The classroom fell into silence as Madam Bella clapped her hands to regain control.
"Alright, enough of the teasing," she said. "Let's switch gears. Everyone, take out your books. I want you to write a brief note about someone you admire. It can be a footballer, a scientist, a ruler, an actor—whoever inspires you. Just a few lines. Keep it respectful."
The class grumbled a bit but obeyed. Pens began moving, heads bent low. It was quiet for the first time that day—only the sound of writing filled the room.
The trio—Vinci, Einstein, and Hawkings—were already done in no time. They sat, waiting, hands folded. The rest of the class was still scribbling, some clearly struggling to remember the names of famous people.
Madam Bella looked at the clock.
"No time to waste. I'll just point at random. You'll read out loud what you've written."
Her finger swung to the left.
"Eliza, let's hear yours."
Eliza stood up shyly, cleared her throat, and began.
"I admire Rowan Atkinson. He's the man who plays Mr. Bean. He doesn't need to speak much, but the whole world laughs when he performs. He's just naturally funny. I think that's real talent."
The whole class burst out laughing—not at her, but at the memory of Mr. Bean's crazy, silent expressions. Even Madam Bella chuckled. Some students clapped. The trio smiled too, but stayed cool, just nodding with respect.
Then came the next.
"Einstein," Madam Bella said. "Your turn."
Albert stood up, adjusted his glasses slowly, and grinned.
"The classroom fell into a respectful silence after Einstein finished reading his write-up.
"Just as Eliza said," he began, "my favorite is Charlie Chaplin. Another man who didn't need words to change the world. His movements, his expressions, the way he controlled silence—it was genius."
Before anyone could fully react, a voice from the back yelled out:
"Two comedians, !"
The class laughed hard.
And then another voice added quickly:
"Eliza and Einstein—the Two E's!"
That one made the laughter even louder. Eliza covered her face in embarrassment, chuckling, while Einstein just smiled and adjusted his glasses with classic calmness.
He wasn't offended. Not at all.
In fact, he seemed to enjoy it.
But one person wasn't laughing.
Maria.
She was sitting at her usual spot, arms crossed, eyes locked on Einstein like she was calculating the square root of her next insult. She didn't like how the class was clapping for him, or how he was getting attention for something so simple.
Then Madam Bella called her out.
"Maria, let's hear what you wrote."
Maria stood with that fake innocent smile plastered on her lips. She turned to the class and said loudly:
"Oh yes, I admire a few scientists too."
She flipped open her book and kept her gaze fixed on the trio.
"Snotty Spectacles... that's one. Then there's Professor Doodle-Hands. And of course, Mr. Limpy Time-Loop."
The entire class froze for a second, trying to decode what she meant.
And then—BOOM. The realization hit.
She was mocking them.
Einstein. Vinci. Hawkings.
The class burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Madam Bella frowned. "Maria, what is that?"
Maria just smirked and shrugged. "Aunty, I was talking about those three chipmunk brats sitting right over there." She pointed at the boys one by one like she was taking roll call at a zoo.
Einstein remained still. Vinci tapped his pen on the desk. Hawkings leaned back slowly with a silent grin.
They were silent—but they weren't done.
And as Madam Bella scolded Maria, the class knew exactly what was coming once she stepped out.
The trio sat still. They didn't say a word. But they exchanged looks. Calm ones. Not embarrassed—just… calculating.
Madam Bella sighed deeply.
"Maria, stop it. That's not how to talk about your classmates. You're a girl. You should show some respect. These boys haven't said anything to you."
Maria just sat back down, still smiling smugly, playing with her fancy pen.
The teacher moved on.
"Alright, enough of this. Let's get back to the main lesson."
The class flipped pages and prepared for the next subject.
Then the bell rang—soft and steady.
Everyone stood up, ready to switch to Science.
But just as they were gathering their books, the classroom door opened. The principal walked in, his hands behind his back and a small paper tucked under his arm.
"Good morning, students," he said calmly. "Mr. Atkins won't be in today. Some personal reasons. I won't explain. So—there will be no science lesson for now."
The students froze.
The principal continued, "If someone wants to volunteer and lead the class in any revision or topic, you may. Otherwise, I expect you all to stay focused and study. Learn your books."
Then he turned and walked out.
The door shut behind him.
And like that…
Whispers began.
Eyes darted.
The energy shifted again.
Because everyone knew what was coming.
The diss battle was about to begin.
And this time… the geniuses were going to fire back.