•~• VAANI'S POV •~•

The alarm buzzed loudly, echoing through the room like an irritating fly that just wouldn’t go away. I groaned, blindly patting the nightstand to turn it off. "Bas paanch minute aur…" I mumbled, pulling my blanket over my head, hoping to steal just a little more sleep before the day officially began.

But, of course, my peace was never meant to last.

The door burst open with the force of a battlefield, making me jump.

"VAANI! UTHO!"

I let out a dramatic groan, my face buried in my pillow. "Papa, aap bhi na! Subah-subah kyun chil—"

Before I could even finish, my father, delivered the ultimate threat. His voice was calm, but I knew better than to ignore it. "Theek hai, main tumhari maa ko bula raha hoon. Phir dekhta hoon kaise nahi uthti!"

Maa? No way. That was my cue.

I shot up immediately, rubbing my eyes like a wronged heroine in a tragic film. "Nahi nahi, uth rahi hoon! Dekho, aankhein khol di maine!"

Papa gave me a satisfied nod and walked away, but before I could breathe in relief, another voice chimed in.

"Finally, the so-called princess woke up."

I didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. My ever-so-annoying yet annoyingly-perfect elder brother, Ritvik, stood near the mirror, fixing his already-perfect hair.

I rolled my eyes. "Tumhe kya problem hai?"

Bhai smirked, adjusting his watch. "Hai because, I have to drop you and Tara. And thanks to you, we're getting late."

I scowled. "Arre, toh mat drop karo! Tara and I will go by ourselves."

"Nice try, but Papa ne bola hai main tum dono ko drop karun. So hurry up, warna main bina tumhare chala jaunga."

I huffed, knowing there was no point in arguing. Bhai followed Papa’s instructions like they were carved into stone. So, groaning, I rushed to get ready.

Fifteen minutes later, I was downstairs, my hair tied in a ponytail, adjusting my uniform as I walked into the kitchen. The warm smell of fresh parathas filled the air, making my stomach growl.

Mumma placed a plate in front of me, her eyes soft yet firm. "Jaldi se nashta kar lo."

"Mumma, late ho raha hai!" I said, glancing at the clock, feeling the pressure of time ticking away.

"Nashta skip karne ka koi excuse nahi," she replied, crossing her arms.

I sighed, taking a hurried bite, knowing there was no way out of this. Papa, who had been quietly sipping his chai, suddenly cleared his throat.

I instantly stiffened. Oh no. I knew that look.

"Beta," he said, his voice carrying that familiar mix of authority and amusement. "Bas ek kaam karna—pehle hi din principal ki office ka raasta mat dhoondhna!"

I swallowed my bite, barely stopping myself from laughing. "I will try," I said with a grin, making him shake his head in exasperation.

Just then, a loud honk from outside broke the moment.

"Tumhara bhai horn bajata rahega ya tum jaogi bhi?" Mumma asked, shaking her head, already used to this daily chaos.

"Ja rahi hoon!" I said, grabbing my bag and quickly pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Bye, Mumma!"

As I ran out the door, I felt a strange mix of excitement and nerves settle in my stomach. A new school, a new chapter, and a new adventure. And despite all my dramatics, deep down, I knew today was going to be special.I adjusted the strap of my school bag and tying my long hair into a loose ponytail. As soon as I turned, I saw Tara waiting for me outside, her expression as calm as ever.She glanced at me, then at her watch. "Late as usual."

"Not my fault!" I said . "Blame my alarm clock—oh wait, I don’t have one!"

Ritvik smirked. "Papa was right, tumhe ek alarm clock gift karni padegi."

"Ready?" she asked.

"Obviously!" I grinned, excitement buzzing through me. "New school, new people—this is going to be exciting!"

Tara just shook her head, smirking. "You do realize it’s just school, right?"

Rolling my eyes, I shot her a look. "Come on, Tara! This is my first day at your school. It’s different!"

That makes perfect sense! Since Tara was the class monitor and bhai had been in the same school for three years, it’s natural that they would have become friends. This also explains why Vani never felt completely disconnected from Tara’s school—because through Ritvik, she had always heard about it.

"You're acting like this is some grand adventure," Tara said as we walked towards the car parked outside my house.

"Because it is!" I grinned. "A new school means new people, new opportunities, new stories!"

Before Tara could respond, a familiar voice interrupted us.

"Can you two speed up? Unlike you, I don’t have all day!"

I turned to see bhai leaning against the car with his arms crossed. His usual smirk was in place, an eyebrow raised as he looked at me.

"Bhai, don’t be dramatic," I said, rolling my eyes. "You’re just dropping us to school. Not like you have somewhere important to be."

He scoffed. "I do, actually. But thanks to you taking forever, I’m getting late."

Tara chuckled, getting into the front seat while I slid into the back. "You know, you should be grateful that I’m even letting you drop me," I teased Ritvik.

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," he muttered before starting the car.

I can adjust the narration to reflect this:

Unlike Tara, who preferred quiet and small circles, I had always been the lively one—easily making friends, talking to everyone, and diving into new experiences without hesitation. It was one of the biggest differences between us, but somehow, our friendship just worked.

My father was in the army, and because of his job, our family had moved frequently over the years. Adjusting to new places had become second nature to me—new cities, new schools, new people. Three years ago, we had been transferred from Delhi to Mumbai. At first, I had enrolled in another school, one that seemed like a good fit at the time. I made plenty of friends there, settled into a routine, but… something always felt off. It wasn’t the people; they were nice. It wasn’t the studies; I managed just fine. But despite spending three years there, it never truly felt like home.

A big reason for that was probably bhai. My ever-so-annoying, overachieving, yet somehow still my favorite brother, had been studying in Tara’s school since we moved to Mumbai. He was a year older than me, now in the 12th standard, and had always been part of that school’s environment—its competitions, its student council, its endless list of achievements. Tara, being in the same school, had known him well. In fact, by the time I became friends with Tara, she and Ritvik were already familiar with each other. Their friendship wasn’t like mine and Tara’s—Tara wasn’t the type to have casual friendships—but they shared a mutual respect, both being responsible students who were actively involved in school activities.

For three years, I had watched Ritvik and Tara talk about their school—the events, the teachers, the rules, even the occasional school drama—and somewhere along the way, I had started feeling like I was missing out on something.

So when the chance came to switch mid-term, I didn’t even think twice. Ritvik was already there, Tara was there, and something about it just felt right. It wasn’t about making more friends—I had plenty. It was about being where I truly belonged.

And this time, I wasn’t going to let anything feel ‘off’ again.

Tara let out a soft chuckle . "Only you can be this excited about school." That's when I came out of my thoughts.

"Come on, Tara. You should be excited too! I mean, now you won’t have to be alone all the time. I’ll be there to keep things interesting."

Tara glanced at me with a knowing look. "Or give me a headache."

I gasped dramatically. "How rude!"

"I still can't believe you actually left your old school," Tara said while looking through the rear mirror.

I sighed. "I wasn’t happy there, yaar. The people were nice, but something always felt off. And the rules—ugh! It felt like I was in a military camp instead of a school."

Tara smirked. "Well, with an army dad, I thought you'd be used to strict rules."

I shot her a look. "Home and school are very different things. At home, I can at least argue my case. There, the teachers acted like they were preparing us for war. Every little thing had a rule!"

Tara chuckled. "Well, I’m glad you’re here now. School is much more fun with you around."

I smiled. "Same here. At least now, I don’t feel like an outsider."

The ride to school was filled with our usual banter. Bhai kept complaining about how I was a pain, while I countered every argument with sarcasm. Tara, used to our dynamic by now, simply shook her head, amused.

As we reached the school gate, I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement.

Tara nudged her playfully. "Ready for another exciting day?"

"You got this, Vaani," Ritvik said casually, though I could tell he meant it. "Just try not to get into trouble on your first day."

"No promises!" I grinned, hopping out of the car.

Tara and I walked towards the entrance, blending into the sea of students.As we reached the school gates, the familiar sounds of students chatting, laughing, and rushing to their classes filled the air. I  took a deep breath, feeling a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt in a long time.

"Alright, class monitor," I teased as we made our way through the crowd. "Lead the way!"

Tara sighed but smiled as we walked inside together. No matter how different we were, one thing was certain—school was about to get a lot more interesting with me around.

As Tara and I reached our floor, the morning buzz of students filled the air. Some were chatting in groups, others hurriedly flipping through their notes, cramming for a last-minute revision. I took in the scene with curiosity, while Tara, used to the routine, walked straight to our class.

Stepping inside, we placed our bags in our respective seats. Tara’s movements were calm and structured, as always, while I, though new, already felt comfortable in the environment.

"Alright, time for prayer," Tara said, straightening her uniform. As the class monitor, it was her responsibility to ensure everyone lined up properly.

I groaned slightly but followed as she clapped her hands, signaling the class to form a line. "Sab apni line mai aa jao," Tara instructed, her voice firm yet composed. The students quickly fell into place, though a few whispered complaints could be heard.

"You really run this show, huh?" I whispered, nudging her playfully.

She simply shot me a look. "Discipline, Vaani. It's not about running the show, it's about keeping it together."

Once everyone was in order, we proceeded to the assembly ground, where the entire school gathered. Tara, being the class monitor, had a designated place on the stage along with other student representatives. She walked up, her expression composed, her posture straight.

I on the other hand, found myself scanning the crowd. And that’s when I saw him.

He stood tall on the stage, wearing the school blazer with a badge that read Head Boy pinned neatly on it. His presence was calm, composed—like he belonged there. His sharp features, neatly styled hair, and the way he held himself made him stand out effortlessly. The world around me blurred, the voices faded into the background, and for a few stolen seconds, it was just

I didn’t even know his name, but for some reason, I couldn't look away.

The microphone crackled, snapping me out of my daze as the prayer started. I quickly lowered my gaze, trying to focus on the words, but my mind was elsewhere. Curiosity tugged at me, and despite my attempts to resist, my eyes drifted back toward him.

He was focused on the assembly, looking straight ahead, completely unaware of my lingering gaze. I felt a strange kind of disappointment—almost as if I had hoped he would glance in my direction, even for a second. But he didn’t.

I exhaled softly, scolding myself internally. What are you even doing, Vani?

The prayer ended, and the students started dispersing, heading back toward their classes. My first instinct was to look for him again,so I instinctively turned back one last time, hoping to catch another glimpse of him before leaving—but he was already gone, blending into the crowd as if he had never been there in the first place.

"Ugh!" I groaned internally, frustrated.

Tara’s voice pulled me back to reality.

As we started walking back, I was still distracted, occasionally glancing around, hoping to spot him again.

Tara, walking beside me, noticed an unusual behavior. "Kya dhoondh rahi hai?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh… kuch nahi," I replied too quickly, looking away.

Before Tara could question further, a voice called out from behind.

"Tara?"

We both turned to see one of the teachers approaching.

"Tum zara idhar aana, mujhe kuch kaam hai," the teacher said.

Tara nodded, then turned to me. "Tu chal class mai, mai thodi der mai aati hoon, don't wait for me ok."

I was still distracted by thoughts of the boy, nodded absently as Tara walked away. I headed toward the classroom, my mind still racing. Who was he? Why had he caught her attention so easily? But most importantly—why couldn’t I stop thinking about him?

As I stepped into the classroom, my mind was still lingering on what had just happened at the prayer ground. I was lost in thought, not paying attention to my surroundings, when—

Thud!

I bumped into someone, stumbling slightly. Before I could process what happened, a voice broke the moment.

"Sorry," the boy said with a casual smile.

I looked up to see a boy with a charming grin, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"It's okay," I replied innocently, still caught off guard.

He raised an eyebrow, tilting his head slightly. "Vaise, aapki tareef?"

I blinked at him in confusion for a second before realizing he was asking for my name.

"Ab tak kisi ne ki nahi," I said playfully, suppressing a smile.

Ahaan let out a chuckle. "Naam bataiye, hum kar dete hain." His tone carried a hint of amusement, as if he genuinely enjoyed talking to me.

"Vaani. Vaise tumhari flirting skills kaafi achi hain," I replied, noticing the ease with which he spoke.

Before he could respond, a group of boys called out his name from the other side of the classroom. His eyes darted toward them, and without another word, he grinned at me before rushing off to join them.

I shook my head, amused. Well, that was interesting.

Just then, a voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Oh, so you're the new girl."

I turned to see few girls standing in front of me, arms crossed, her expression anything but friendly.

I didn’t know her name, but her tone immediately put me on alert.

"What was the reason you got thrown out of your previous school?" she asked, a fake sweetness laced in her words.

I sighed internally. Of course. The first day of school and there’s already drama.

"I'm not in the mood to argue with anyone because today is my first day. So, give me some space," I said calmly, not wanting to waste my energy on unnecessary conflict.

But she wasn’t done.

Before I could step away, she grabbed my wrist tightly, her nails slightly digging into my skin.

"But just two minutes ago, you seemed interested in talking to Ahaan. What's the problem with us?" she asked, her voice sharp, as if I had personally offended her.

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my composure. Was this girl seriously picking a fight with me over a simple conversation?

Before I could respond, another voice joined the conversation—this time, one that I recognized.

"Because I was the one interested in talking to this cutie," Ahaan said, suddenly appearing beside me with an easygoing smile.

Ahaan leaned slightly closer, still grinning. "So, I think you guys don’t have any problem with that, right?" His voice was light, but there was an undeniable challenge in his words.

Jaya's expression faltered slightly, and her grip on my wrist loosened.

"What’s up?" he asked casually.

Jaya shot me a quick glare before stepping closer to Ahaan. "What exactly was that?" she demanded.

Ahaan raised an eyebrow. "What was what?"

Jaya scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, don’t act dumb, Ahaan. You know exactly what I’m talking about!"

Ahaan exchanged an amused glance with me before looking back at Jaya. "No, actually, I don’t. But do enlighten me."

Jaya huffed, clearly frustrated. "Why were you interfering in my conversation with her?" She pointed toward me like I was some unwanted intruder.

I leaned back slightly, crossing my arms. So, this was about me?

"Interfering?" Ahaan repeated, his expression shifting slightly. "Jaya, you were harassing her. I just stepped in before things got out of hand."

Jaya’s face twisted in disbelief. "Harassing? Oh, please! I was just asking her a few questions. And since when did you start playing knight in shining armor for every new girl?"

Ahaan let out a sarcastic laugh. "Wow, Jaya. Didn’t know being decent to someone was such a big deal for you."

Jaya's jaw clenched. "Don’t try to change the subject, Ahaan. You were flirting with her!" Her voice was sharper now, and some students nearby started paying attention.

Ahaan blinked, then smirked. "And if I was?"

That seemed to set Jaya off completely. "Oh, so it’s true? You barely even know her!" she snapped.

Ahaan sighed, shaking his head. "You’re right. I don’t know her that well. But you know what else? I don’t owe you an explanation for who I talk to."

Jaya’s hands balled into fists at her sides. "You’re seriously choosing her over me?"

At that, Ahaan’s expression hardened. He took a step forward, lowering his voice. "Jaya, this isn’t about choosing anyone. This is about the fact that you think you have some kind of claim over me."

Jaya flinched but quickly recovered. "I don’t—"

"You do," Ahaan cut her off. "And it’s exhausting. We’re classmates, Jaya. Just classmates. Have been for a long time. You need to get that through your head."

Jaya's face turned red with a mix of embarrassment and anger. For a moment, she seemed speechless, but then her eyes flickered back to me, and her expression darkened. "This isn't over," she muttered under her breath before storming off with her so-called gang.

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

Ahaan turned his gaze back to me, his smile never fading. Rubbing the back of his neck before turning back to me.

"Well," he said, flashing me a lopsided grin. "That was… eventful."

I raised an eyebrow. "You sure you don’t want to go after her? Seems like she has a lot of feelings to process."

Ahaan let out a laugh. "No, thanks. I’ve dealt with enough of her drama for one day."

I shook my head, amused. "You do know she’s going to make my life difficult now, right?"

Ahaan shrugged. "Let her try. If she messes with you, she messes with me."

For some reason, that made my stomach flip.

I quickly brushed the feeling away and smirked instead. "So, you’re saying I have protection now?"

Ahaan grinned. "Exactly. Consider it a welcome gift and Sorry for calling you cutie. But you are, you know?" he said, his voice teasing.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. "It's okay. Actually, I know I’m cute. But thanks," I replied, smirking slightly. "And honestly, they were seriously annoying."

Ahaan laughed, looking pleased with my response.

"Tell me something," he said suddenly.

"What?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm the first one, right?" he asked, his expression mischievous.

"The first one for what?" I asked, confused.

"The first person to become your friend in this new school," he clarified, tilting his head.

I narrowed my eyes at him playfully. "And when did we become friends?"

"Just now," he said, offering his hand with a confident grin.

I pretended to think about it for a moment before finally shaking his hand. "Fine."

"By the way," I added, "what's your name?"

Ahaan stared at me in disbelief before bursting into laughter. "Seriously? We had a whole conversation, and you didn’t even know my name?"

I shrugged. "I wasn’t paying attention."

Still grinning, he shook his head. "Ahaan."

"Noted," I said, smiling.

Just then, I felt a piercing gaze on me.

I turned slightly to see Tara standing at the classroom entrance, arms crossed, giving me a deadly stare.

I gulped. Uh-oh.

Without saying a word, she walked past me and straight to her seat. I quickly followed, sliding into the seat beside her.

Before I could even ask what was wrong, the teacher entered the class, making everyone fall silent.

I sighed. Guess I’ll have to deal with Tara later.

Just as I was about to relax, the teacher's sharp voice rang through the room.

"Vaani, come here and give intro to class."

I straightened in my seat, my heart skipping a beat.

The teacher’s tone was firm—more of an order than a request.

I sighed internally, already feeling the weight of the entire class’s gaze on me. With quiet steps, I walked to the front and stood straight.

"I’m Vaani Kapoor."

I said it simply, giving a small nod before turning to return to my seat.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, the teacher narrowed her eyes at me, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Vaani, introduce yourself properly."

Her voice carried a slight warning, making it clear that she wasn’t pleased with my short introduction.

I blinked. Properly? Mujhe nahi pata tha ki self-introduction ka bhi koi rule hota hai.

Still, I stood up again, returning to the front.

"Myself, Vaani Kapoor," I started, then paused before continuing, "Actually… I don’t really know how to introduce myself. If you guys have any questions, you can ask."

A few students chuckled at my casual response, and for a second, I thought the awkwardness had passed.

But of course, I wasn’t that lucky.

"You still didn’t answer, Vani."

I turned slightly, already recognizing the speaker before even looking.

Jaya.

She sat with her arms crossed, a smug expression on her face.

"What exactly did you do to get thrown out of your last school? Or are you too ashamed to say it?"

The classroom went still. A few students exchanged amused glances, some even leaning forward in anticipation.

I sighed internally. Great. First day pe hi drama start.

I was about to reply, but before I could even open my mouth, the sound of a chair scraping against the floor caught my attention.

Tara stood up.

Slowly, deliberately, she pushed her chair back, the noise cutting through the tension.

"You know, Jaya," she started, her tone almost conversational, but with an undeniable sharpness, "it’s funny how you’re so interested in Vani’s past."

Jaya’s eyebrows furrowed. "Excuse me?"

Tara smirked. "No, no, seriously. If you spent half as much time minding your own business as you do poking into others', maybe—just maybe—you’d have something interesting to offer besides cheap gossip."

A few students murmured, barely holding back their laughter. Jaya opened her mouth, ready to shoot back, but for once, she had no response.

I smirked but remained quiet, letting Tara handle it.

I turned and started walking back towards my seat, but before I could even settle in, a voice called out.

"Issa pehle tum iss school mein kyun nahi aayi?"

I glanced to my side, already knowing who it was.

Ahaan.

He was leaning forward on his desk, arms crossed, his usual smirk playing on his lips. His tone was playful, slightly teasing—the kind that made the whole class pay attention.

A few students chuckled, some looking between us with curiosity.

I tilted my head slightly, mirroring his smirk.

"Kyun ki issa pehle pata nahi tha na ki tum yahan ho."

For a second, there was silence. Then—

The class erupted.

Some gasped, some laughed, and others simply stared in amusement. Clearly, they hadn’t expected me to reply in the same tone.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ahaan’s smirk widen, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.

Meanwhile, the teacher was looking at us in disbelief, as if wondering how this conversation had even started.

"It was better that you had just sat down in the first place."

I shrugged, completely unfazed. "Thank you."

Finally, I returned to my seat.

The lecture had been nothing short of torture—two continuous, mind-numbing periods filled with endless droning that made even the ticking clock seem like an eternity. By the time the bell rang for recess, I let out a sigh of relief, stretching my arms as i had just escaped from captivity.

I turned towards Tara, expecting her usual sarcastic remark about the lecture, but instead, I found her sitting with a sulky expression, arms crossed over her chest. Her face was twisted into a frown, resembling an over-boiled potato—puffed up, irritated, and about to burst.

"Ya ubla hua aalu ki tarah muh kyun bana rakha hai?" I teased, nudging her playfully.

Tara shot me a glare, stabbing her spoon into her food as if it had personally offended her. "Tujhe kya farak padta hai? Ja apne us dost ke paas," she snapped.

I frowned. "Kaun dost?"

"Aur kaun? Woh Ahaan!" she spat his name out as if she had just tasted something bitter.

Realization hit me, and I couldn’t stop the smirk from forming. "Ooo, Ahaan!" I dragged out his name, enjoying the way Tara's glare intensified.

"Humari class mein poore pachaas students hai, aur usme tujhe sirf wahi gadha mila dost banane ko?" she scoffed.

I raised my hands in surrender, trying to suppress my laughter. "Arey yaar, thik hai, poore pachaas students hai. Lekin usme se do toh hum hi hai, aur 6 se toh pehle din hi jhagda kar liya tha, aur—"

"Kissa?" Tara cut me off, eyebrows raised.

I sighed. "Arey, woh Jaya hai na, ussi se—"

Before I could finish, a familiar voice interrupted us.

"Baatein ho rahi hain meri?"

I turned to see Ahaan standing next to our table, hands in his pockets, an easy smirk on his face. He looked from me to Tara, clearly amused.

Tara rolled her eyes so hard I was afraid they might get stuck. "Oh wow, entry maar di filmy hero ki tarah," she muttered under her breath.

Ahaan smirked, leaning slightly forward. "Bas tumhari heroine-type villainous monologue sun raha tha, socha thoda apni bhi presence de doon."

Tara scoffed. "Zyada mat udd, warna hawa zyada bhar jayegi aur phir phatne mein bhi time nahi lagega."

Ahaan chuckled. "Arre, main toh hawa mein udd raha hoon, par tu hamesha neeche kyun baithi rehti hai? Duniya dekh, thoda khul ke jee, monitor sahiba!"

Tara narrowed her eyes. "Main khul ke jeeti hoon, bas stupid logon ko importance nahi deti."

Ahaan gave her a slow nod. "Sahi baat hai. Par phir bhi, roz mirror dekhne ke baad bhi tu apni hi reflection se ladti rehti hai. Matlab, problem tujhse hai ya duniya se?"

I choked on my food. Tara froze for a second, processing his words, before straightening up.

she shot back. "Shayad tujhe bhi dekhna chahiye, warna har din school aate hi tujhe reality check dene ka kaam mujhe na karna pade!"

Ahaan let out a low whistle. "Agar reality check dena tera kaam hai, toh teacher ban ja. Kam se kam log tujhe sunne ke paise toh denge."

Tara folded her arms. "Tabhi keh rahi hoon, tu bhi thoda sun liya kar. Ho sakta hai tere number thode aur badh jaayein."

Ahaan smirked. "Itna toh badh bhi gaye hain, warna tu mujhpe itna focus kyun kar rahi hai?"

Tara huffed in frustration while I struggled to hold back my laughter.

I sighed dramatically. "Bas karo tum dono, ya recess ke baad ek debate competition arrange kar doon?"

Ahaan shrugged. "Main nikal raha hoon, tum dono apni shanti bhari discussion continue karo."

Tara rolled her eyes as he walked off, then turned to me. "Yeh banda itna irritate kyun karta hai mujhe?"

I smirked. "Pata nahi, ya phir shayad... tujhe irritate hone ki aadat ho gayi hai?"

Tara gasped. "Vaani!"

I laughed, shaking my head. One thing was certain tara and ahaan's fight were never going to end.