be in touch."

Wait, why me? Didn't he already add Priya?

I was puzzled, and Kunal kept winking at me.

I had no choice. I awkwardly walked up to Priya and Meera.

Priya was straightforward and cheerfully added me.

Her hands moved quickly, her phone already buzzing with notifications.

When it came to Meera, she seemed like she was about to refuse. Sure enough, as I handed her my WhatsApp QR code, she glanced at it and froze.

Her eyes narrowed, lips tightening. I held my breath, waiting for her verdict.

"Is this your WhatsApp?" she asked, frowning and looking up at me.

"Uh... yeah, what's wrong?"

"What's your name?"

"Rohan."

"Where are you from?"

"Wait, Meera, are you checking his Aadhaar card?" Priya joked before I could answer, earning a glare from Meera.

That glare was powerful enough that Priya and Kunal shivered in unison.

I felt a chill run down my spine. Only in India can a look say so much.

Meera kept staring at me. "Answer."

"Lucknow," I replied. No way out.

But answering seemed to make things worse. After hearing my answer, the girl checking my Aadhaar suddenly laughed. Then she looked up, her beautiful eyes locking onto mine.

That look—how to describe it? Like she'd caught her prey. It made my heart skip a beat.

She leaned back slightly, arms folded, a knowing smile playing on her lips. I felt like a mouse caught by a particularly clever cat.

I felt like Meera was hostile towards me. She was smiling, but her eyes weren't.

Her gaze was sharp, almost challenging, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

"Did well on the boards, got into IIT Delhi," she said. Her tone was strange.

There was something in her voice—pride? sarcasm?—I couldn't quite place it.

I couldn't figure it out, so I nodded awkwardly. "Yeah, it was okay."

Meera smiled again—seemed a bit angry this time—but she took out her phone and scanned my WhatsApp code.

Her fingers moved with practiced ease. For a moment, I thought she’d change her mind, but then the notification popped up: "Meera added you on WhatsApp."

"Alright, come to the lab after class tomorrow."

Huh?

Not just me, even Priya was stunned. "Weren't you just... unwilling a moment ago?" She trailed off, swallowing her words.

Meera just shrugged, that mysterious smile still lingering as she turned away, leaving us to puzzle over her change of heart.