Meera sat at her desk, her room bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sunlight filtering in through the window. Outside in the hall, she could hear the faint murmur of voices as her mother and sister watched television together, their laughter mingling with the gentle hum of the television.

With her homework completed, Meera found herself lost in thought, her mind drifting back to the events of the math Olympiad. She replayed the scene in her mind, recalling the silent exchange with Lakshya and the unspoken longing that had filled the air between them.