Assignment Group

Monday ki subah North Campus ke paas PG ke chhote se room me Aarav Mehta ne alarm band kiya toh pehla thought ye nahi tha ki class kaun si hai. Pehla thought tha: “Aaj group assignment ka message aayega.”

Aur jaise hi usne phone unlock kiya, WhatsApp pe exactly wahi hua.

Sana: Guys, assignment topic aa gaya hai. Kabir: Ohooo. Ritika: Let’s divide work properly this time. Sana: Haan, bilkul. Teamwork. Kabir: Main toh free hoon, jo bolna ho bol do. Aarav: Okay, cool.

Aarav ne last message type kiya, phone side me rakha, aur ek lambi saans li. “Teamwork” word uske liye itna familiar ho chuka tha jaise Delhi Metro me “please mind the gap.” Har baar same shuruat, same optimism, aur end me same scene—kaam zyada tar usi ke paas.

Woh PG ke bed par baith gaya. Room ka ek corner books se bhara hua tha, dusra corner empty chai cups se. North Campus ki subah ki thand window se andar aa rahi thi, aur Aarav ke andar ek alag hi type ki thandak thi—wo wali jo tab aati hai jab aap already jaante ho ki aapka kaam badhne wala hai, bina kisi official announcement ke.

Group me total four log the. Aarav, Sana, Kabir, aur Ritika. Ritika usually theek-thaak kaam kar leti thi, but uska style bhi “main dekh lungi” wala tha. Sana South Delhi ki polished, fast-talking student thi—hamesha busy, hamesha composed. Kabir Gurgaon se aata tha, attendance rare, jokes frequent. Aur Aarav? Aarav woh banda tha jo “haan main kar dunga” bolne me itna expert tha ki kabhi-kabhi usse khud samajh nahi aata tha ki usne help accept ki hai ya apni life ka extra shift le liya hai.

College me first lecture ke baad sab canteen ke kone wale table pe mil gaye. Sana coffee leke aayi, Kabir burger ke saath, Ritika ek packet chips share kar rahi thi, aur Aarav bas notebook khol ke baith gaya. Sana ne apni sleek ponytail ko adjust karte hue bola, “Toh dekh lo guys, topic kaafi manageable hai. Main research kar lungi, you know, sources wagera.”

Kabir ne hasi dabate hue bola, “Main presentation dekh lunga. Slides ka vibe achha hona chahiye, bas.”

Ritika ne phone uthaya. “Main intro aur conclusion likh dungi. Simple.”

Aarav ne sirf “Okay” bola.

Kyunki uske andar already ek line chal rahi thi: Research? Presentation? Intro? Conclusion? Achha. Aur actual assembling kaun karega?

Par woh bola kuch nahi. Usne bas pen se table pe ek circle banaya aur assignment ka rough structure likhna start kar diya. Jab baaki log “divide work” bolte the, Aarav ko hamesha lagta tha ki divide ka matlab unke liye “main thoda-thoda karunga, aur tum zyada zyada sambhal lena” hota hai.

Sana ne apni screen pe kuch tabs khole aur bola, “Main evening tak points bhej dungi. Internship bhi hai, but manage kar lungi.”

Kabir ne dramatic sigh diya. “Mere ghar pe aaj cousin ka function hai. But main kal tak slides ka base de dunga.”

Ritika ne seedha bol diya, “Mere paas 6 baje ke baad time hoga.”

Aarav ne bas nod kiya. Uski nazar table ke corner pe tik gayi, jahan coffee ka stain tha. Us stain ki tarah hi kuch cheezein group me permanent ho gayi thi—jaise kaam ka last-minute pressure, aur Aarav ka silent acceptance.

Shuru ke do din sab smooth chal raha tha. WhatsApp pe messages aate rahe: “Sending soon,” “Almost done,” “Will share by tonight,” “Internet issue hai.” Aarav ne pehle socha, chalo, maybe this time sach me kaam ho raha hoga. Phir teesre din usne dekha ki jo “research” Sana ne promise ki thi, woh ek half-page ka Google summary tha. Kabir ke “slides ka base” me do title fonts aur ek meme-style background tha. Ritika ne intro bheja tha, but conclusion me bas ek line thi: “In conclusion, teamwork is important.”

Aarav ne laptop khola. Uski raat ka schedule already decide ho gaya tha.

8 baje: sources collect. 9 baje: content rewrite. 10 baje: slides restructure. 11 baje: references format. 12 baje: speaker notes. 1 baje: check grammar. 2 baje: final export.

Room me fan ki awaaz aur chai ke cup ki halki khushboo ke beech Aarav ne kaam start kiya. PG ke corridor me kisi ke laughter ki awaaz aa rahi thi, koi Maggi bana raha tha, aur uske desk pe laptop ki white light uske face pe pad rahi thi. Woh type karta gaya, copy-paste se bachta gaya, sentences ko human banata gaya. Kabhi-kabhi uske haath ruk jaate the, kyunki thakaan se zyada usse jo cheez tod rahi thi, woh thi ye feeling ki uska effort invisible hai.

Aur phir raat ke 2 baje, jab usne finally last slide save ki, toh usne chair pe back rest kiya aur aankhen band kar li. Desk pe ek chai ka thanda cup pada tha. Screen pe title chamak raha tha: Assignment Group Presentation.

Aarav ko hasi aayi, par woh hasi achhi nahi thi. Woh thodi bitter thi.

Usne group chat khola.

Aarav: Guys, final draft bhej diya hai. Please ek baar dekh lo by morning. Kabir: Broooo legend. Sana: Greattt. I’ll check after my internship call. Ritika: Nice. We’re sorted then.

“We’re sorted then.”

Aarav ne message padhta hi phone ulta rakh diya. Sorted. Haan, bas ek hi banda sorted nahi tha—woh khud.

Agli subah presentation se pehle college cafeteria me sab mile. Sana fresh makeup ke saath aayi thi, Kabir ne white shirt pehen rakhi thi jaise interview ho, aur Ritika thodi nervous lag rahi thi. Aarav ne notice kiya ki koi bhi actually notes nahi padh raha tha. Sab bas uss file ke around ghoom rahe the jo usne banayi thi.

Aarav ne cup ko stir karte hue seedha bola, “Tum logon ne dekha bhi hai final version?”

Kabir ne hansi ke saath kaha, “Arre bhai, tu hai na. Tension kyu le raha hai?”

Sana ne soft smile ke saath bola, “Haan, aur tu itna achha karta hai na. We trust you.”

Trust.

Ye word sunte hi Aarav ko laga jaise uske andar kuch tight ho gaya ho. Trust ka matlab kya tha? Kya trust ka matlab ye hota hai ki tumhara kaam kisi aur ke comfort pe based ho? Kya trust ka matlab ye hota hai ki tum raat bhar jaago aur baaki log “manage” karte rahe?

Usne kuch nahi kaha. Bas coffee ka sip liya.

Presentation hall me Prof. Nandini Rao already chair pe baithi hui thi. Unki presence aisi thi jaise bina kuch bole bhi room ko scan kar rahi ho. Short hair, sharp spectacles, aur ek expression jo clearly bol raha tha: Mujhe excuses mat do, main paida hi iske liye nahi hui.

Group ka naam call hua. Aarav ne laptop connect kiya. Sana apni notes pakad ke khadi ho gayi. Kabir ne apni collar adjust ki. Ritika ne first slide pe click kiya.

Presentation start hui. Sana ne introduction diya, Kabir ne do slides pe apna casual confidence dikhaya, Ritika ne final summary read ki. Aarav ne content flow maintain kiya aur beech-beech me explain kiya. Sab theek chal raha tha, almost too smooth.

Phir Prof. Rao ne apni pen table pe tap ki aur seedha pucha, “Aapne methodology kis basis pe choose ki?”

Room me ek second ke liye silence aa gaya.

Aarav ko pata tha answer. Kyunki wohi toh usne choose ki thi—assignment ke topic ko dekh kar, sources compare karke, aur professor ke previous lectures yaad karke. Par usne jaanbujhkar chhota answer diya, “Ma’am, literature review aur comparative framework ke basis pe.”

Prof. Rao ne eyebrow uthayi. “Comparative framework? Interesting. Kaunse two sources ne specifically aapko ye direction di?”

Kabir ke face ka color thoda change hua. Sana ne apni notes ulat-pulat ki. Ritika ne Aarav ki taraf dekha. Aur Aarav ne us moment me sab samajh liya—jo kaam usne kiya tha, uska proof sirf uske head me tha. Baaki logon ke paas bas file thi, ownership nahi.

Usne phir calmly answer diya, “Ma’am, first source was a report on student participation patterns, and second was a case study on collaborative grading. Humne un dono ko compare karke structure finalize kiya.”

Professor ne ek second usko dekha. Phir halka sa nod kiya. “Good. At least someone actually read the sources.”

Kabir ne ek fake smile di, Sana ne eyes down kar li, aur Ritika ne saans chhodi.

Presentation finish hui. Class ke baad hall ke bahar nikalte hi Sana ne turant bola, “Nice going, team. We pulled it off.”

Kabir ne bhi support kiya, “Haan bro, mast tha. Slides bhi solid the.”

Aarav ne un dono ko dekha. Uske andar jo irritation thi, woh ab thandi ho chuki thi. Ab woh anger nahi, clarity thi.

“Pulled it off?” Aarav ne dheere se repeat kiya. “Kaun si team, Sana?”

Sana blink ki. “What do you mean?”

Aarav ne phone pocket me rakha aur seedha bola, “Mera matlab simple hai. Research maine ki, slides maine banayi, references maine correct kiye, aur presentation ke pehle tak tum logon ko yaad bhi nahi tha ki final file me kya hai. Teamwork tab hota hai jab sab contribute karein. Ye nahi ki ek banda sab kare aur baaki log bas ‘nice’ bol ke credit le lein.”

Kabir ne half-laugh try ki. “Arre yaar, itna serious mat ho. Humne bola toh tha na divide karenge.”

“Bola tha,” Aarav ne calmly kaha, “par bola aur kiya alag cheez hoti hai.”

Ritika ne chupchaap aankhen neeche kar li. Sana ne apne shoulder bag ka strap tight pakad liya. Kabir ne first time koi joke nahi maara.

Aarav ne unhe dekhte hue aakhri line boli, “Next time se main sabka kaam carry nahi karunga. Help karunga, but exploit nahi. Agar group assignment hai, toh group ka kaam group hi karega.”

Ye bolke woh chal diya.

Kuch second tak corridor me silence raha. Peeche se class ke log nikal rahe the, chairs scrape ho rahi thi, aur cafeteria ki taraf se chai ki smell aa rahi thi. Aarav ke steps pehle se lighter lag rahe the, jaise usne apne backpack se sirf notebook nahi, ek purana guilt bhi utar diya ho.

Uske phone pe group chat me message aaya.

Sana: Aarav, I’m sorry. Main honestly soch rahi thi ki tu handle kar lega, and that was wrong. Kabir: Bhai, fair point. Main bhi avoid kar raha tha. Ritika: I should’ve done more. Next time actual division hogi.

Aarav ne screen dekhi. Usne reply turant nahi kiya. Pehle ek deep breath li. Phir type kiya:

Aarav: Thanks for saying it. Next time, we all do our part. Bas.

Usne phone lock kiya aur North Campus ki road pe nikal gaya. Shaam ka time tha, trees ke beech se golden light aa rahi thi. Cycle-rickshaw wale bell baja rahe the, chai stall pe students ki bheed thi, aur door kahin se metro ke horn jaisi awaaz aa rahi thi. Delhi apni usual chaotic rhythm me thi, par Aarav ke andar pehli baar ek unusual peace thi.

Woh samajh gaya tha ki helpful hona weakness nahi hota. Lekin har baar sab kuch uthana bhi generosity nahi hoti—kabhi-kabhi woh self-erasure ban jaati hai. Aur self-worth ka pehla rule ye hai ki jab cheez unfair lage, toh usse naam do.

Us raat PG ke room me Aarav ne laptop khola, lekin assignment ke liye nahi. Usne apne liye ek fresh note file banayi—“Boundaries.” Bas ek word. Uske neeche usne likha: Haan bolne se pehle sochna. Credit ke bina kaam nahi. Silence ka matlab agreement nahi hota.

Phone pe group chat silent tha. Chhota sa weird silence, jo pehle awkward lag raha tha, ab necessary lag raha tha.

Aur Aarav ne first time bina guilt ke chai pi.

Kyuki kabhi-kabhi life me sabse important learning ye hoti hai ki team player banna achhi baat hai, par khud ko hamesha last me rakhna nahi. Helpful aur exploited hone ke beech ka difference samajhna hi asli growth hai.

Aur us din Aarav ne woh difference samajh liya.

storydilse ke pyare readers, itni der tak Aarav ki kahani ke saath bane rehne ke liye dil se thank you. Aapka pyaar aur support hi in stories ko aur zyada special banata hai. Aise hi storydilse ke saath जुड़े रहिए, aur apna khayal rakhiye. ❤️