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𝐊𝐨𝐢 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐢 𝐤𝐢 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐮𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐢 𝐤𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐢 𝐤𝐢 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐚𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐤𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐲𝐚... ✨

⋆𐙚˚₊‧ ୨ৎ ‧₊˚𐙚⋆

Dhwani stormed back toward her classroom, still rubbing her lips every few seconds as though sheer determination could somehow erase the last ten minutes from existence.

 Her face was scrunched up in disgust, and the irritation radiating off her was enough to make anyone sensible stay several feet away.

"Kaise kaise logon ko admission mil jaata hai bhai... chiii.." she muttered under her breath, scrunching her nose in disgust. 

(How do people like this even get admission, seriously... ew.)

"Samaan dhoondh raha tha.... girls washroom ke saamne.... chachundar kahi ka," she grumbled, shaking her head. She rolled her eyes, remembering the ridiculous excuse he'd given her.

(He was looking for something... right outside the girls' washroom... what a ridiculous idiot.)

By the time Dhwani reached the classroom, she was still muttering complaints under her breath. But the moment she stepped through the doorway, the atmosphere changed.

The lively chatter that had filled the room moments ago gradually died down. Conversations became whispers, chairs stopped squeaking, and a few students immediately straightened in their seats.

It wasn't difficult to understand why....because she is the Head Girl.

Apparently, that title alone was enough to make everyone suddenly remember every single school rule.

Some students exchanged quick glances before lowering their voices, while others suddenly became extremely interested in their notebooks. They probably thought Dhwani was going to report them for whatever nonsense they had been discussing.

But that was the thing and She hated being treated like that.

Dhwani wasn't interested in complaining about every little thing her classmates did. They were teenagers, just like her. They deserved to laugh loudly, mess around, make stupid jokes, whisper during class, and enjoy the years they would eventually look back on with nostalgia.

Things she barely got to do anymore.

Being the Head Girl wasn't simply about wearing a badge and walking around the school with authority. It meant responsibilities....rules to enforce, events to manage, complaints to handle, teachers to assist, juniors to guide, and an endless list of expectations that seemed to grow every day.

Everyone saw the badge but nobody saw the weight that came with it.

Sometimes, Dhwani wished she could simply walk into class, throw her bag onto the desk, complain about homework with her friends, laugh at something stupid, and be just another ordinary student.

No responsibilities....No expectations.....No one watching her every move.

But wishes didn't change reality.

She quietly walked toward her seat, ignoring the occasional glances following her from across the classroom. Let them look. She had more important things to worry about.

She dropped her bag beside her chair and sat down, finally allowing herself to release the breath she'd been holding.

For a few precious minutes, everything was peaceful. Unfortunately for Dhwani, peace was clearly not on the agenda that morning.

A few minutes later, the classroom door opened. The chatter immediately faded as Ms. Sushmita stepped inside.

She was the strictest chemistry teacher in the school—the kind who could silence an entire classroom with nothing more than a single look. Her usual no-nonsense expression was firmly in place as she entered the room.

But this time, she wasn't alone.

Someone followed her inside.

The moment the teacher stepped into the classroom, the entire class automatically rose from their seats.

"Gooood morrninnggggg ma'ammmm!"

The greeting came out in one long, lazy chorus, sounding far more like an obligation than an actual display of enthusiasm.

Ms. Sushmita looked at them with an expression that suggested she had heard that exact greeting far too many times in her teaching career.

"Good morning, good morning....sit down everyone."

(Good morning, good morning... everyone, sit down.)

Chairs scraped against the floor as the students settled back into their seats.

Dhwani opened her notebook, preparing herself for what she assumed would be another painfully ordinary chemistry period.

Then her eyes accidentally wandered toward the person standing beside Ms. Sushmita and she froze.

Her fingers stopped moving. Her expression went completely blank for a moment as her brain tried to process what her eyes were seeing.

It was him. The same guy from outside the girls' washroom. The same irritating stranger she'd literally crashed into or rather, who had crashed into her just minutes ago.

And now... He was standing in her classroom. Dhwani stared at him as though the universe had personally decided to test her patience.

Meanwhile, Shourya stood beside Ms. Sushmita with the most uninterested expression imaginable. He looked as though he'd been dragged into the classroom against his will and was already counting down the seconds until he could escape.

Neither of them knew it yet, but their morning encounter had apparently been more than a one-time disaster. It was the beginning of a much bigger problem.

Ms. Sushmita cleared her throat, immediately commanding everyone's attention.

"So class I'm going to be your class teacher for this senior year hope we'll get along with eachother," she announced.

(So, class, I'm going to be your class teacher for this senior year. I hope we'll get along with each other.)

The reaction was instant. Almost the entire class collectively sulked.

A few students exchanged miserable looks as though the school management had personally betrayed them. Someone at the back even let out a barely audible sigh of disappointment.

Dhwani couldn't blame them. Ms. Sushmita wasn't exactly known for being lenient.

And just when Dhwani thought her morning couldn't possibly get any worse, she discovered that the strictest chemistry teacher in school was now going to be her class teacher too.

But Ms. Sushmita wasn't finished.

"Here you all have your new classmate this year...meet him." She gestured toward the boy beside her.

Every pair of eyes in the classroom turned toward him.

Shourya looked mildly surprised, almost as though he'd only just realized that being brought into a classroom meant he'd actually have to introduce himself.

"Introduce yourself beta," ma'am instructed. Shourya looked around the classroom.

The students stared back at him with varying degrees of curiosity, boredom, and disappointment.

He seemed to consider his options for a moment before speaking in the most casual tone possible.

"Hii everyone myself shourya." he said lazily. Dhwani stared at him.

A few students exchanged confused looks. Ms. Sushmita's expression hardened.

"Full name shourya," she corrected sternly, giving him a sharp side-eye.

(Full name, Shourya.)

A few students immediately covered their mouths, desperately trying to suppress their giggles.

"Silence," her voice echoed through the room, instantly wiping the amusement from everyone's faces. "Introduce yourself properly now."

Shourya let out a small sigh, clearly realizing there was no escaping this.

"Hello everyone," he said, giving a brief bow before continuing, "myself Shourya Mehrotra... I'm new here in the middle of the session because my dad can't keep me at home....hope we'll not get along."

For a second, the classroom went completely silent. Then...the entire class burst into laughter. Even Shourya couldn't hold back his grin. Ms. Sushmita, however, looked anything but amused.

Her eyes narrowed at him, clearly wondering how someone had managed to test her patience within the first thirty seconds of entering her classroom.

Shourya merely shrugged, completely unbothered, as though he hadn't just deliberately challenged the authority of the strictest teacher in school.

"Everyone greet him," she ordered.

"Helloo shourya," the entire class said together.

Dhwani barely participated. She was still staring at him, her disbelief slowly turning into irritation.

Shourya casually looked around the classroom, his eyes moving from one bench to another as he took in his new surroundings.

Then his gaze stopped right on her. His expression changed instantly. His eyes widened.

For a second, neither of them moved. The same realization appeared on both their faces at almost exactly the same time.

And then, to Dhwani's absolute horror, Shourya spoke.

"Ye double battery yaha kyu hai?" he mentioned with wide eyed expression.Dhwani's jaw dropped.

(Why is this double battery here?)

The entire classroom frowned in confusion, clearly having absolutely no idea what he meant. Dhwani, however, understood perfectly.

"Double battery?! Iskii to mainnn!!" Her glare could have burned a hole through him.

(I'm definitely going to deal with this guy!)

"What's the language shourya you're using?" Ms. Sushmita scolded him sternly.

(What language are you using, Shourya?)

A few whispers immediately began spreading throughout the classroom. Dhwani clenched her jaw, her irritation reaching an entirely new level.

"Iss chachundar ko to thokna padega," she muttered under her breath, already imagining all the ways she could make him regret stepping into her classroom.

(I really need to beat this idiot up.)

Unfortunately, Shourya seemed far too pleased with himself.

"Go sit at the back," Ms. Sushmita ordered, pointing toward an empty desk in the middle row.

Finally, Shourya picked up his bag and started walking toward his assigned seat. But even as he moved, his eyes kept drifting back toward Dhwani and she didn't look away either.

Their eyes met once. Then again. Neither seemed willing to be the first to surrender.

Dhwani had absolutely no intention of letting him get away with everything that had happened that morning.

If he thought being the new student meant he could say whatever he wanted, insult her, and walk away without consequences, he had clearly chosen the wrong girl to mess with.

And judging by the faintly amused look playing on Shourya's face as he finally took his seat... He seemed to have reached exactly the opposite conclusion.

To him, this wasn't a problem. It was entertainment.

After a few more minutes, the classroom finally began to settle down. Ms. Sushmita busied herself with something on her desk while the students slowly returned to their usual conversations. 

The noise gradually picked up again, although nobody dared to get too loud under the watchful eye of their newly appointed class teacher.

Every now and then, someone would glance toward her desk just to make sure she wasn't looking before continuing their conversation.

Dhwani had barely opened her notebook when Ms. Sushmita suddenly looked up from her desk.

"Ok class....since you're the most sinior class in the school so I want to change all of your sitting plan for the whole year so that aap log kisi bhi unwanted cheezo and indisciplined actions main involve na raho."

(Okay class... since you're the most senior class in the school, I want to change your entire seating arrangement for the whole year so that you don't get involved in any unwanted activities or indisciplined actions.)

For exactly two seconds, there was complete silence. Then the classroom erupted into a collective chorus of groans.

Some students dramatically dropped their heads onto their desks, while others immediately started protesting the decision. A few exchanged looks of betrayal, as though Ms. Sushmita had just announced the cancellation of their entire senior year.

Dhwani closed her eyes for a moment, already regretting every decision that had somehow led her to this classroom.

"Of course....ab inko bhi apni chull shant karni hai....chiii bhaiii" she mutterred.

(Of course... now even she wants to satisfy her urge to interfere in everything... ew, bro.)

As if being the Head Girl wasn't enough, Dhwani now had to survive an entire year with a seating arrangement personally designed by Ms. Sushmita.

And judging by the teacher's expression, there would be absolutely no negotiations.

"Kyaa batameezi hai bhaii ye," Ritika groaned beside her.

(What kind of nonsense is this, seriously?)

Dhwani couldn't have agreed more. She let out a tired sigh as Ms. Sushmita stood up and pointed toward the very first bench in the corner of the classroom.

"Okay, everyone stand up with your bags and start sitting according to your roll numbers from here."

The moment she finished speaking, the classroom descended into complete chaos.

Chairs scraped noisily against the floor, bags were dragged across desks, students began arguing about their new positions, and several people started desperately checking their roll numbers. 

Some tried bargaining with their friends, hoping to somehow manipulate the seating arrangement, while others simply accepted their fate with exaggerated expressions of misery.

"Chal apan sath m hi baithenge atleast." Dhwani and Ritika, however, had already made up their minds.

(Come on, at least we'll sit together.)

For the first time since Ms. Sushmita's announcement, Dhwani looked slightly relieved. At least one thing hadn't gone completely wrong.

Unfortunately, Ritika had other thoughts.

"Haaa....aur peeche tera jiju bhi baithega....hayeee."Ritika's entire expression immediately brightened. 

(Yes... and your brother-in-law will sit behind us too... oh my God!)

She dramatically clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with excitement before she began blushing like she'd just been handed the lead role in a romantic movie.

Dhwani stared at her in absolute disgust.

"Isse achha to main zameen pe baith jaati," she muttered.

(I'd rather sit on the floor than deal with this.)

"To baith jao na."The voice came from beside them. 

(Then sit on the floor.)

Dhwani froze. Slowly, she turned her head.

 it was Shourya.

The new student was walking past them with his bag slung casually over one shoulder, looking completely unbothered by the chaos around him. 

There was the faintest hint of amusement on his face, and judging by the timing, he'd made absolutely sure that she heard him. His little smirk only made things worse. Dhwani's eyes narrowed.

"Iski toh—" She immediately launched herself toward him, clearly ready to give him a piece of her mind.

Unfortunately for Shourya, or perhaps fortunately for his survival, Ritika reacted faster. She grabbed Dhwani's arm before she could actually reach him.

"Chhod mujhe!" Dhwani struggled against her hold, glaring daggers at Shourya's retreating figure. "Ye kuch jyada nhi udd rha?"

(Isn't he getting a little too full of himself?)

Shourya, who had already taken a few steps away, suddenly stopped. He turned around slowly. It was almost as though he'd been waiting for her to say exactly that.

His expression carried the unmistakable look of someone who was thoroughly enjoying the situation.

"Excuse me miss double battery wali gilehri ji.....main apne friend ko bol rha tha, so don't overreact please." He deliberately emphasized double battery, clearly enjoying every second of Dhwani's irritation.

(Excuse me, Miss Double-Battery Squirrel... I was talking to my friend, so don't overreact, please.)

Dhwani's jaw tightened.Ritika's eyes widened slightly, as though she couldn't decide whether to laugh or stop Dhwani from committing a crime in the middle of class.

"Achhaa....5 minutes main konsa aisa dost paal liya tumne?.... mujhe to nhi dikh rha." Dhwani folded her arms, challenging him.

(Oh really... what kind of friend have you managed to make in five minutes? I don't see anyone.)

For a moment, Shourya simply looked at her. Then that irritating smirk returned.

"Nhi dikh rha to apna chasma theek karao.... tripple battery lagegi tumko mera dost dekhne ke liye." he remarked and with that, he casually turned around and continued walking toward his assigned seat.

(If you can't see him, get your glasses fixed. You'll need triple-battery glasses to see my friend.)

Dhwani stared after him in complete disbelief. The absolute, unbelievable nerve of this boy.

She had known him for barely a few minutes, and somehow he'd already managed to irritate her more than people she'd known for years.

What is wrong with this boy?...did he got into an accident in which his brain got damaged??

Her frustration finally spilled over.

"Ye chuhe ka pilla apne aap ko samjhta kya hai....itna kyu bol rha hai ye?"

(What does this rat-faced idiot think of himself... why does he talk so much?)

Dhwani was already preparing to follow him when Ritika tightened her grip on her arm and pulled her back.

"Chill bro isko baad main dekh lenge abhi seats dekh poore saal wahi baithna padega."

(Chill, bro. We'll deal with him later. For now, look at the seats—we'll have to sit there for the whole year.)

Dhwani finally stopped struggling.

Ritika had a point.

Unfortunately, she had a very good point.

The seating arrangement was being finalized, and whatever seat they ended up with now would apparently be their home for the rest of the academic year.

With one final glare in Shourya's direction, Dhwani grabbed her bag and followed Ritika toward their newly assigned seats.

Behind them, Shourya had already settled into his place, looking far too comfortable for someone who had been in the school for less than an hour.

And if the amused expression on his face was anything to go by, he had already found his favourite source of entertainment.

Dhwani, meanwhile, had absolutely no idea what she had gotten herself into.

But one thing was already painfully clear.

This was going to be a very long year.

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

Within the next few minutes, the classroom turned into a full-blown migration process. Students were dragging bags across the floor, shifting notebooks from one desk to another, arguing over seats, checking their roll numbers repeatedly, and desperately trying to figure out where they were supposed to sit as though they were decoding some ancient treasure map. A few students even attempted last-minute negotiations with their friends, hoping to somehow escape the seating arrangement they had been assigned.

Eventually, however, everyone settled into their designated places.

Shourya ended up somewhere in the middle-back rows. Not bad. At least he wasn't sitting in the front where teachers could maintain direct eye contact with him throughout the entire period.

He glanced around the classroom and, unsurprisingly, his eyes landed on that girl.

Dhwani.

The double-battery wali gilehri.

She had somehow managed to sit with her best friend, or at least what appeared to be her best friend—Ritika—probably because their roll numbers were adjacent. The two girls looked ridiculously happy about it, clearly pleased that they had managed to stay together despite the new seating arrangement.

Shourya rolled his eyes and opened his notebook.

For approximately thirty seconds, life was peaceful.

Then—

"Okay, now I'll be changing a few seats." the teacher said.

The peaceful atmosphere vanished instantly.

Shourya slowly lifted his head toward Ms. Sushmita. Around him, the entire class groaned as though they'd collectively been sentenced to another hour of torture.

"Again?!" He stared at Ms. Sushmita before muttering, "Ik kaam karo ma'am aap godi main bitha lo sabko! That will be much better!"

(Why don't you just make everyone sit in your lap, ma'am? That would be much better!)

A few students nearby immediately tried to hide their laughter.

Ms. Sushmita, however, remained completely unaffected.

She began scanning the classroom with the terrifying seriousness of a military commander deciding where to deploy her troops.

"I want students who are good in academics to sit with those who need a little help. This will improve coordination." she announced.

(I want students who are good in academics to sit with those who need a little help. This will improve coordination.)

The moment she explained her plan, several students exchanged nervous glances.

Shourya's expression changed.

His eyes immediately travelled toward the back of the classroom.

Please don't.

Across the room, Dhwani and Ritika exchanged a nervous glance of their own.

Ritika, apparently having come to the same horrifying conclusion, immediately lowered her head as though hiding from the teacher would somehow make her invisible.

Unfortunately for her, Ms. Sushmita had functioning eyes.

"Ritika." she called.

"Yess ma'am?" Ritika's head shot up.

"You. Move to the last row." she said.

Ritika's face fell so dramatically that even a few students around her struggled not to laugh.

"Ma'am..." she protested weakly.

"No arguments. Take your bag and move."

Ritika reluctantly stood up, throwing Dhwani a deeply betrayed look before picking up her bag and dragging herself toward the last row.

Shourya watched the entire scene unfold with a small smile.

One victim down.

But his amusement didn't last long.

Ms. Sushmita's eyes began travelling across the room once again.

Slowly.

Methodically.

Until they stopped.

Right on him.

Shourya's smile disappeared.

"Oh no."

"Shourya." she called his name.

"Yes, ma'am?" He looked up cautiously.

"You're going to sit there." She pointed toward the empty seat beside Dhwani.

For a moment, Shourya simply stared at the seat.

Then he looked at Dhwani.

Dhwani was already looking at him.

Their eyes met.

And somehow, without exchanging a single word, they both wore the exact same expression.

Absolute disgust.

No....Absolutely not.....Mar jaunga par iske bagal mein kabhi nahi baithunga.

(No... absolutely not... I'd rather die than ever sit beside her.)

Dhwani immediately looked toward the teacher.

Shourya did the same.

For a brief moment, it seemed as though they had formed an unspoken alliance against the seating arrangement.

Then Dhwani finally broke the silence.

"Why him ma'am aap kisi girl ko bitha dijiye mere sath." she protested and Shourya almost nodded enthusiastically.

YES. LISTEN TO HER, MA'AM.

Unfortunately, Ms. Sushmita wasn't interested in either of their opinions.

"He's new and he needs help to get along. And I couldn't find anyone better than you Dhwani." she justified her act of injustice to him.

(He's new and he needs help settling in. And I couldn't find anyone better than you, Dhwani.)

Dhwani's face immediately dropped.

Shourya's probably did too.

The teacher had somehow managed to make both of them equally miserable with a single sentence.

"Couldn't find anyone better? Is the school trying to destroy my mental peace on my first day?"

Shourya reluctantly picked up his bag and began walking toward the seat, muttering under his breath.

"Better my foot... isse achha to floor lagrha hai mujhe."

(Better my foot... even the floor seems better to me.)

Dhwani's head snapped toward him.

Of course she'd heard him.

A tiny, victorious smile appeared on her face.

And before Shourya could even sit properly, she turned toward the teacher.

"Ma'am, he doesn't wanna sit here. He wanna sit on floor he said." Dhwani said loudly in the whole class.

Shourya's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

He stared at her as though she'd personally betrayed him.

The girl had apparently decided that if she was being forced to tolerate him, she might as well make his first day as miserable as possible.

"What's your problem, beta? Don't try to be oversmart on your first day. Follow the rules." Ms. Sushmita frowned at him.

(What's your problem, dear? Don't try to be oversmart on your first day. Follow the rules.)

"Yes, ma'am....sorry." Shourya immediately straightened.

He nodded with the most obedient expression he could possibly manage.

Internally, however, he was probably writing his resignation letter from the school.

Ms. Sushmita turned away and continued arranging the rest of the class. Finally, Shourya dropped into the seat beside Dhwani.

For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. Then Shourya leaned slightly toward her and whispered through clenched teeth,

"Tum muh band nhi kar skti apna." he said in pure irritation

(Can't you keep your mouth shut?)

Dhwani didn't even bother looking at him. Instead, she calmly flipped her ponytail backward before replying,

"Mera muh meri marji." she declared proudly. Then she stuck her tongue out at him.

(My mouth, my choice.)

"Did she seriously just do that?" Shourya stared at her. At this point, it was becoming increasingly difficult to believe that the girl sitting beside him was actually the Head Girl of the school.

Shourya turned his attention toward the front of the classroom and, apparently believing he was far enough away from the teacher, muttered under his breath,

"Ik to school hi pagalkhana hai, bachhe alag hi khopdi ke hain.....aur teachers to usse bhi bade paglait log hain....teacher kisne bnaya bhai inko?" he sulked harder

(First, the school itself is a madhouse, the students are crazy, and the teachers are even crazier... seriously, who made these people teachers?)

He was confident he'd said it quietly enough. Apparently, confidence was not his strongest quality.

"Ma'am..." Dhwani said.

"No...please bhagwaan ji." Shourya's head snapped toward her.

(No... please, God.)

"Ma'am he's asking who made you a teacher." She looked toward the teacher and said pointing her index finger at him. Shourya's soul practically left his body.

He slowly turned toward Dhwani. She was sitting there with the most innocent expression imaginable.

Ms. Sushmita looked at him. It was that look. The look teachers gave when they had reached the final stage of disappointment and were now deciding what punishment would be appropriate.

"I'll tell you personally. Come to staff room after this period." Ms. Sushmita said. 

"Staff room?....On my first day?!...idhar bhi marega tu shourya"Shourya's mouth fell open.

(Staff room? On my first day?! I'm going to get beaten up here too, Shourya.)

For three whole seconds, Shourya genuinely seemed to forget how breathing worked. Slowly, he turned toward Dhwani. She was peacefully opening her notebook. As if she hadn't just filed a formal complaint against him with the principal of his suffering.

"Problem kya hai bro tumhari...can't you keep your mouth shut?"He leaned toward her again.This time, Dhwani finally looked at him. 

(What's your problem, bro... can't you keep your mouth shut?)

"No...i can't....mujhe tumhari gadhe jaisi shakal nhi pasand." she said making a disgusting face.

(No... I can't. I don't like your donkey-like face.)

"Gadhe?" Shourya blinked.His expression immediately changed to one of pure disbelief. 

(Donkey?)

"Excuse me....mujh jaisa handsome ladhka na dhoondhne per bhi nhi milta....single peice hu main....yaha tak ki my parents didn't even tried for a second child after me." He straightened proudly.

He delivered the entire statement with complete confidence, as though he had just announced that he was the last surviving model of a rare and extremely valuable species.

Dhwani stared at him. For a moment, she seemed to be processing the sheer level of confidence she'd just witnessed.

Then....

"Ohh wow.....uncle aunty ko bhi pta lag gya hogya ki kitni badi galti karti unhone uss raat protection na use karke....and now they don't wanna repeat their mistake." She said it all in one go. Shourya froze completely.

His brain appeared to have stopped functioning.

...Did she just—

"Excuse me?....mistake!" He pointed at himself, and she nodded as well. "Youuuu!" He was about to continue when Dhwani suddenly turned toward the teacher.

"Ma'am—"

Before she could finish, pure survival instinct took over. Shourya immediately covered her mouth.

"Bhagwaan ke waste chup hojao....itni bezatti ho chuki hai aur mat karao." he begged her.

(For God's sake, please shut up... I've already been humiliated enough, don't make it worse.)

There was something almost pathetic about the sight.

Shourya Mehrotra, who had confidently introduced himself to an entire classroom less than an hour ago, was now practically begging the girl sitting beside him not to report him to their teacher again.

And it had only been his first day. Unfortunately for him, Dhwani wasn't exactly known for cooperating.

"AHHH!"

Shourya instantly pulled his hand back. He stared at his palm in horror.

She had bitten him.He looked at Dhwani as though he'd just survived an unexpected attack from a wild animal.

"Don't you dare touch me again....muh tod dungi tumhara." she warned him.

(Don't you dare touch me again... I'll break your face.)

Shourya continued staring at his hand, clearly offended by both the pain and the sheer audacity of what had just happened.

"Huh...as if main mara ja rha hu....chii bhaii hath kaat liya....dayan kahi ki." he cried even more.

(Huh... as if I was dying to touch you... ugh, she bit my hand! What a witch.)

"What?" Dhwani narrowed her eyes. "Kya bola?"

(What did you say?)

"Kuch nhi." Shourya immediately straightened.

(Nothing.)

He quickly turned toward the front of the classroom, deciding that silence was probably the safest option. But even after facing forward, he could still feel Dhwani's glare burning into the side of his face.

The two of them sat there in tense silence, each clearly convinced that the other was the biggest problem in the room. Neither of them knew it yet, but this was only the beginning.

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

The next four periods felt less like classes and more like an endurance test, and unfortunately for Dhwani, the primary reason for her suffering was sitting right beside him.

Shourya aka chachundar.

If Dhwani opened her notebook, somehow Shourya would find a reason to comment on it. If she asked him to move his elbow, he would deliberately move it two inches more and grin as though he'd accomplished something extraordinary. And whenever she tried to concentrate on the teacher, he'd lean over and whisper some completely unnecessary remark that tested every ounce of her patience.

By the end of the fourth period, Dhwani was convinced she'd earned a medal for surviving him.

The moment the lunch bell rang, Shourya practically launched himself out of his seat. He grabbed his waterbottle and hurried toward the door, clearly desperate to put as much distance between himself and his irritating benchmate as possible.

"Jaan bachi bhaii iss double battery se," he muttered as he walked out.

(My life is saved from this double-battery girl.)

"Chachundar kahi ka." Dhwani glared at his retreating back.

(What an idiot.)

Behind her, Ritika immediately burst out laughing. "Kya benchmate mila hai tujhe ikdam tedhi khopdi bhaii!" she said.

(What a benchmate you've got....his brain is completely twisted!)

"Chup hoja bhai tu aur mat kilsa please." Dhwani turned around with an irritated expression.

(Please shut up and don't irritate me any more.)

Ritika was about to say something when Sahil, Ritika's boyfriend appeared beside her, wearing his usual teasing grin. One look at his face was enough for Dhwani to know that he had come with the sole intention of annoying her.

"Maza aa rha hoga Dhwani ko?" he said.Dhwani slowly turned toward him. 

(You must be having fun, Dhwani?)

"Ajja tujhe maze main dilvaati hu!" she clenched her teeth.

(Come here, I'll show you what fun really is!)

She lunged toward him, but Sahil quickly dodged, laughing as he escaped her reach.

Ritika simply shook her head. At this point, she was clearly used to Dhwani treating every minor inconvenience like a personal battle.

"Chal koi na lunch layi hai?" she asked and Dhwani shook her head.

(Come on, did you bring lunch?)

"Koini aja main macroni layi hu khate hain." Ritika immediately opened her bag.

(It's okay, come on. I brought macaroni... let's eat.)

"Main bhi khaunga yrr." Sahil leaned closer, immediately inserting himself into the conversation like the professional third-wheeler he was.

(I'll eat too, yaar.)

Ritika rolled her eyes but opened the second container. "Do dabbe layi hu kha lena." she said.

(I brought two boxes, so eat.)

The three of them settled around Ritika's seat and opened the lunchboxes. Within seconds, their conversation drifted from schoolwork to random gossip, pointless arguments, and the kind of nonsense that only made sense to people who had been friends for far too long.

For a while, Dhwani completely forgot about Shourya. Which, honestly, was probably the closest thing to peace she'd experienced all morning.

A little while later, she pushed the empty box aside and checked the time. Then she remembered something.

"Main aati hu, English wali ma'am ne kuch kaam diya tha." she told them.

(I'll be back. The English teacher had given me some work.)

She picked up her notebook and headed out of the classroom.

After finishing the work, Dhwani made her way back through the corridor, already looking forward to returning to her seat and, more importantly, getting back to her friends.

She had barely turned the corner when someone lightly tugged her ponytail from behind. Dhwani immediately knew who it was.

"Rishiiiii!" She spun around.

Standing behind her was Rishabh, wearing his usual playful grin.

His actual name is Rishabh, but Dhwani had always casually called him Rishi. It was just one of those nicknames that had stuck over time.

"hii topper" Rishi said. 

"helloo"Dhwani smiled faintly.

"Pehle ye bata, kuch khaya ya nahi?" he asked me.

(First tell me, did you eat anything or not?)

"Haan, kha liya." She nodded.

(Yes, I ate.)

"Good. Chal mere saath." He seemed satisfied with the answer and before Dhwani could even ask where they were going, he caught her wrist and excitedly started pulling her toward his classroom.

"Arre, kahan le ja raha hai?" she asked.

(Hey, where are you taking me?)

"Bas chal....dikhata hoon." He only laughed.

(Just come, I'll show you.)

Dhwani shook her head but followed him anyway.

Whatever Rishi had apparently discovered seemed important enough for him to drag her all the way to his classroom. He practically pulled her inside before she could even figure out what this mysterious secret was supposed to be.

"Arre ruk toh! Kya hua hai?" she asked again.

(Hey, wait! What happened?)

Rishi didn't answer. Instead, he brought her straight to his seat, pulled out the chair, and gestured for her to sit.

Dhwani narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Something was definitely going on. Still, she sat down.

Rishi then took the seat opposite hers, turning it around so he could face her. He leaned forward and lowered his voice dramatically, as though he was about to reveal some classified information.

"Dhwani, you know Riya right?" he started. Dhwani nodded. The moment he saw her reaction, Rishabh's face immediately lit up.

"To what happened today was ki jab main basket ball ki practice se aa rha tha na to by mistake Riya ka pair slip hua tha and she bumped onto me bhaii." He said it with so much excitement that for a moment, Dhwani genuinely couldn't understand why this was such a big deal.

(So, what happened today was that as I was coming back from basketball practice, by mistake Riya's foot slipped and she bumped into me, bro.)

Then something inside her sank slightly.  She quickly pushed the feeling away and kept her expression neutral.

"To kya hogya gir gyi hogi galti se." She tried to sound completely normal.

(So what? She probably slipped by accident.)

"Ha vo to theek hai but after that she talked to me for 30 minutes straight and guess whatt?" His excitement doubled.

"Kya?" Dhwani forced herself to smile.

(What?)

"Mujhe uski insta id mil gyi bhaii... aur usne khud di hai mujhe!"He looked ridiculously happy.

(I got her Insta ID, bro... and she gave it to me herself)

"Oh." That tiny word was all Dhwani could manage. Inside her, something pinched again but she didn't let it show.

"Nice... achhi baat hai." she said.Rishabh grinned. 

(Nice... that's a good thing.)

"soch dhwani agar aisa hi hoga aage in future...to I'm damn sure we'll start dating bhaii....she's so cute yrrr." He blushed. And somehow, seeing him so genuinely happy made that little ache inside Dhwani feel worse.

"So means you have crush on her?" She looked down for a moment before casually asking,

"Bhai class ke adhe se jyada ladhko ko uspe crush hai....boht hi sundar hai bhai vo." Rishabh nodded without hesitation.

(Bro, more than half the boys in the class have a crush on her... she's really beautiful.)

Dhwani went quiet. She forced a small nod and said nothing more. She stared at the desk for a few seconds, trying to understand why something as simple as her friend's crush had suddenly managed to make her feel so strange.

She didn't have an answer. And she wasn't particularly interested in finding one.

Arav walked into the classroom with Shourya beside him, figuring that since they were both new, they might as well spend lunch break together.

But the moment his eyes fell on the girl sitting at the desk ahead of him, his steps came to an abrupt stop.

It was her....Dhwani.

For a second, Arav genuinely forgot to move.

She's here?

The girl he'd met just yesterday...the neighbor he'd somehow found himself thinking about more than he probably should was sitting comfortably in his classroom and that to be at his seat.

And sitting opposite her was another boy, talking to her as though they knew each other well. Arav couldn't explain why, but seeing her there caught him completely off guard.

"Chal bhaiii!!.... seat kaha h teri?" Shourya's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

(Come on, bro, where's your seat?)

Arav blinked, finally snapping back to reality, and started walking toward his seat.

Dhwani glanced up. Their eyes met briefly. She seemed to recognize him too. She didn't say anything, though, so Arav simply gave her a small smile before looking away.

Then Rishabh looked up and immediately smiled.

"Ohh aagya bhai tu?" he said.

(Oh, you're here, bro?)

"Haan." Arav nodded.

(Yeah.)

Shourya followed Arav's gaze toward his seat and the moment he saw Dhwani, his expression changed.

"Ye double battery yaha bhi aagyi?" shourya said.Arav frowned. 

(This double-battery girl has come here too?)

"Meri marzi main kahi bhi jau tumhein usse kya?"Dhwani's eyes narrowed immediately.

(It's my choice where I go. What does it have to do with you?)

Arav glanced between them, completely confused. They clearly had some history already.

"Dekho mera peecha karna band kardo mujhe double batteries main koi interest nhi hai." Shourya rolled his eyes.

(Look, stop following me around. I have no interest in double-batteries.)

Dhwani's jaw dropped. Before she could respond, Rishabh stood up.

"Uska naam Dhwani hai double battery nhi...behave yourself." he said sternly.

(Her name is Dhwani, not double-battery... behave yourself.)

Arav almost smiled. Rishabh sounded genuinely protective of her. But then Shourya said something that instantly wiped the smile from Arav's face.

"Then ask you girfriend to not follow me around." he said.

(Then ask your girlfriend not to follow me around.)

For some reason, that single word didn't sit right with Arav. His expression fell before he could stop it.

"Girlfriend? Was Rishab her boyfriend?"His eyes instinctively moved toward Dhwani.

She had gone slightly red. Whether it was embarrassment or anger, Arav couldn't tell. Before Rishabh could answer, Arav quickly stepped in.

"Shourya ruk ja do minute chup hoja please." he said. Then he turned toward Rishabh."I'm sorry rishab he's just new here like me and short tempered tum please bura mat maano." Then Arav looked toward Dhwani."I'm sorry dhwani ye thoda pagal hai isse please ignore karna." 

(Shourya, stop for two minutes. Please be quiet........I'm sorry, Rishabh. He's just new here like me and he's short-tempered. Please don't take it personally..........I'm sorry, Dhwani. He's a little crazy. Please just ignore him.)

Dhwani nodded. But apparently, she wasn't going to let the opportunity to insult Shourya pass.

"Isse ignore bhi nhi kar payega ko itna irritating hai ye chachundar." she commented. A small smile escaped Arav before he could stop it. 

(You won't even be able to ignore him because he's so irritating, this idiot.)

"Excuse me?...main chachundar lag rha hu tumhe?" Shourya looked personally offended.

(Excuse me? Do I look like an idiot to you?)

"Yess a chachundar without a pooch." Dhwani simply nodded.

(Yes, an idiot without a tail.)

Rishabh immediately covered his mouth, desperately trying not to laugh. Arav wasn't doing much better. Shourya noticed both of them.

"Tu kya hass rha hai be?" he nudged Arav.Arav quickly looked away, trying to compose himself."Tu kaise janta hai doubble battery ko? tera bhi to first day hai?" 

(Why are you laughing, idiot?.......How do you know Double Battery? It's your first day too.)

"Dhwani." Rishabh immediately corrected him.

"Ha whi whii." Shourya shrugged.

(Yeah, whatever, that one.)

Arav sighed.

"We are neighbours i've shifted yeasterday only." he explained.

"Exactly." Dhwani nodded in confirmation.

"Main to kabhi na reh pau iske ghar ke aas paass." Shourya made a disgusted face.

(I could never live anywhere near her house.)

"Hamare area main sadakchaap kutte allowed bhi nhi hai." Dhwani immediately sat straighter.

(Street dogs aren't even allowed in our area.)

The classroom erupted. Rishabh burst into laughter. Shourya stared at Dhwani in complete disbelief. And Arav finally gave up trying to suppress his own laughter.

Dhwani, meanwhile, sat there looking far too pleased with herself.

Arav had to admit it.....She was funny.

And somehow, watching her smile made him completely forget the irritation he'd felt only moments ago when he'd heard the word girlfriend.

The lunch bell suddenly rang, bringing the chaos to an end. Dhwani stood up from the seat she'd been occupying.

"Bye Rishii." She smiled at him.

Arav's eyes followed that smile before he could stop himself. Then she turned toward him.

"Bye." she said to him politely.

"Bye Dhwani." Arav nodded.

She gave Shourya one final disgusted look before walking out of the classroom. The moment she disappeared through the doorway, Shourya let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Bhai ye kya ladhki hai bilkul hi haath dho ke peeche padh gyi hai mere." he complained.

(Bro, what kind of girl is she? She's completely after me.)

"Why?" Arav frowned.

"Ye meri benchmate hai yrrr....poora time teacher log ki chamchagiri bhaii!.....kaise jhelunga isse main poore saal" he sulked harder this time.

(She's my benchmate, yaar... she's constantly sucking up to the teachers! How am I supposed to tolerate her for the whole year?)

"benchmate?!.....ohhh godd!!!!....Tab to tera the end hai bhai." Rishabh immediately started laughing again.

(Then you're finished, bro.)

"Tujhe farak nhi pad rha teri girlfriend mere sath baithi hui hai and by chance usne tujhe cheat kar diya to?" Shourya frowned at him.

(You don't care that your girlfriend is sitting with me? What if she ends up cheating on you by chance?)

Arav looked at Rishabh. This time, he actually waited for his answer.

"She's not my girlfriend she's just my good friend and vo tujh jaise ladhke ko to kabhi pasand nhi karegi likhva ke le le" Rishabh shook his head.

(She's not my girlfriend. She's just a good friend, and you can write this down—she'd never like a guy like you.)

A strange sense of relief settled somewhere inside Arav. He immediately looked away and that was the part Arav didn't quite understand.

Why did it matter to him?

He'd known Dhwani for barely a day. Yet somehow, the idea of her being with someone else had bothered him. And the fact that she wasn't had made him feel... relieved.

Arav quickly pushed the thought away, hoping nobody had noticed the tiny smile that had appeared on his face.

"Haa to uss double battery ko date karna bhi kon chaah rha hai." Shourya scoffed, making Arav look at him.

(Yeah, as if anyone even wants to date that double-battery girl.)

Arav stared at him for a moment. He didn't know why. He didn't know when and he definitely didn't know what this feeling was supposed to mean.

But somewhere between seeing Dhwani in his classroom, watching her argue with Shourya, and hearing that she wasn't Rishabh's girlfriend...

Arav had started wondering if maybe he wanted to be around her a little more. Maybe he was thinking too much.....Or maybe...this was just the beginning of something he hadn't figured out yet.

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

By the time the last period finally came to an end, the entire class looked exhausted. Not just because of the endless lectures, assignments, and teachers who seemed determined to test everyone's patience.

Mostly because of the irritating creature sitting beside Dhwani.

After lunch, Shourya had apparently decided that school was the perfect place for an afternoon nap. He had spent almost the entire time sleeping beside her, his head occasionally falling to one side before lazily correcting itself, while his ridiculously loud breathing continued to test the very last bit of Dhwani's patience.

She had tried ignoring him.She had tried concentrating on the teacher. She had even tried pretending he didn't exist but nothing worked.

Every few minutes, she'd glance sideways at him with an increasingly murderous expression, only to find him sleeping peacefully as though he had absolutely no responsibilities in life.

Meanwhile, Dhwani was sitting there wondering why she had been cursed with such a benchmate.

Then, exactly ten minutes before the dispersal bell, Shourya suddenly sat upright.

The transformation was unbelievable.

The sleepy, half-dead boy who had barely moved for the past two hours suddenly looked completely alive. His eyes immediately went toward the clock, and the happiness on his face resembled that of someone who had just been released from prison.

"School khatam hone ki khushi mein iski jaan wapas aa gayi."Dhwani rolled her eyes.

(The happiness of school ending has brought his soul back to life.)

Apparently, nothing could wake Shourya up faster than the thought of going home. Finally, the dispersal bell rang.

The entire class practically sprang out of their seats.

Chairs scraped against the floor, bags were thrown over shoulders, and within seconds, the classroom that had been filled with exhausted students was suddenly overflowing with people desperate to leave.

Dhwani quickly packed her books and headed downstairs with Ritika,

"Chal, main chhod deti hoon," she insisted.

(Come on, I'll drop you home.)

Dhwani climbed onto the back of the scooty and adjusted her bag before settling in.

"Ek kaam kar, mujhe Naman ke school chhod de." she said.

(Do one thing, drop me at Naman's school.)

"nonu ke school? waha kya karegi tu?" ritika frowned

(Naman? what will you do there?)

". Papa ne bola hai usko saath leke aana." dhwani explained.

(. Dad told me to bring him home with me.)

Ritika nodded and started the scooty. A few minutes later, they reached Naman's school.

The moment Naman spotted Dhwani, his entire face lit up.

"Diii!" He came running toward her, his school bag bouncing against his back with every step. Dhwani smiled despite her exhaustion.

Naman was younger than her and already in class ten, which technically meant he was perfectly capable of coming home by himself. But Dad had specifically asked Dhwani to pick him up.

Not because Naman couldn't manage but because Naman was Naman. Clumsy, careless, and somehow capable of getting himself into trouble without even trying.

The moment they started walking home, Naman began telling her everything about his day, apparently under the impression that his sister had an unlimited supply of energy left after surviving an entire school day.

"Didi, aap sun bhi rahi ho?" naman frwoned looking at her

(Didi, are you even listening?)

"Haan, sun rahi hoon." Dhwani glanced at him.

(Yes, I'm listening.)

She absolutely wasn't. Her mind was far too exhausted to process another school story.

Naman studied her face for a moment, his expression becoming slightly more serious.

"Didi, aap sad ho?" he asked

(Didi, are you sad?)

"Nahi toh. Bas thak gayi hoon." she replied with a sigh

(No, not at all. I'm just tired.)

He didn't say anything after that. Instead, without making a big deal out of it, he quietly reached for her bag.

"Mai pakad leta hu didi." he quickly took it from her shoulders 

(I'll carry it, Didi.)

Dhwani looked at him, slightly surprised.

"Arey, rehne de." she protested.

(Oh, leave it.)

"Nahi, main le jaata hoon." he insisted.

(No, I'll carry it.)

Before she could argue any further, Naman had already taken the bag and slung it over his shoulder with an exaggerated gentleman-like seriousness.

"Thank you, Mr. Gentleman." Dhwani couldn't help smiling.

Naman immediately grinned, clearly pleased with himself.

The little gesture was simple, but somehow it made the exhaustion sitting heavily on Dhwani's shoulders feel a little lighter.

By the time they reached home, she was feeling considerably better. She opened the door, stepped inside, and kicked her shoes aside before dropping her own bag down.

" kya khayega nonu?" dhwani asked.

(Naman, what do you want to eat?)

"Pancakes!" he answered.

"Mujhe nhi aate pancakes banane." Dhwani immediately frowned.

(I don't know how to make pancakes.)

Naman stared at her for a second. Then, with complete confidence, he announced "Koi baat nhi main bna deta hu."

(It's okay, I'll make them.)

Dhwani stared at him. There was absolutely no way she was letting that happen.

"Nahi! Tu nhi banayega....mujhe maar nhi khaani mammy se." she said with a horrified look.

(No! You are not making them... I don't want to get scolded by Mom.)

"Main achha bnanata hu." Naman immediately sulked.

(I make them well.)

"Vo pta h mujhe, but I can't trust you with the kitchen. So tell me the recipe, I'll make it." dhwani said and His expression brightened instantly.

(I know that, but I can't trust you with the kitchen. So tell me the recipe, and I'll make it.)

Apparently, being given the opportunity to supervise was good enough.

"Main kuch nhi karunga but aap mujhe kitchen main to lelo apne sath." naman said with a puppy eyes. Dhwani laughed softly at his innocent bargaining. 

(I won't do anything, but at least take me with you into the kitchen.)

He had gone from looking completely defeated to negotiating his way into the kitchen within seconds.

"Theek hai, chal." dhwnai nodded.

(Okay, come on.)

Naman immediately followed her toward the kitchen, his earlier sulking completely forgotten.

⋆𐙚˚₊‧ ୨ৎ ‧₊˚𐙚⋆

And that's all for the this chapter... ♡

hope you enjoyed the chapter....

Don't forget to hit the ⭐ star button to vote and leave your thoughts in the comments.

☾⋆ ────────────── ✧

See you soon in another chapter...
Until then, keep dreaming. ✨

𐙚˚₊‧ ~ Prachi ‧₊˚