Chapter 1: The Third Beginning

Opening Scene: The Weight of a Third Attempt

The novel begins on a monsoon morning, thick clouds swallowing the sky. Inside his hostel room, Debasish sits at his desk, his NEET syllabus open but untouched. His phone, however, is in his hands, glowing in the dim light.

A knock on the door. His roommate leaves for dinner, but Debasish stays behind. His stomach is empty, but his mind is heavier.

His mother, Meera Mittal, calls. She’s a school teacher, juggling her job, housework, and her own health.

> “Did you eat?”

“Yeah.” (A lie.)

“How was today’s test?”

“Good.” (Another lie.)

She doesn’t press him for details. Just says, “Take care, beta.” But her voice is filled with exhaustion—one that he has caused.

As the call ends, his eyes drift to his phone again. He brought it back from home two months before only for answer keys and doubts—a logical decision. But logic has left him.

Setting Up the Conflict:

It’s April 2025, and NEET is exactly two months away—July 4, 2025.

This is his third attempt, and his final chance.

In his first attempt, he joined Quantum Apex Institute (offline coaching) but left midway, believing online would be better.

In his second attempt, he joined Zenith Cure Academy (a small coaching without a mobile), but still failed.

Now, in his final attempt, he’s in NeuroSpark Elite, the best coaching in India. He spent nine months without a phone, but now, with just two months left, he has it back—and it’s pulling him under.

The Answer Key Trap (Self-Deception Begins)

8:00 PM

Debasish looks at his physics notebook. He should be revising. His last test was a disaster—his physics score is dragging him down. He needs to check the answer key to see where he went wrong.

He picks up his phone.

"Just five minutes. I’ll check my score and get back to revision."

He opens the PDF, skims through it. First mistake. Second mistake. Third. His heart sinks. His score is even worse than he expected.

"I need a break."

He clicks on YouTube—just to watch a solution video. The first recommendation is actually useful: "Most Common NEET Physics Mistakes." He taps on it.

10 minutes later…

A notification pops up. A meme from a friend. He chuckles, then checks his messages.

30 minutes later…

Instagram. Reels. A motivational video—some guy saying “You have to suffer now to shine later.” He scrolls past it. Another funny video. Then another.

1 hour later…

His book is still open. His highlighter untouched. The clock reads 9:10 PM. His heartbeat quickens.

"How did an hour pass?"

Guilt crashes over him. He should’ve been revising. He should’ve at least solved a few questions.

He throws his phone on the bed and buries his face in his hands. The same cycle. Again.

Regret. Anxiety. Self-hatred.

He promises himself—"Tomorrow will be different."

But deep down, he knows. It won’t.

Mother’s Silent Struggle:

His mother teaches all day, then comes home to an empty house, where she cooks and cleans alone.

She sacrificed everything—sold jewelry, took extra shifts, skipped her own medications—all so he could study in the best institute.

She trusts him, believes in him. But she doesn’t know how much time he’s wasting. She doesn’t know he’s drowning.

Ending the Chapter:

That night, he lies in bed. His phone is still within arm’s reach. He should sleep. He should get up early and fix everything.

Instead, he reaches for his phone again.

One more video. One more scroll. One more escape from reality.

And just like that, another day is gone.

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