Chapter 7: Chamchi and the Campus

I remembered that breakup post on the campus forum.

[Did Rohan and Ananya break up today]

It had followed me since the first day we dated.

People joked that my relationship was the longest-running TV serial on campus. I felt like the heroine in a bad daily soap—everyone watching, everyone judging. Everyone tuned in, but nobody knew the truth.

Rohan was the campus heartthrob in the computer science department, always representing the college in hackathons, like a campus celebrity.

He had fanboys and fangirls, and even professors bragged about his coding skills. Sometimes the principal called him on stage at functions, just to show off.

And me—“chamchi,” “bitch,” “toad” …

The words were always spat out like venom, sharp and gleeful. Even the boys I’d known for years joined in, laughing behind my back.

Besides those nasty words, my personal info was dug up, even ugly daily photos and candid shots posted online.

A picture of me eating pani puri, one with my mouth open mid-yawn. No one spared my dignity. Even my LinkedIn got spammed.

Walking down the street, people would point at me. In class, I’d hear the click of someone secretly taking pictures in the back row.

I kept my eyes glued to my books, wishing I could disappear. Sometimes I wore a scarf to cover my face. Sometimes I just skipped class.

This post almost gave me anxiety.

I started jumping at every ping on my phone. My heart would race every time someone said my name in the corridor.

Later, red-eyed, I begged Rohan:

“Can you help me delete that post?”

What did he say then?

“No.”

“If I hack the website and delete someone else’s post without permission, is that appropriate? Ananya, I didn’t study computer science for this. If I’m caught, I’ll be responsible.”

He looked so upright, so principled. But the words felt like a slap. I wondered if I was asking for too much.

“I also advise you not to call the police. If the police come, it’ll affect the college’s reputation. Do you think you’ll be okay?”

His concern was never about me—always the college, always his future.

“But…”

“If you really want it gone, there is one way.”

“What?”

I clung to his sleeve like grabbing a lifeline and quickly asked.

“Break up with me.”

He told me the way to make the post disappear was to break up with him.

He said helping me delete the post violated his principles.

But now, for that person, he hacked the entire website.