The Day After the Party (Common Room)
The common room the next morning was a study in peaceful aftermath. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, illuminating lazy dust motes dancing in the air. The lingering, faint scent of stale chips and spilled soda from the previous night's revelry mixed with the rich, comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The silence was a stark contrast to the booming music and loud cheers of just a few hours ago.
Nivan and Anvesh were sitting across from each other in comfortable armchairs, steaming mugs in their hands. The tension from the drinking incident had completely dissipated, washed away by a night's sleep and the unspoken understanding that sometimes friends push too far, but forgiveness comes easily. The atmosphere was one of relaxed camaraderie.
Nivan took a slow sip of his coffee, his brow slightly furrowed in thought. He had been turning a question over in his mind for a while, and the memory of last night's unchecked party finally gave him the push to voice it.
"Man, Anvesh," he began, setting his mug down, "answer me one thing honestly... last night, we were partying so freely in the hostel. We had drinks, the music was blasting, we were shouting and laughing all night... but there was no warden, no staff member came to check on us or shut it down." He leaned forward slightly, his expression genuinely puzzled. "All of that is strictly against the hostel rules, right? So why does no one ever stop us? It's like we're invisible to the authorities here."
A wide, knowing, and slightly mischievous grin spread across Anvesh's face. He leaned back in his chair, looking immensely pleased, as if he was about to reveal a well-guarded secret. He didn't answer directly but instead gestured with his chin towards the far end of the common room. Neerav was sprawled lazily on a large sofa, scrolling through his phone, completely at ease.
"Oh man!" Anvesh said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Everything runs so smoothly around here because of one person, our very own 'Hostel King'."
Nivan's eyes followed Anvesh's gaze towards Neerav, his confusion deepening. "Hostel King? What do you mean? What does Neerav have to do with the wardens?"
Anvesh couldn't contain his glee. "You've been here this long and you still don't know? It's the hostel's worst-kept secret!" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Neerav's father isn't just some random guy. He's a major trustee of this entire college, and more importantly, he's the primary funder and patron of this very hostel building. His name is probably on a plaque somewhere that we've never bothered to read."
He took a dramatic pause for effect, letting the information sink in. "So, all the wardens, the support staff, the janitors... they all know one thing for sure: messing with Neerav, or any of his close friends—which, lucky for us, includes all of us—is basically like playing a very dangerous game with their job security. One complaint from the 'Prince' and their comfortable positions could vanish."
Nivan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh... is that it? So that's the real reason no one ever says anything to us. It's not that they don't hear the noise; it's that they're deliberately looking the other way."
"Exactly, bro!" Anvesh confirmed, puffing out his chest with a mock-serious pride. "We live in our own little bubble of immunity. But," he added, holding up a cautionary finger, "there is one non-negotiable condition. There should never, ever be a major public scandal that seriously tarnishes the college's reputation. A noisy party inside these walls is one thing, but if our antics were to spill out and make headlines, even Neerav's dad would be forced to step in and get angry. The privilege would be over in a heartbeat."
He leaned forward again, his eyes twinkling.