Things get heated up pretty quick when you try to hide your talents. It wasn't like this in pre university, but when it came down to the Uni, everything was different. The pace, the life, the people, everything!
Finally! It's been a week since I joined Uni. For these days, it's been a routine for me and Maya to meet during the lunch break, and probably everyone who saw, lecturers included, figured out we were love birds.

A few adviced me that this wasn't the right time, but as always, I threw a deaf ear to them. I had chosen Biotechnology and she had chosen Computer science. Well, we couldn't meet anytime but the break, so we always stuck together during the break. As much as we could.

A few days passed. And so did me and Maya pass our internals. This is where it started. All the other girls in our class were awestruck. They never expected me to score perfectly in all subjects. A perfect 50 in all. And you probably can guess what follows next. Teasing you by calling you a "topper".

I don't like that. I mean, I don't work hard to be called a topper. I never studied for any exam, yet I manage to score good. That's why, I feel I don't deserve to be called a topper. This aside, I gained a few friends and rivals alike.
Nevertheless, I tried to hide my talents, just because I didn't feel it was the right time. "I'm going to stay in the Uni for four years, might as well exhibit later!" .. I kept telling myself.

Maya was the contrast. She had already gained enough fans in her class, most being male. You know how it works. That usually left me feeling a bit too possessive of her, but she made sure she never broke my trust or even bring up such thoughts.

True. Time flies. How the rest of the semester went, I didn't even notice. I got busy with my life so much, there were days I was alone without Maya by my side. Too much work. Literally.

"Kinda sucks to be the only one working!?" Maya asked me.
"Not really, I enjoy this." I replied.
"Seriously Jin, you're too generous for this world!" ... With that she gave me a tight hug and kiss on my cheek.
"What was that for?" I asked, slightly caught off guard.
"Reward for your hard work!" She replied with a giggle and left.
I got on back to work again.

The very next day, we had a surprise visit to the museum, organised by the college. Well, that was one exciting trip actually.
Never ever did I think I'd actually get carried away like I did that day.
Mesmerising museum that it was, from the moment I entered it, I was lost in its beauty.
All kinds of machines, biotechnological apparatus, quantum mechanics, everything!

I stopped by the quantum mechanics section just to take a peek at the exhibits. The instructor there saw me looking at the models and asked me if I knew whether this world was a universe or a multiverse.

"Umm.... Certainly a Universe..." I replied hesitantly.
"No, this world is a multiverse. Time differed space shifts of the same moment exist, each lived differently by different set of people."
He continued on. So much I just wanted to jump right into quantum mechanics.

"Light, is not just what we see. It's a radiance beyond ones imagination, and only comes out in the form on talents exhibited.".
It felt so related. What did he mean by that? What had he seen in me that I was trying to hide?
I never got the answer. Apparently, my class teacher heard this. She always had a doubt I wasnt who I seemed to be. But she stayed quite on the trip. The next day in class, as she entered the class, she made me stand and asked me this:
"How long do you plan to conceal and hide your true talents?"
Not knowing she had done her homework about me, I replied "What talents? I'm who I am, mam."

"Yes, you are who you are. Which is exactly what I'm asking, "What is your true potential?"
The proceeded to pull out a set of papers, and with each part of the paper revealed to the class, I started sweating...

It was a research paper on void genome. A genome that allows the user to read a person's mind just by looking into their eyes.
Hypothetically also, this kind of a genome is impossible. But I had achieved it. I had created the void genome. But not even Maya knew it. How did my class teacher get hold of it... I don't know.

But now, life changed. That genome is also illegal, but can prove fruitful in areas that require intense microsurgery. I knew the hazards while developing the genome, but I didn't expect it would go public. My real genius was revealed.

I couldn't hide anymore. They knew what I was capable of. The teachers, the principal, everyone was told about the genome.

"The Void Genome... It's a rather sultry name given.." I muttured to myself..
"Well, it can't be changed. Better suck it up!" Maya nudged me from behind.
"No choice. But now, I can actually be the true person. But boy will people start hating me." I told Maya.
"Hate you? Why?" She wasnt on the same page as me.
"You'll see soon. People bitching about me because I'm good at everything..." I told her, almost muttering to myself the last few words.
"You don't like to give yourself credit or accept credit from others, now do you?" She asked.
"I can't boast or brag about myself. I might be good at everything, but I want to keep it a secret. Unfortunately, the cover's been blown..."
With a tinge of disappointment in my voice saying that sentence, I take Maya's hand as we walk towards the main gate, out to our way home.

"Say, how do you like this new way, where you cant hide anything but be yourself?" She asked, almost teasing me.
"Tiresome. It requires me to spend more than energy than what is required than normal... And I seriously hate that. Besides that, it's fun discovering how others can be of a challenge to you. It's a huge world filled with surprises after all!" I replied.
"Uh huh!!" A teasing nudge and she just lead me on pulling my hand.
"Slow down, there's no hurry!"
"Nope, I need some time with ya! You've been too damn busy and I'm making sure you get enough rest today!" That smile! I couldn't refuse. I let myself be lead on by her, smiling like an idiot, internally happy about how perfect my life had become ever since I met this girl.

© Jeevan