The English class in 12th D was in full swing. The teacher's voice echoed steadily through the classroom while students sat unusually disciplined for once, scribbling down notes and occasionally nodding along to the explanation.

For once, the room was calm.

The ceiling fans spun lazily above their heads, the soft scratching of pens against paper blending with the teacher's voice.

Sunlight filtered through the large classroom windows, falling over open notebooks and sleepy faces.

"Mai washroom se aaya..." Vihaan announced casually as he pushed his chair back with a screech and stood up.

(I'll just use the washroom...)

"To hame kya bata raha hai? Hum seeti bajaye kya tere liye?" Piyush replied instantly without even looking up from his notebook.

(So what? Should we whistle for you?)

Beside him, Shivansh merely pressed his lips together, completely focused on writing down the notes neatly.

His handwriting looked almost printed, every line perfectly aligned as though even his notebook feared disappointing him.

"Abe-" Vihaan glared at Piyush before smacking the back of his head and walking out of the classroom.

(You-)

"Sahi hai bhai, bas maarne ki dhoondte rehte hai ye dono mereko..." Piyush muttered dramatically while rubbing the back of his head like a tragic victim.

(Amazing. These two only look for reasons to hit me.)

A moment later, something clearly clicked inside his brain.

Slowly, he turned toward Shivansh, who was still busy highlighting important points with complete seriousness, as if the fate of the nation depended on his notes.

Piyush placed a hand dramatically on his shoulder.

"Shivansh? Tera naam to Shiv jii pe hai na?" he asked, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.

(Your name is inspired by Lord Shiva, right?)

"Hmm..." Shivansh hummed absentmindedly, not even sparing him a glance.

Piyush's grin widened dangerously.

"So...have you found your Parvati yet?"

As he nudged Shivansh's shoulder teasingly, Shivansh's pen slipped.

A dark blue ink line streaked right across the middle of the otherwise perfectly clean notebook.

Silence.

For one horrifying second, Shivansh froze.

His eyes slowly lowered toward the ruined page like someone had just committed a crime in front of him.

Then very slowly...

He turned toward Piyush.

"Beta..."

That single word was enough to make Piyush sit upright immediately.

"B-b-bhai...galti...galti se hua...s-sorry..." he stammered, raising both hands defensively.

(B-b-bro...mistake...i-it happened by mistake...sorry...)

Shivansh stared at him for another moment before sighing quietly in disappointment.

Without saying another word, he opened his pencil pouch, took out a whitener, and began fixing the ink mark with the concentration of a surgeon performing an operation.

The second Piyush realised danger had passed, his confidence returned instantly.

Leaning closer again, he smirked.

"Aadhya kaisi lagti hai tujhe?"

(What do you think about Aadhya?)

"Who Aadhya?" Shivansh asked flatly while still fixing the notebook.

Piyush rolled his eyes so hard they nearly disappeared.

"Naam to yaad hai nahi, patega kaise. Aadhya beta, tera patta katne wala hai..." he muttered dramatically to himself before speaking louder again.

(He doesn't even remember her name. How will he ever fall for her?)

"Aree Vihaan ki behen Aadhya! Or Myra kii bestfriend!"

(Vihaan's sister. Myra's best friend!)

That finally got a reaction.

Shivansh looked up slightly, brows knitting together in thought.

"Why are you bringing her up?"

Piyush leaned closer with sparkling eyes.

"I think she's a good girl. And you know...she is named after Maa Parvati and you are named after Lord Shiva so...hmm, hmm..."

He wiggled his eyebrows dramatically, clearly expecting embarrassment, denial, something.

Instead, Shivansh simply stared at him for two seconds before returning to his notebook.

"Vihaan sunega to marega tujhe. Padhai pe dhyan de le," he muttered calmly.

(If Vihaan hears this, he'll beat you up. Focus on studying.)

Piyush slumped back in disappointment.

"Kya yaar...soch raha tha Aadhya kii help kar dun, kuch feelings jaga dun, lekin ye banda to...huh!"

(I was trying to help Aadhya and awaken some feelings in him but this guy...huh!)

Then suddenly, in pure frustration, he blurted out-

"Wo tujhe like karti hai!"

(She likes you!)

The words escaped before he could stop himself.

And right at that exact moment-

Vihaan walked back into the classroom.

Without missing a beat, Shivansh casually pushed Piyush toward him.

"Jaa, baat kar usse."

(Go, talk to him.)

Piyush stumbled dramatically while Vihaan sat down suspiciously.

"What were you talking about, huh?"

"Pagal ho raha tha, tujhe yaad kar raha tha," Shivansh replied smoothly.

(He was missing you.)

Piyush turned toward him with pure betrayal in his eyes.

Before he could defend himself,

"Who is talking from the past hour?!"

The teacher's sharp voice echoed through the classroom.

All three straightened instantly and returned to their notebooks like ideal students who definitely had not been gossiping seconds ago.

The sunlight filtered softly through the classroom windows, golden rays stretching lazily across the room and creating delicate shadows over the rows of desks.

Aadhya sat between a sulking Myra and a yawning Kiara, looking completely drained already.

The history class was somehow even more boring than expected.

The teacher kept speaking endlessly about dates and revolutions while half the class silently fought sleep.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Aadhya rested her cheek against her palm and glanced out the window absentmindedly,

And then she saw him.

Her entire expression changed instantly.

The boredom disappeared from her face so quickly it was almost embarrassing.

Resting her elbow on the desk properly now, she stared toward the opposite classroom windows with dreamy eyes.

There he was.

Shivansh Ranawat.

Sitting perfectly straight like the definition of discipline itself.

The way his fingers moved calmly across the notebook...

The way he listened carefully without looking distracted even once...

The way his brows furrowed slightly while writing important points...

Even the way he adjusted his spectacles looked unfairly attractive to her.

Aadhya's heart skipped embarrassingly fast.

"Kitne sundar hai yaar yee..." she whispered softly to herself, staring shamelessly.

(He's so beautiful...)

The soft sunlight falling against his face made his features look even sharper. His brown eyes stayed focused on the board with complete concentration, deep and steady like warm coffee under winter sunlight.

And God.

Those eyes.

Aadhya genuinely believed she could write entire poetry books about them.

They weren't just brown.

No.

They were the kind of brown that changed shades with light. Sometimes dark like melted chocolate, sometimes warm like honey touched by sunlight. Calm eyes. Intelligent eyes.

Eyes that somehow looked serious and soft at the same time.

Whenever he looked up from his notebook, those eyes carried this quiet depth inside them that always made Aadhya's chest tighten.

It felt unfair honestly.

How could someone simply look like poetry without even trying?

And then,

One of the girls from his class leaned forward on her desk, completely blocking Aadhya's view.

Aadhya's eyes widened in betrayal.

"No..." she whispered dramatically.

She shifted left. Still blocked. Shifted right. Still blocked.

That senior girl remained peacefully unaware of the heartbreak she had caused.

"Ms. Aadhya Malhotra."

The teacher's sharp voice sliced through the classroom.

Aadhya froze instantly.

"If you are so interested in the window, why don't you stand outside the class and admire it properly?"

The entire class turned toward her.

Aadhya's face burned bright red immediately.

"S-sorry ma'am..." she muttered quickly, lowering her gaze toward her notebook as if it suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world.

The teacher shook her head disapprovingly before continuing the lesson again.

"Kya kar rahi thi?" Myra whispered immediately, leaning closer.

(What were you doing?)

"Aree, I was just looking at your brother! Kitna sahi dekh rahe the, or fir wo didi bich mein aa gayi!" Aadhya whispered dramatically with disappointment.

(I was looking at your brother and then that senior came in between!)

Both Myra and Kiara burst into giggles.

"Tujhe bhaiya ko taadne ke alawa or kuch kaam nahi hai kya? Wo bechare mast padh rahe hai, or tu ghoor rahi hai," Kiara teased while elbowing her.

(Don't you have any other work besides staring at brother? Poor guy is studying peacefully while you keep staring at him.)

Aadhya rolled her eyes dramatically despite the blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Shut up," she muttered.

"You know...I was wondering..." she leaned closer to them conspiratorially, "what's his type? Like...what kind of girls does he likes?"

"Padhaku or disciplined," Myra replied instantly before bursting into laughter along with Kiara.

(Nerdy and disciplined girls.)

"Ha ha ha, has has ke to pet hii dukh gaya mera!" Aadhya snapped sarcastically.

(Wow, so funny. My stomach hurts from laughing.)

The second the teacher stepped outside the classroom, Aadhya lunged toward both of them dramatically.

"Bhag Kiara warna chatni bana degi!" Myra shouted while grabbing Kiara's hand and running outside.

(Run Kiara or she'll turn us into chutney!)

"Ruk jao haramiyon! Saali, kutti!" Aadhya yelled while chasing after them with her water bottle.

(Wait you betrayers!)

The corridor echoed with loud laughter and hurried footsteps.

Myra and Kiara turned the corner successfully.

Aadhya did not.

Her eyes widened in horror as she realised too late that a wall stood directly ahead.

She tried stopping herself,

Too late.

BANG!

She crashed straight into the wall and fell backwards dramatically.

"Mummyyy!" she cried out painfully while clutching her back.

From the corner, Myra and Kiara peeked out.

The second they saw her expression,

They lost it.

Myra bent against the wall laughing so hard she started slapping it repeatedly.

Kiara doubled over clutching her stomach while pointing at Aadhya.

Neither of them could breathe properly.

"Has kya rahi hai papiniyon! Utha nahi sakti hame?!" Aadhya snapped dramatically after standing up.

(What are you laughing at? Can't you help me?!)

"Tu kon hai? Prime minister?" Kiara giggled.

(Who are you? The prime minister?)

"Iski muhboli bhabhi to hai na!" Aadhya shot back proudly while pointing toward Myra.

(I'm her Maybe sister-in-law!)

"Jaisi teri harkate hai na, bhaiya will prefer running away instead of accepting you!" Myra laughed.

Aadhya gasped dramatically.

Suddenly, Kiara went silent.

Completely silent.

Her eyes widened slightly while staring behind Aadhya.

"Tujhe kon sa saanp sungh gaya?" Myra frowned.

(Why did you suddenly go quiet?)

Kiara nudged her subtly.

Myra turned-

And immediately stiffened too.

"Kya hua?" Aadhya asked suspiciously.

(What happened?)

Both girls slowly pointed behind her.

Aadhya sighed dramatically before turning around-

And froze.

Her heartbeat stopped.

No.

Actually, it started beating even faster.

Shivansh stood right behind her.

Tall. Calm. Composed.

His posture straight as always, spectacles resting perfectly over his sharp features while a few strands of hair fell slightly across his forehead.

For one terrifying second, Aadhya forgot how to breathe.

He's right here.

Oh my God.

He's actually right here.

Her heart slammed wildly against her chest.

Her fingers curled nervously around the water bottle while her throat suddenly went dry.

"B-bhaiya...aapne kuch suna?" Myra asked hesitantly.

(Did you hear anything?)

"Kuch sunna tha kya?" Shivansh replied calmly.

(Was I supposed to hear something?)

His eyes flickered toward Aadhya for the briefest second before returning to Myra.

That single glance nearly killed her.

"N-no!" Myra answered quickly.

Meanwhile, Aadhya had already ascended spiritually.

He looked at me.

HE LOOKED AT ME.

Her brain replayed the moment instantly.

The way his eyes landed on her.

The way he stood there so casually while her entire universe was collapsing.

Her cheeks turned pink again, and this time she couldn't even hide it.

For everyone else, it was probably nothing.

But for Aadhya?

That one glance felt like a whole love story.

"Myra? Maine tujhe kal kuch questions diye the geography ke, answer kiya tune?" Shivansh looked at Myra, his expression calm as always, as though nothing in this world could ever disturb his peace.

(Did you solve the geography questions I gave you yesterday?)

"H-haan bhaiya..." Myra nodded a little too quickly, almost fumbling over her own words under his steady gaze.

"De mujhe, check kar leta hoon. Abhi free period hai mera." Shivansh smiled faintly before gently patting Myra's head.

(Give it to me, I'll check it. I have a free period right now.)

And meanwhile-

Aadhya was still staring at him like the world around her had completely disappeared.

Her eyes remained fixed on his face with shameless admiration, lips parted ever so slightly as if she had forgotten how to breathe properly. The soft sunlight falling from the corridor windows landed perfectly against the side of his face, making his features appear even sharper.

The way his spectacles rested neatly on his nose. The way his sleeves were folded just enough to reveal his wrist. The way his voice always stayed calm no matter what he said.

Everything about him looked unreal to her.

It was honestly concerning.

If someone looked at another human being with that much devotion, they would probably assume she had ascended into another dimension.

Aadhya's heartbeat kept stumbling over itself while her fingers tightened around the edge of her notebook unconsciously.

God... How can someone look this perfect this early in the morning?

Kiara noticed the horrifyingly intense stare and immediately widened her eyes.

Without wasting another second, she grabbed Aadhya by the arm and started dragging her away before she embarrassed herself further.

"Abe chal!" Kiara hissed under her breath.

(Come on!)

But even while getting dragged away, Aadhya kept twisting her neck to continue looking at Shivansh like her life depended on it.

Meanwhile, Myra hurried inside the classroom to grab her geography notebook, leaving Kiara to deal with the disaster called Aadhya Malhotra alone.

And unfortunately for her- that disaster was still staring.

As the day slowly progressed, lunch period finally arrived.

The loud ringing bell echoed through the corridors, and within seconds, students flooded out of their classrooms like prisoners finally being set free.

Aadhya, Kiara, and Myra walked side by side toward the school canteen, their bags lazily hanging from their shoulders while the noise around them only kept increasing.

"Ye to accha hua ki Gian ke wallet se humne paise chura liye the, warna aaj tinda khana padta!" Aadhya said proudly, placing a dramatic hand over her chest.

(Thank God I stole money from Gian's wallet or we would've had to eat pumpkin today.)

"Tera bhai hai, aise kyu bolti hai?" Myra chuckled, shaking her head at Aadhya's shamelessness.

(He's your brother, why do you talk about him like that?)

"Kahe ka bhai? He's an idiot." Aadhya rolled her eyes dramatically while Kiara and Myra burst into giggles beside her.

As soon as they entered the canteen, the mouthwatering smell of freshly fried samosas hit them instantly.

Their expressions brightened.

And then-

Their smiles disappeared just as fast.

A horrifyingly long queue stood in front of the samosa counter.

"Itni lambi line? Mai nahi jaa rahi!" Kiara whined dramatically, already sounding exhausted just by looking at it.

(This line is so long! I'm not standing there!)

"Samosa khana hai ya nahi?" Myra looked at her with crossed arms.

(Do you want samosas or not?)

Kiara pouted but nodded reluctantly.

"Then we need to do this!" Aadhya declared beside them with the seriousness of a soldier preparing for war.

The three girls slowly dragged themselves toward the line with defeated expressions.

But then,

Aadhya suddenly froze.

Her eyes widened.

Because Vihaan had just entered the canteen.

And beside him-

Shivansh.

The moment she saw him walking toward them, her entire personality changed within seconds.

Aadhya immediately straightened up. She quickly fixed her hair using her fingers, brushed imaginary dust off her uniform, adjusted her sleeves, and even smoothed down her skirt as though she was about to walk a red carpet.

"Humara face sahi dikh raha hai?" she whispered urgently, turning toward her friends

.

(Does my face look okay?)

"Bhaiya tujhe dekhne nahi aa rahe jo itna sajh rahi hai," Kiara snorted.

(He's not coming here to admire you that you're getting all dressed up.)

Aadhya gracefully ignored her existence.

Instead, she stood straighter, trying her absolute best to look decent and civilized for once in her life.

Vihaan looked at the three of them before speaking casually,

"Why are you standing here? Go sit there, we'll bring you samosas."

His tone was casual, but his eyes flickered toward Myra for the briefest second before looking away again.

"Yeah, go. We'll bring it." Shivansh smiled politely.

And that smile,

That smile nearly killed Aadhya on the spot.

Her heart fluttered so violently it honestly felt like it might fly out of her chest and start orbiting around him.

Myra quickly dragged both Kiara and the now malfunctioning Aadhya toward an empty table.

Meanwhile, at the exact same moment, Piyush entered the canteen with his water bottle dangling from his fingers.

"Bhaiya! Come here!" Myra waved him over immediately.

"What happened?" Piyush asked as he walked toward them and sat beside Aadhya.

The second he looked at her face-

He nearly burst out laughing.

Because she was still smiling like an idiot.

"Ise kya hua?" Piyush nudged her shoulder with a grin.

(What happened to her?)

"BHAIYA!" Aadhya suddenly grabbed his arm dramatically. "You know? Shivansh smiled! Oh God...his smile is so...ugh! Bhaiya...he...he has dimples! And when he smiles, his lips curve upwards, can you believe it he smi-"

She continued rambling breathlessly with dreamy eyes while the other three stared at her like she had officially lost her remaining sanity.

"Everyone smiles like that only," Myra, Kiara, and Piyush said together in complete deadpan.

Aadhya immediately shut her mouth.

"A-a...yeah...hehe..." she laughed awkwardly, scratching her cheek.

"Iska chhoro bhaiya! Kya aapko pata hai, Shivansh bhaiya ko kaisi ladkiyan pasand hai?" Myra leaned forward curiously.

(Leave her. Do you know what kind of girls Shivansh likes?)

"You mean his type?" Piyush raised an eyebrow knowingly.

All three girls nodded instantly.

For a moment, Piyush remembered the time he had accidentally blurted out Aadhya's feelings in front of Shivansh...only to receive absolute indifference in return.

Poor Aadhya.

Internally sighing, he glanced toward her hopeful face.

"Whatever his type is, I don't think she is his type," he said while pointing directly at Aadhya.

The effect was immediate.

Aadhya's entire face fell.

"Kya yaar bhaiya!" she whined dramatically before smacking his arm.

(That's so mean!)

"Okay, okay! I was joking," Piyush laughed. "I don't know his type. I'll ask him."

"No! He'll suspect," Kiara said quickly, sounding unusually thoughtful for once.

"He-" Piyush started speaking again but got interrupted instantly.

"Abe! Udhar kya ladkiyon ke saath baitha hua hai? Idhar aa!" Vihaan shouted from the samosa line.

(What are you doing sitting with the girls? Come here!)

Piyush rolled his eyes so hard they almost disappeared.

Giving the girls an apologetic look, he stood up and walked back toward Vihaan and Shivansh, who were still waiting in the long queue.

And meanwhile,

Aadhya's eyes quietly drifted back toward Shivansh once again.

Her lips curled into the softest smile as she watched him standing there casually, completely unaware that one girl in the corner of the canteen had already imagined her entire future with him.

After what felt like surviving an entire battlefield just to get their hands on samosas, the group finally settled around one table in the crowded canteen.

The noise around them blended into a constant buzz of laughter, gossip, and clattering trays, but for Aadhya-

Nothing existed.

Because she was sitting beside Shivansh.

Actually beside him.

Not behind him. Not across from him. Not secretly staring through classroom windows.

Beside him.

And the only reason this miracle had happened was because her friends and Piyush had shamelessly manipulated the seating arrangement for her benefit.

Aadhya tried her absolute hardest to act normal.

Unfortunately, "normal" had left her body the second Shivansh sat next to her.

Her fingers awkwardly held the samosa while she tried eating in the most graceful, royal, civilized way possible, as though she belonged in some historical drama where princesses ate snacks delicately.

Meanwhile, her soul was panicking.

"Bhaiya ke samne apna hapsipana mat dikha dena," Kiara muttered under her breath while trying not to laugh.

(Don't show your foodie side in front of him.)

Aadhya's face instantly turned crimson.

"Shut up!" she hissed back quietly before quickly straightening her posture again.

Beside her, Shivansh calmly ate his samosa completely unaware that one girl next to him was fighting for her life just trying not to inhale food like a vacuum cleaner.

"Chutney khatam ho gayi!" Vihaan suddenly complained dramatically while staring at the now-empty cup in betrayal.

(The chutney is finished!)

"To jaa ke le aao na, poori duniya ko kya bata rahe ho?" Myra commented instantly with a grin.

(Then go bring more, why are you announcing it to the whole world?)

Vihaan narrowed his eyes suspiciously while Myra stuck her tongue out at him proudly in return.

Muttering something under his breath, Vihaan stood up and went to get more chutney.

The moment he left, Shivansh casually opened Myra's geography notebook again.

"Myra," he called calmly, "what has gotten into your handwriting? Come here and tell me what this is."

Aadhya and Kiara immediately burst into giggles while Myra gave them the flattest, most betrayed look possible.

Trying not to pout, Myra walked over and sat beside Shivansh-right where Vihaan had been sitting moments ago.

"Ye kya hai?" Shivansh pointed toward one horribly written word.

(What is this?)

"It's 'Mountain' bhaiya!" Myra whined dramatically.

"It looks anything except 'Mountain'," Shivansh chuckled softly.

And there it was again.

That laugh.

That quiet, soft laugh.

Aadhya's heart nearly collapsed.

Seriously- how was a person even allowed to sound this nice?

The corners of his lips lifted slightly while amusement flickered in his eyes behind his spectacles, and Aadhya immediately looked down at her samosa because if she stared any longer, she might genuinely combust.

At that exact moment, Vihaan returned carrying fresh chutney.

The second he saw Myra occupying his seat-

"Oye! Mere seat pe kyu baithi? Uth idhar se!" he complained, lightly tapping her head.

(Why are you sitting in my place? Move!)

"Bhaiya told me. You can sit somewhere else too," Myra smirked proudly.

Truthfully, she hadn't even planned this.

But the second she saw Vihaan's offended expression-

She decided she absolutely had to continue.

"Tu samjha na apni behen ko!" Vihaan looked toward Shivansh in fake frustration.

(Explain to your sister!)

Shivansh remained completely calm

"Mai kyu bolun? Tumhara masla hai, mai apna tasla leke side mein hoon," he replied with a soft laugh.

(Why should I interfere? This is your issue.)

Piyush, who had been silently enjoying the free entertainment like it was a live television show, grinned mischievously.

"Tu kyu mara jaa raha hai Shivansh ke bagal baithne ke liye, huh?"

(Why are you so desperate to sit beside Shivansh?)

The next second-

THAK! THAK!

Piyush received smacks from both sides of his head simultaneously.

One from Vihaan. One from Shivansh.

"OWW!" Piyush groaned dramatically, clutching his head in betrayal while everyone burst into laughter around him.

Vihaan shot one final glare toward Myra- a glare that clearly screamed This isn't over yet.

Then, grumbling under his breath, he went and sat beside Kiara instead.

Meanwhile, Myra dramatically flipped her hair in victory like she had just won an international war.

The day finally came to an end, and the moment the final bell rang through the school building, the entire class erupted into noise.

Chairs scraped against the floor, students hurriedly stuffed notebooks into their bags, and conversations instantly filled the classroom after hours of forced discipline.

Aadhya, Myra, and Kiara sighed dramatically in relief like soldiers finally surviving a war.

"Freedom!" Aadhya whispered emotionally while shoving books inside her bag without even looking.

But before the trio could escape-

Their history teacher suddenly entered the classroom again.

"Aadhya and Myra, come to the staff room for a few minutes," Anjali ma'am said before walking away without another word.

The smiles disappeared from both girls' faces instantly.

"Aree yaar..." Myra groaned.

Aadhya looked personally betrayed by the universe.

"Is Patanjali ko ab kya chahiye humse?" she muttered with an annoyed expression while putting her bag down again.

(What does this Patanjali want from us now?)

"Humlog ne koi kand to nahi kiya hai na?" Myra looked between Aadhya and Kiara suspiciously.

(Did we do something?)

"Aree wo to humlog teeno saath mein karte hai na! Kiara ko nahi bulaya unhone!" Aadhya pointed out dramatically.

(But we do everything together! Why didn't she call Kiara then?)

Kiara rolled her eyes at their panic.

"Tumlog yaha baat karke time kyu waste kar rahi ho? Jaao aur dekho na!"

(Why are you wasting time talking here? Just go and see!)

"Tu jaa ground mein rehna, hum aate hai," Myra said while picking up her notebook.

(You go to the ground, we'll come.)

Kiara nodded before watching the two girls walk away toward the staff room with exhausted expressions.

The corridor had already started emptying as students rushed downstairs toward the school ground and buses.

Kiara adjusted her bag on her shoulder and quietly started walking toward the staircase alone.

Meanwhile,

Piyush was making his way toward the same staircase, lazily humming a song under his breath with his bag slung over one shoulder.

He was alone too.

Mostly because their teacher had called Shivansh and Vihaan to the staff room separately to complain about their sisters being unserious in studies.

Piyush was peacefully existing in his own world until his eyes landed on Kiara.

A grin instantly spread across his face.

Oh. Target spotted.

He quietly quickened his pace, already planning to scare her from behind,

But then he suddenly stopped.

His smile faded.

His eyes caught a faint stain on the back of her skirt.

For a second, his brain didn't process it.

And then it did.

His heartbeat skipped abruptly.

Without wasting another moment, Piyush immediately moved behind Kiara, carefully positioning himself in a way that blocked everyone else's view.

His playful expression disappeared completely.

Kiara sensed someone behind her and turned slightly.

"Piyush? What happened?" she asked with a confused frown.

"U-uh...Kiara...actually..." Piyush stammered awkwardly, clearly trying to choose his words carefully.

"Kya?" Kiara stopped walking and turned toward him properly.

(What?)

"P-please stand with your back against the wall..." he said quietly, glancing around nervously so nobody else would notice.

Kiara frowned in confusion but still obeyed, slowly stepping backward until her back touched the wall.

Piyush looked down at the floor instead of directly at her.

"A-actually...there...there is a...stain...on your skirt..." he said softly.

The moment his words registered, Kiara's eyes widened.

Her breath hitched slightly.

"W-what?" she whispered, staring at him for confirmation.

Piyush nodded once, still respectfully avoiding direct eye contact so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable.

For a moment, Kiara's mind completely blanked out.

Out of all days, why today?

And why when Aadhya and Myra weren't here.

But strangely...

She didn't feel embarrassed.

Not exactly.

She just felt nervous. And oddly safe at the same time.

"Kya...kya mai kisi bhi tarah se help kar sakta hoon?" Piyush finally asked carefully.

(Can I help in any way?)

His voice held no teasing. No awkwardness. No weirdness.

Just genuine concern.

"Aa...bas...Myra aur Aadhya ko aane dijiye..." Kiara said quietly while looking down at her fingers.

(J-just let Myra and Aadhya come...)

Her heartbeat refused to calm down.

Piyush glanced once toward the staff room corridor before speaking softly,

"Un log ko time lagega aane mein...complain kar rahi hai tumhari teacher."

(They'll take time. Your teacher is complaining about you both.)

Kiara bit her lower lip anxiously.

"W-what should I do? I don't know what to do..."

For the first time since stopping her, Piyush looked directly at her face.

His gaze stayed respectful and calm, careful not to make her feel exposed or embarrassed.

"Can I bring anything for you if you need?" he asked gently.

Kiara hesitated for a moment before looking toward her bag straps.

"No...just my bag straps..."

Piyush immediately understood what she meant.

Without saying anything unnecessary, he carefully adjusted her bag lower so it covered the stain properly from behind.

The entire time, he remained quiet and composed, making sure she felt as comfortable as possible.

After that, he simply walked behind her toward the school ground, shielding her again without making it obvious.

Not once did he joke. Not once did he make her uncomfortable.

He just stayed there.

Until finally,

Aadhya and Myra came rushing downstairs after escaping the staff room lecture.

"Kya hua?" Myra asked immediately the moment she saw Kiara's expression.

(What happened?)

Before Kiara could answer-

"She needs your help," Piyush said simply.

And then, before either of them could ask more questions, he quietly walked away.

But not before giving Kiara one small, reassuring nod.

And somehow,

That tiny gesture stayed with her longer than it should have.

__________________________________________________________

End of the chapter.

Boring tha kya?

I don't know why but maybe it is boring.

I know you may find the story like "what exactly I'm reading?" But before judging let's trust the process?

Any moments you liked?

Press the star ⭐ button to vote!

Words: 4.9k

~Anniexdeewani.