Inside library...

"Excuse me?"

A voice soft yet striking, with a melodic lilt that carried an effortless charm, like the first notes of a song they didn't realize they wanted to hear cut through the library's silence, making both Ansh and Ruhaan turn at once.

And the moment Ansh's eyes landed on her, everything around him just... ceased to exist.

The dull hum of the ceiling fan faded. The whispers of students flipping through books disappeared. Even his own breathing felt like it had been put on pause.

For the first time in his life, his usual sharp, analytical mind always calculating, always in control was utterly useless. His thoughts, which typically ran like a well-oiled machine, had been thrown into disarray, tangled in an unfamiliar chaos.

His ever-calm, disciplined demeanor? Completely shattered. He was always prepared for anything a surprise test, an unexpected challenge, even a physical fight if needed. But this? This sudden, inexplicable pull in his chest, this strange weightlessness in his stomach he had no training for this.

And his heartbeat? It had completely betrayed him, hammering against his ribs like a soldier caught off guard on the battlefield.

What was this feeling? It wasn't just attraction it wasn't something shallow or fleeting. It was something deeper, something unsettling. Like he had stumbled upon a puzzle he had no clue how to solve, yet somehow, he wanted to.

Aditi stood there, dressed in the same school uniform as everyone else yet, somehow, she looked different. As if the moment she stepped into the room, something shifted. The air felt charged, the ordinary surroundings dimmed, like she carried a glow that wasn't visible to the eye but could be felt. A quiet, effortless radiance that made her stand out without even trying.

Her dark eyes held a depth that was almost unnerving, like they saw more than they let on. The way the soft light from the window caught the strands of her hair, the way she carried herself graceful yet unbothered was enough to make something twist in Ansh's chest.

And Ansh? Ansh was spiraling.

His disciplined mind, always sharp and in control, was now a battlefield of frantic, absolutely ridiculous thoughts.

"Why does she look even prettier up close?"
"Wait—why am I even thinking that?! No. Stop. Focus."
"Oh god, she's looking directly at me, what am I supposed to do?! Act normal, what does normal even mean anymore?!"

His pulse roared in his ears, drowning out the already silent library. His throat went completely dry. His body trained for endurance, precision, and control refused to cooperate. For the first time in his life, Ansh Singhania forgot how to form words.

{ladhka to gaya kaam se 💘💀}

Aditi tilted her head slightly, her brows furrowing as she spoke. "Ansh Singhania?"

Boom. Direct hit. The way his name rolled off her lips soft, effortless, like she had always known it was enough to knock the air out of his lungs.

His heart didn't just skip a beat, it somersaulted inside his chest, landing awkwardly and completely off-rhythm. His stomach twisted into a thousand knots, each one pulling tighter as if to remind him just how utterly unprepared he was for this moment.

And then, the final betrayal his ears burned. Not just a slight warmth, but full-on heat, spreading up to his neck like a neon sign flashing "Caution: This Boy is Flustered.😳🔥"

He had faced intimidating teachers, grueling exams, and the pressure of being the perfect student, the perfect leader. But standing in front of Aditi, hearing her say his name like that? Yeah. He was done for.

Ruhaan, of course, noticed this very rare phenomenon Ansh Singhania, the epitome of calm and discipline, flustered. and like the absolute menace he was, Ruhaan wasted no time in making things worse.

A slow, wicked smirk crept onto his face. Then without hesitation he PINCHED Ansh's arm.

"AHH—!" Ansh jerked, barely stopping himself from yelping like a wounded puppy. He snapped his head toward Ruhaan with a murderous glare, his fists already itching to strangle the idiot.

But Ruhaan? Oh, Ruhaan was thriving. His grin stretched impossibly wide, his eyes glinting with pure devilish amusement like he had just uncovered the juiciest scandal of the decade.

"Bhai... yeh kya ho raha hai?" he whispered, voice dripping with mischief. "Tere kaan laal kyun ho rahe hain? Yeh koi naya allergic reaction hai kya? Ya phir..." he wiggled his eyebrows, "kisi special wajah se dil dhadak raha hai?"

Ansh clenched his jaw. "Ruhaan, main tujhe library ke beech mein..."Before Ansh could respond (or commit actual murder), a soft voice cut through the moment.

"Ansh Singhania?" His entire body froze. The teasing, the irritation, even his rising urge to punch Ruhaan all of it evaporated the moment he turned back to her. Aditi stood there, watching him with a slight tilt of her head, her brows furrowing in mild confusion.

"Aap hi hain na?"Boom. Direct hit.

Her voice had that same soft, melodic tone, but now there was a hint of curiosity in it. Like she was wondering if he had a functioning brain at all. (At this moment? Definitely not.) Ansh blinked once. Then twice. His brain scrambled to restart, but for the first time in his life, his legendary quick-thinking skills failed him.

Ruhaan, who was enjoying this way too much, leaned in again. "Bhai, jawab de. Ladki tera naam le rahi hai, aur tu statue bana khada hai?"

Ansh inhaled sharply, forcing himself to function like a normal human being. "Haan—haan, main hi hoon." His own voice sounded weirdly unfamiliar, like he wasn't even sure of his own identity anymore.

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!
Did he just,...STUTTER?!

Ruhaan had to physically hold back a laugh. Aditi, thankfully, didn't seem to notice his internal breakdown. She simply nodded.

"Vikas sir ne staffroom mein bulaya hai apko second period mein," she informed him in her polite, sweet tone. Then, giving a brief smile to Ruhaan who very enthusiastically waved back she turned and walked away.

And just like that, she disappeared. Leaving behind one very flustered, very confused Ansh. He stood there, frozen, staring at the spot where she had been just moments ago. His brain? An absolute mess. As Aditi walked away, her long braid swaying slightly with each step, Ansh's thoughts went into complete overdrive.

"Her voice... it's so soft. And she said my name...TWICE."
"Why did it sound... so nice?"
"Wait. No. STOP. This is NOT happening. Focus, Ansh, FOCUS!"

He shut his eyes for a second, inhaling deeply as if that would magically reset his very uncooperative mind. But nope his heart was still pounding, his ears still warm, and worst of all...

Ruhaan was still standing there. And he looked far too entertained. Leaning against the desk, arms crossed, Ruhaan was grinning like he had just witnessed the greatest moment in history.

"Bhai..." he drawled out, tilting his head. "Tu theek toh hai? Ya main ambulance bulaun?"

Ansh rolled his eyes, attempting to feign indifference. "Shut up, Ruhaan."

But Ruhaan was having way too much fun to stop.

"Nahi matlab, aaj tak kisi ladki ki taraf dekha tak nahi tune, aur aaj...Aaj toh tu full dramatic Bollywood hero ban gaya." He mimicked a dreamy expression, clasping his hands together.

With a knowing smirk, Ruhaan crossed his arms and leaned in closer, his eyes practically glowing with mischief. "Toh, mere laal tamatar! Kaisa laga surprise?"

Ansh, still staring at the doorway like a man who had just seen either a ghost or an angel (he couldn't decide which), muttered under his breath his thoughts spiraling out of control. "Par yeh yahan kaise...?"

Ruhaan, positively vibrating with excitement, let out a chuckle that instantly put Ansh on high alert. "Kal jis ladki se nazar nhii hat rahi thi teri whi aagayi tere samne aaj!"

—ERROR 404: Ansh's brain has officially crashed.—

His head SNAPPED toward Ruhaan so fast that even Newton himself would've reconsidered his laws of motion. "KYA?!"

Ruhaan sighed dramatically, as if explaining this was the greatest burden of his life. "Mujhe laga tu pasand karta hai, isliye batane aya tha." He placed a fake sympathetic hand on Ansh's shoulder, shaking his head. "Par koi baat nahi... ab kya hi kar sakte hain. tujhe to yaad hi nahi na?"

And with that, he turned on his heels, casually walking away like he had just dropped the biggest truth bomb in history. For a solid second, Ansh just stood there.

Frozen... Processing... MALFUNCTIONING...

And then "RUHAAN, WAHI RUKK JAA!" Ruhaan turned, saw the absolute murder in Ansh's eyes, and like any true menace...BOLTED.

"Bhai, maarna mat! Main toh sirf madad kar raha tha!" Ruhaan yelled between fits of laughter, expertly dodging a flying notebook Ansh had just hurled at his head.

And thus began The Great Chase.

Ansh, the ever-disciplined, always-in-control head boy was now S P R I N T I N G through the school corridors after Ruhaan like a madman. Ruhaan, weaving through students like a parkour expert, had the audacity to laugh as he ran.

"SAMBHAL KE BHAI! Head boy ko dekh kar koi soch bhi nahi sakta tha ki yeh ladkiyon ke peeche bhi daud sakta hai!" Ansh, seeing red, growled.

"LADKIYON KE NAHI TERE PEECHE DAUD RAHA HOON!"

"Ohoo! Jo bhi keh le! Kismat toh teri khul gayi hai!"

Ansh sped up. Ruhaan yelled dramatically and dove into their classroom, crashing into a chair with the grace of a sack of potatoes.

Prateek, who had been peacefully organizing his books and minding his own business, looked up. And found Ruhaan gasping for air like he had run a marathon, while Ansh stormed in right after, looking absolutely feral.

Prateek blinked. "Tu bhaag kyun raha hai?"

Ruhaan, still wheezing, pointed dramatically at Ansh. "Ansh... pagal... ho raha hai... ek 'cheez' ke peeche!"

Ansh slammed his hands on Ruhaan's desk. "BATA, TUJHE KYA PATA HAI USKE BAARE MEIN?!" Ruhaan smirked so hard Ansh immediately regretted his choice of words.

"Ohooo! 'USKE BAARE MEIN'!" He nudged Prateek. "Dekha? Kitna possessive ho raha hai!"

Ansh scowled. "MERI BAAT SUN" Ruhaan dramatically held up a hand. "Mujhse kya pooch raha hai? Tu apne dil se puch! Bechaara pehle toh sirf blood pump karta tha, ab pyaar bhi pump kar raha hai!"

Ansh let out a slow, suffering exhale. Prateek, genuinely confused, frowned."Kya pasand aa gaya? Naya timetable?"

Ruhaan WHEEZED."Haan bhai, wahi samajh le!"

Prateek, ever the logical one, just nodded like it made perfect sense.Ansh, finally relieved that his secret was still safe, collapsed into his seat.Ruhaan, not done yet, leaned in with one final whisper.

"Bas bhai, tu gaya."

And for once, Ansh had nothing to say. Because deep down, a very small part of him feared that Ruhaan might actually be right. Ruhaan, still grinning like an idiot, plopped down next to Prateek, who was peacefully organizing his books like nothing chaotic had just happened.Ansh, on the other hand, was still catching his breath, glaring daggers at Ruhaan, who had just escaped his wrath.

Ruhaan stretched his arms lazily. "Aur bhai, yahan akela kya kar raha hai?"

Prateek looked up. "Kuch nahi, bas behen ki class se aa raha tha. Socha books nikaal loon."

Ansh, still trying to process what just happened in the library, frowned sharply."Teri behen?"

Ruhaan's interest piqued immediately. He leaned forward with a smirk of pure mischief. "Arey wah! Teri bhi behen aa gayi iss school mein? Kya baat hai! Naya admission?"

Prateek chuckled. "Haan bhai, aaj uska first day hai. Socha tha akeli na ho, par dekha toh Shagun aur Priya ke saath thi. Toh tension free ho gaya."

Ruhaan nodded, exchanging a glance with Ansh, who had suddenly gone stiff. "Ohhh... toh tu Aditi ki baat kar raha hai? Aditi Mishra?"

At the mere mention of her name, Ansh who had just taken a sip of water choked violently.Ruhaan, barely holding in his laughter, turned back to Prateek. "Behen hai vo teri?"

Prateek, a little confused by Ruhaan's sudden enthusiasm, nodded casually. "Haan, behen hai. Par tujhe kaise pata?"

Ruhaan smirked, throwing a quick side-glance at Ansh, who was now staring hard at his book upside down. "Arey bhai! Priya ne introduce karvaya tha assembly mein." He shrugged casually, but his eyes were dancing with amusement.

Ansh, internally panicking, tightened his grip on the book. Ruhaan, who was clearly enjoying Ansh's internal breakdown, leaned closer with an evil grin."Naam yaad hai na?"

Ansh, still lost in the hurricane of emotions, blinked. Prateek, who had been peacefully stacking his books, looked up with a frown. "Kiska Naam yaad nahi ho raha? Bhai, tu toh ek baar sun ke yaad rakhne waalon mein se hai na?"

Ruhaan's grin widened. This was too easy. Ansh, realizing the danger level of this conversation, flipped open a book for distraction but THE BOOK WAS UPSIDE DOWN. (gaya ansh pani mai 🌊😵)

Ruhaan nearly choked on his own laughter.He nudged Prateek and stage-whispered way too loudly,"Bhai, kitna gehra soch raha hai... jaise kisi ne uske dil pe gehra asar daal diya ho."

Ansh's entire soul left his body. Prateek, meanwhile, nodded seriously. "Haan, waise bhi syllabus ka pressure hai. Kahin experiments ki dates bhool raha ho toh? Ya kisi math formula ka dukh hai?"

Ruhaan almost fell off his chair laughing. Ansh finally snapped, slamming his book shut. "RUHAAN, TUJHE MAIN CHHODUNGA NAHI!" Ruhaan, still gasping from laughter, wiped an imaginary tear. "Arey bhai, main toh bas confirm kar raha tha! Tu toh waise bhi sab yaad rakhta hai... toh ab kyun bechain ho raha hai?"

Ansh's eye twitched. He took a deep breath, counting one... two... three... (koi pharak nhi padne wala bhaii vo ruhaan h ) Ruhaan, sensing he was seconds away from getting tackled, continued with the final blow.

"Bechara, lagta hai naam yaad rakhne ki aadat ab DIL tak pahunch gayi hai." Ansh lunged forward. Ruhaan screamed like a banshee and leaped out of his chair, dodging Ansh like an experienced street racer. Prateek, still absolutely clueless, raised a brow. "Naam kaun sa hai? Itna important kya hai?"

Ansh froze mid-chase. Ruhaan, from behind a desk, giggled like a maniac and said, "Haan bhai, tu hi bata. Kis naam pe atka pada hai?" Ansh shot daggers at him but quickly turned to Prateek with a forced serious expression. "Kuch nahi yaar, Ruhaan bas usual nonsense kar raha hai." Ruhaan clicked his tongue dramatically. "Aww, toh ab naam bhi SECRET ho gaya?"

Ansh grabbed the nearest pen like a weapon and glared murderously."Ek aur lafz bola na, toh tu annual day pe solo dance karega,WOH BHI LADKIYON KE COSTUME MEIN!"

Ruhaan's smug grin vanished instantly. Prateek, meanwhile, just stretched his arms and sighed. "Bas yaar, ab koi bata de lunch break kab hoga?"

Ansh and Ruhaan looked at him. Then at each other. Then back at him. And collapsed into laughter. And just like that Prateek, as pure and clueless as ever, remained untouched by the chaos a baby panda in a storm he didn't even know existed.

Ruhaan, the undisputed menace, stood victorious, basking in the glory of Ansh's suffering like a master strategist who had just conquered a kingdom. And Ansh... Ansh was doomed. This moment would haunt him. Forever. The humiliation. The teasing. Ruhaan's devilish grin. The way his heart had betrayed him the second she had said his name.

It was over. He was never, NEVER going to hear the end of this. after a few more minutes the teacher entered the classroom and Started teaching.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside 11 - F...

It was excruciatingly boring physics class in the 11th-grade classroom. The teacher was rambling on about rotational motion, but the only thing rotating in Priya's mind was 'Khaane ke baad kya khaun?'

Aditi, trying her best to pay attention, was scribbling random words in her notebook. Next to her, Shagun was staring blankly at the board, her mind on a completely different tangent. Priya, meanwhile, was sprawled across her desk, drawing a questionable-looking heart on the last page of her notebook.

Just then, Aditi flipped a page in her book, and a small folded paper fluttered out. It landed dramatically on her desk.

"Yeh kya hai?" Aditi frowned.

Shagun, sensing masala, immediately snatched the paper before Aditi could react. "Oho! Secret chitti? Koi love letter toh nahi?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Priya, who had been about to take a nap, shot up like a rocket. "Arre woh... woh...." She lunged to grab it, but Shagun leaped onto the bench, holding it high.

Aditi snatched it from her instead. "Ruk! Pehle dekhte hain isme likha kya hai."

She unfolded the paper, and both she and Shagun gasped in unison.

"Lo bhai, suno toh!" Shagun announced, reading aloud dramatically, "I could never say it out loud, but I remember every little thing about you...
The way you absentmindedly spin your pen, that small, satisfied smile when you solve a tough question, and the way you always reach out to help someone without a second thought...
You're not perfect, but to me, you're the best, Prateek."

Aditi's jaw dropped. "PRATEEK BHAIYA?!"

Priya groaned and slammed her head on the desk. "Meri izzat ka satyanash ho gaya."

Shagun, meanwhile, was dying of laughter, practically doubling over. "Priya, agar tu padhai pe utni shiddat se dhyaan deti jitni shiddat se Prateek bhaiya ko dekh rahi hai, toh tu NASA tak pahunch jaati!"

Aditi smirked, crossing her arms. "Mujhe laga tu sirf MCQs solve karne ki sochti hai. Yeh toh full-on Bollywood wali preparation chal rahi hai."

Priya, face buried in her hands, groaned louder. "Tum dono chup ho jao warna yahi prarthana karungi ki zindagi bhar single raho!"

Priya dramatically threw her arms in the air. "Ek saal se sirf admire kar rahi hoon! Mujhe professional help chahiye."

Shagun grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. "Madad mil sakti hai. Prateek bhaiya ko direct message bhej de?"

Priya gasped like she had just been sentenced to life imprisonment. "NAHI! Pagal hai kya? Mujhe apni izzat ka antim sanskar nahi karwana!"

Aditi folded her arms, eyes glinting with pure mischief. "Toh phir ye letter directly unke bag mein daal dete hain."

Priya's face went pale. "TUM DONO MERI HATYA KARNE KE PLANS BANA RAHI HO KYA?!"

Shagun patted her shoulder, trying to look serious but failing miserably. "Beta, tu ab already post-mortem ke stage pe hai."

Aditi smirked. "Bas ab Mission 'Love Letter Drop' execute karna hai."

Priya grabbed both of them by the arms, whispering harshly. "Listen to me, you absolute shaitans! Agar tum dono ne kuch bhi kiya na, toh main tum dono ke padhai wale notes ek-ek karke jala dungi."

Shagun gasped. "Aditi, yeh toh dimaagi atyaachaar karne ki dhamki de rahi hai!"

Aditi nodded solemnly. "Bohot hi toxic hai. Prateek bhaiya deserve better."

Priya groaned, covering her face. "Main kyun in dono ki dost hoon?"

Shagun shrugged. "Kismat hi kharab hai teri. ab to ye Prateek bhaiya k bag m jakr hi rahega."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The 12th-grade classroom was eerily silent, a stark contrast to its usual chaos. The desks stood in neat rows, an ocean of abandoned bags and books scattered across them like relics of a recently evacuated battlefield. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting long, dramatic shadows over the wooden desks, as if nature itself was conspiring to intensify the suspense.

Aditi and Shagun tiptoed inside, moving like seasoned spies on a high-stakes mission. Every tiny creak of the floor felt deafening in the stillness.

Meanwhile, outside, Priya was pacing nervously by the door, whispering harshly. "Agar pakdi gayi na, toh tum dono ko chodungi nahi! Abhi bhi time hai, bhaag lo!"

Aditi rolled her eyes, waving her off. "Relax, Priya! Yeh koi bank robbery nahi hai aur school k fierst day kuch toofaani nahi kiya to kya fayada school life ka?"

Shagun smirked, digging into her pocket and pulling out the neatly folded letter. "Haan, bas ek chhoti si love-letter heist hi to hai."

Priya groaned, gripping the doorframe like she was holding onto the last shred of her sanity. "Mujhe chakkar aa raha hai. Tum dono jaldi karo!"

Aditi scanned the desks, her sharp eyes landing on Prateek's bag. She pointed. "Woh raha. Target acquired."

Shagun grinned. "Alright, soldier. Time to drop the payload."

Aditi dramatically saluted. "Operation Love Drop, executing in 3... 2..."

Priya nearly screamed. "JUST DO IT ALREADY!"

Aditi coolly unzipped Prateek's bag. "Shanti rakh! Ekdum CID ki tarah kaam karna hai."

Shagun crouched beside her, gripping the zip with utmost concentration. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Bas ek smooth pull, aur kaam ho gaya."

She tugged.The zip didn't budge.Shagun frowned and tried again, putting in a little more force. Nothing.

Priya, from the doorway, was already in panic mode. "KYA HO RAHA HAI?! JALDI KARO!"

Aditi hissed back, "Tu chilla mat, tension aur badh rahi hai!"

Shagun, still struggling, whispered aggressively, "Yeh kya mast quality ka zip hai! Hilega nahi!"

Aditi rolled her eyes. "Zip khol rahi hai ya safe tod rahi hai?!"

Shagun gritted her teeth and gave the zip a hard yank.....

"RRRIIIIIIIP!"

All three girls froze.

Priya slapped a hand over her mouth. "BAG PHAD DIYA KYA?!"

Aditi and Shagun slowly looked down. Thankfully, the bag was intact just the zip had made an obnoxiously loud noise.

Shagun, panting from effort, wiped imaginary sweat off her forehead. "Mission impossible lag raha tha yeh."

Aditi sighed in relief and quickly slipped the letter inside Prateek's physics book, closing the bag with practiced ease.

Shagun dusted her hands dramatically. "Bas! Mission successful."

Just as they were about to celebrate...A voice echoed from outside. "Oye! Koi andar hai kya?"

Priya's soul left her body Priya peeked out and her stomach dropped.

RUHAAN BHAIYA.

Her eyes widened in sheer horror. She spun back, whisper-yelling, "BHAAGO! RUHAAN BHAIYA AA RAHE HAIN!" Aditi and Shagun turned into statues.

Priya panicked and did the only logical thing she spread her arms and blocked the door like a human shield.

Ruhaan, looking as smug as ever, approached with his signature lazy swagger. "Priya? Tu yahan?"

Priya swallowed hard. "Main? Arre woh... main toh bas..." She fake-coughed violently, doubling over like she had contracted a mysterious, life-threatening illness.

Ruhaan raised an eyebrow. "Ek second... tu yahan? Aditi andar? Aur Shagun bhi?"

His gaze sharpened as he peered past Priya. "Aditi class ke andar kya kar rahi hai?"

Aditi's head popped out from behind Priya like a startled meerkat. "Haan Ruhaan bhaiya! Main yahin hoon! Matlab... bas... PROJECT DISCUSS KAR RAHE THE!"

Ruhaan's eyes narrowed. "Project discuss vo bhi meri class me?"

Shagun, trying to remain invisible, froze mid-breath. Ruhaan's sharp gaze locked onto her. His smirk widened. "Aur Shagun, tum bhi ho yahan? Meri yaad aa rahi thi kya?"

Shagun, who had been quietly praying for divine intervention, snapped.

She put her hands on her hips tatally done with Ruhaan. "Haan haan, bas yahi kaam hai mujhe! tumhari yaadon me din bhar doobi rahoon!"

Ruhaan chuckled, placing a hand on his chest. "Awww, kitni honest confession thi yeh. Mera dil le gai!"

Aditi, trying to salvage the situation, shoved Shagun aside. "Bas kar nautanki! Ruhaan bhaiya, actually hum... umm... class ka mahaul dekh rahe the."

Ruhaan snorted. "Mahaul dekh rahe the? Pehle toh koi bird-watching karta tha, ab yeh naye tareeke?"

Priya groaned internally. "Ruhaan bhaiya, bas aap chill karo na! Koi crime nahi ho raha yahan."

Ruhaan crossed his arms. "Haan? Toh fir tum log itne tension me kyu ho?"

Shagun muttered under her breath. "Kyuki tum CID ke ACP Pradyuman ke bete ho."

Ruhaan grinned. "Matlab kuch toh gadbad hai, Daya."

Aditi and Priya facepalmed.Priya, now in full crisis mode, suddenly clutched her head and let out a dramatic sigh. "Hayeeee! Mujhe chakkar aa raha hai!"

Ruhaan jerked back, eyes widening. "Arre! Theek hai tu?"

Shagun, taking the cue like a seasoned theatre artist, clutched Priya's arm. "Haan haan! Bas pani pila do!" She not-so-subtly elbowed Aditi.

Aditi, catching on in 0.2 seconds, gasped like a Bollywood heroine. "Haan Ruhaan bhaiya! Bahut serious lag rahi hai! Hume Priya ko turant fresh air dene le jaana hoga!"

Ruhaan blinked. "Par tum log toh class dekhne aaye the na?"

Priya let out an Oscar-worthy groan and pretended to sway. "Haye... aankhon ke aage andhera ho raha hai..."

Shagun clutched her dramatically. "NAHIII! Priya hosh me aa! Tujhe kuch nahi hone dungi!"

Aditi smacked her forehead. "Itni filmy hone ki zarurat nahi hai!"

Ruhaan, still utterly baffled, raised his hands. "Okay okay! Jao le jao, mar mat jaana class me!"

Without another word, the three of them hurried out Shagun and Aditi practically dragging Priya away leaving Ruhaan standing alone, scratching his head.

After a long pause, he muttered to himself "Kuch toh gadbad hai..."

Outside, the three girls collapsed against the wall, their laughter echoing through the hallway like a bunch of criminals celebrating a successful heist.

Aditi wiped a dramatic tear from her eye. "Priya, teri overacting dekh ke Ekta Kapoor bhi tujhe serial ka lead bana de!"

Shagun, clutching her stomach, gasped for breath. "Aur Ruhaan ka confusion...uff! Uske dimaag pe abhi bhi 'loading...' chal raha hoga!"

Priya groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Mujhe lagta hai hum sab jail jaane wale hain."

Aditi smirked, crossing her arms. "Jail nahi, hum Tere Naam 2 ki shooting karne wale hain. Prateek bhaiya ka reaction toh full-on climax scene hoga!"

Shagun nodded sagely. "Bas yeh dekhna hai ki unka reaction 'oh wow' hoga ya 'yeh kaun pagal hai' wala."

Priya whimpered, "Agar doosra wala hua na, main Himalaya bhag jaungi!"

Aditi patted her shoulder. "Bata dena, hum wahan bhi letter drop karne aa jayenge."

As they walked away, still giggling like absolute maniacs, the love letter sat innocently inside Prateek's bag completely unaware that it was about to turn their school life into the next biggest Bollywood disaster... or blockbuster

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After some time...

The classroom had never felt this suffocating before. The walls, once just a backdrop to his academic conquests, now felt like they were closing in, trapping him in a place where logic and discipline had suddenly lost their grip.

Ansh, the ever-focused, ever-disciplined student, sat stiffly in his seat, his back straight, hands clenched into fists under the desk as if physically restraining his own thoughts. The teacher's voice drifted through the air, equations and theories weaving a familiar pattern around him. But today... they were just noise.

Because his mind was elsewhere. Tangled. Stubbornly stuck. On a name. A name that now held weight, pressing down on his chest like an invisible force. A name that whispered through his mind like an unsolved riddle, refusing to be ignored. Aditi.

He exhaled sharply, as if that could somehow exorcise whatever strange spell had taken over him. But the truth was clear. For the first time, numbers and logic weren't making sense.For the first time, his heart had outrun his mind.

He turned slightly, voice barely above a whisper. "Uska naam... Aditi hai kya?"

Ruhaan, absentmindedly twirling his pen, nodded lazily, completely unaware of the storm brewing inside Ansh. The moment the words left Ruhaan's mouth, something shifted inside Ansh.

Aditi.

The name settled in his chest, heavy yet weightless, like the first drop of rain before a storm. His fingers curled into his palm beneath the desk, as if trying to physically hold on to something real, something logical but logic had abandoned him the moment she had stepped into his world.

His throat went dry. His heartbeat, usually steady like a well-trained soldier, stumbled. Ruhaan, still twirling his pen, remained blissfully unaware of the absolute chaos unraveling inside his best friend.

Ansh exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stay composed, to ignore the way her name echoed in his mind like a song he hadn't meant to memorize, but now couldn't forget. He turned his head forward, staring blankly at his notebook. The equations before him blurred into meaninglessness.

Aditi. A name. A storm. A problem he never anticipated.

Ansh turned his face away, as if that simple action could undo everything. As if he could pretend that hearing her name hadn't sent something sharp and unfamiliar slicing through him. But the damage was done.

His mind had latched onto it, refusing to let go. Aditi. It wasn't just a name anymore. It was a melody that had settled into the corners of his thoughts, playing on an endless loop, soft yet persistent refusing to fade.

His grip tightened beneath the desk, nails pressing into his palm. What was this? A distraction? A momentary lapse in his otherwise disciplined world? Then why did it feel like something more? Something beyond logic, beyond sense?

He had never allowed himself the foolishness of daydreams, but suddenly, they threatened to creep in of a voice that had called his name, of eyes that had met his for a fleeting second too long.

Ansh gritted his teeth, trying to force his heart back into submission, but the traitor pounded harder, faster rebelling against the control he had always prided himself on. And for the first time, he felt truly unarmed. The recess bell rang, a sharp sound cutting through the haze in his mind.

Around him, the world moved on. Chairs scraped against the floor, books slammed shut, voices rose in careless chatter. His classmates laughed, joked, shoved each other playfully as they spilled out into the corridor.

But Ansh? He didn't move. He sat there, frozen, staring blankly at the desk, fingers curled around the edge as if anchoring himself to reality.

Because reality had just shifted. The thought of seeing her every single day now sent something wild rushing through his veins a feeling he couldn't name, couldn't control. Something between anticipation and unease.

It was unfamiliar. It was unsettling. It was... dangerous. Because Ansh Singhania had never let anything distract him before. Never let his mind drift from his goals, from his discipline, from the strict path he had set for himself.

But now, with just a name Aditi he felt that path tilt beneath his feet. And for the first time, he wasn't sure if he was supposed to step back onto firm ground...

Or fall...

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