Aadhya's POV
Lunch break. My favorite time of survival.
I grabbed my bag like a warrior picking up her weapons and was about to escape to my peaceful first-floor kingdom when suddenly—blockage detected.
Avi.
"Why?" I asked, squinting at him like he just committed a crime.
"Did you forget?" he asked, looking personally betrayed, like I had forgotten his birthday, anniversary, and existence all at once.
Ohhh. This kid.
Cute. Too cute.
Time to torture.
"Forgot what…?" I tilted my head, pretending to think hard.
His face fell instantly. Like someone turned off his emotional Wi-Fi.
"Oh… she really forgot…" he muttered.
I almost laughed right there.
"Of course not," I said quickly.
And just like that—BOOM—sunshine mode activated. He smiled so wide I swear if smiles had sound effects, his would be sparkle sparkle.
"Come," I said, waving like a queen calling her loyal subject. "Let's go to my hangout spot."
We reached first floor. My territory.
I dragged two broken benches, arranged them like some aesthetic café setup (budget version), and handed him the lunch box.
"I cooked today," I said casually.
He froze.
Opened it.
Sniffed it.
Took one bite.
And then—
THIS IDIOT STOOD UP AND RAN.
"WHAT THE—" I almost shouted.
He came back like he just discovered a new planet.
"WOW WHAT IS THIS CALLED I'LL ORDER IT NEXT TIME," he said, eyes shining like he just tasted heaven.
I blinked.
"Umm… you can't."
"Why??"
"Because… it doesn't have a name."
Confusion.
"I made it."
Silence.
Shock.
"YOU KNOW HOW TO COOK?" he looked at me like I just said I can fly.
"Yeah… just enough to not die," I shrugged.
He laughed.
We ate.
Peacefully.
For like… five seconds.
Then this FBI agent opened his mouth again.
"Are you and Reyansh mad at each other?"
I froze internally.
Externally I said, "No… why would you think that?"
"Because you don't talk… and what happened in PE…"
Hmm.
Smart.
Too smart.
"Not close," I replied.
Short. Safe. Done.
But NOOOO.
He continued.
"What did your mom say when you came home like Rudolph?"
…Rudolph.
This boy has a death wish.
"Nothing," I said dryly.
"How is that possible—"
"We don't live together," I cut him off. "I stay at Reyansh's house."
Fast. Clean. End of topic.
He went silent.
Good.
Finally.
But then—SMILE AGAIN.
"Let's play a game!"
God give me patience.
"Ten questions each," he continued excitedly. "No skipping, no 'I don't know.'"
Wow.
Amazing.
Perfect.
Exactly what I didn't want.
"Fine," I sighed. " I'll go first."
He nodded.
Then I attacked.
"Why did Vivaan do that to me?"
Boom.
Direct hit.
He froze.
Brain buffering.
I think I already know the answer but I need to hear it from him.
"That… because… I mean…"
I leaned back.
"Leave it. Don't answer if you don't want to."
He looked relieved but also scared.
"Vivaan will get mad…"
Oh.
So that's it.
"Are you scared of him?" I asked quietly.
He scratched his head.
"It's not like that… I just… owe him a lot… and look at me… I can't win against him."
Something in me didn't like that.
At all.
Bell rang.
Saved by education system.
We walked back.
He entered class.
I didn't.
"Coming?" he asked.
"In a minute."
He nodded and left.
I stood there.
Alone.
Angry.
Frustrated.
I kicked the broken bench nearby.
Instant regret.
"Ow—SHIT—"
Pain shot through my toes.
I grabbed my foot hopping like an injured pigeon.
"That bench is already broken. Planning to destroy it completely?" a voice came from behind.
…No.
No no no no.
Not him.
I turned.
Vivaan.
Of course.
Holding a baseball. Playing with it like he owns gravity too.
"None of your business," I snapped.
He smirked slightly.
"Elections today. Will you cheer for me?"
I stared at him.
Cheer for you?
I would rather cheer for a mosquito.
Ignored him.
Walked inside.
Class.
Silence.
Avoidance.
Cold stares.
Nice.
Very welcoming.
I sat.
Studied.
Actually studied.
Wow.
Character development.
Then suddenly—
Chaos.
Benches moving.
Tables dragging.
Room transforming.
What the hell is happening.
Nikansh stood in middle like some underground fight organizer.
"Elections."
Excuse me?
"Last one standing wins."
…THIS IS ELECTION???
Not voting.
Not speeches.
Just—
FIGHT CLUB???
People cheering.
Betting money.
Even Avi.
TRAITOR.
I stood there like… wow.
Education system really said survival of the fittest.
Inside the "ring"—
Vivaan.
Dheeraj.
Shirts unbuttoned.
Great.
Fantastic.
Why are all boys in this school allergic to buttons?
"Start."
And they began.
Punch.
Block.
Hit.
Dheeraj lunged forward—fast—his fist connecting straight into Vivaan's jaw.
Sound echoed.
Someone whistled.
Vivaan staggered back—
OH???
OH???
HE FELL.
"YES!" I shouted instinctively.
Everyone froze.
Even fighters.
Oops.
Too late.
"Dheeraj! Come on you can do it!" I yelled like a full-time cheerleader.
Silence.
Shock.
Disbelief.
I didn't care.
If chaos is happening—I'm choosing a side.
And it's definitely NOT Vivaan.
"Hit him! Don't lose to that idiot!" I continued.
"Stop it, you're irritating," Dheeraj muttered.
"I DON'T CARE JUST WIN!"
Vivaan stood up.
Slow.
Controlled.
Angry.
Very angry.
He wiped blood from his lip.
Then—
Boom.
He attacked again.
Fast.
Brutal.
No pause.
No warning.
"HEY THAT'S CHEATING!" I shouted.
Everyone stared again.
But I was right.
And I will die on this hill.
Vivaan didn't even look at me.
He kept hitting.
Dheeraj lost balance.
Fell.
Hard.
"No—no come on get up!" I rushed to him.
"Dheeraj you can do it!"
But—
"Enough," Nikansh announced.
Silence.
"Winner… Vivaan."
…WHAT.
EXCUSE ME.
NO RECOUNT??
NO JUSTICE??
I sat there, staring.
Annoyed.
Frustrated.
And very very tempted to throw another bench.
Nikansh's POV (Election Scene)
He had seen fights before.
Hundreds.
Maybe more.
Boys shouting.
Punches flying.
Blood.
Egos clashing.
Normal.
Predictable.
Boring.
But today—
Something was off.
Not the fight.
Not Vivaan.
Not Dheeraj.
Her.
Aadhya.
She didn't stand back like the others.
Didn't flinch.
Didn't look away.
Didn't act scared.
She watched.
Closely.
Carefully.
Like she was enjoying it.
Not the violence.
But the intensity.
Then—
Vivaan fell.
And she smiled.
Not just smiled—
She lit up.
Like she had been waiting for that moment.
And then she shouted.
Loud.
Fearless.
Cheering.
Encouraging.
Choosing sides openly.
No hesitation.
No fear of consequences.
Nikansh frowned slightly.
Girls usually stepped back from fights.
Avoided them.
Stayed silent.
Not this one.
She stepped forward.
Got involved.
Yelled.
Argued.
Even called Vivaan out.
Cheating.
To his face.
In front of everyone.
And didn't back down.
Even when all eyes were on her.
Even when tension thickened.
Even when Vivaan's anger rose.
She still stood there.
Supporting Dheeraj.
Stubborn.
Unfiltered.
Reckless.
…interesting.
When Vivaan hit harder—
He noticed something else.
Her expression changed.
Not fear.
Annoyance.
Frustration.
Like she hated losing more than anything.
When Dheeraj fell—
She rushed to him.
Without thinking.
No hesitation.
No calculation.
Just instinct.
Nikansh exhaled slowly.
This girl—
Was trouble.
Not the weak kind.
Not the scared kind.
The unpredictable kind.
And those were always the most dangerous.
He glanced at Vivaan.
Then back at her.
Yeah.
This was going to get messy.