✨CHAPTER THREE✨

﹋﹋﹋ ☾ ﹋﹋

First day of school—new faces, quiet moments and the start of something unspoken ✨

The next morning drifted in with the soft hum of ceiling fans and the smell of fresh parathas from the Kapoor kitchen. Aadhya stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her St. Mary’s High uniform for the tenth time.

“Yeh tie kahan chhupa di maine…?” she muttered, frustration growing by the second.

Rehan leaned casually against the door, watching her with an annoyingly calm smile. It was clearly fun for him.

“Aadha ghar utha diya tumne,” he said, trying not to laugh.

Aadhya shot him a sharp look and continued searching.

“Bhaiya , please bakwaas mat karo. I’m getting late!”

Rehan slowly raised his hand, revealing the tie she’d been desperately hunting for. He dangled it teasingly.

“Yeh dhoond rahi ho, madam?” he said with a grin.

Aadhya froze. Her eyes widened.

“TU LEKAR GAYA THA?! Rehan, main seriously gussa ho jaaungi!”

Rehan laughed, enjoying every second.

“Arre chill, tum hamesha itna drama kyun karti ho?”

She marched up and snatched the tie from his hand, still annoyed but unable to hide a tiny smile.

“Aap na… ek din bahut pitoge mujhse,” she warned.

Rehan walked away, still laughing.

“Haan haan, woh din bhi dekh lenge!”

Aadhya finally tied her hair into a neat ponytail, grabbed her bag, and rushed out of the room before Rehan could make another comment

🌸(Malhotra Residence)

The morning sunlight filtered gently through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow across Varnika's room.

Her phone camera was already on.

"Good morning, people..." she whispered dramatically, adjusting her hair as she looked into the screen.

"First day... new week, same house, same chaos..."

She flipped the camera slightly, capturing the sunlight, her messy bed, and then back to herself.

"Honestly, main thodi nervous hoon... but also excited," she smiled softly. "Because new beginnings are kinda cute, right?"

She placed the phone against a stack of books.

"Outfit check," she said, stepping back.

White shirt. Grey skirt. Tie slightly loose.

She twirled once, grinning.

"Very school-core. Simple, but cute."

She picked up her phone and walked out, still recording.

______

At the dining table-

"Mummaaa, kya bana hai?" she asked, briefly turning the camera.

"Pehle kha lo," her mother replied.

Varnika smiled. "Standard mom dialogue."

Kairav sat across, already eating.

She pointed the camera at him. "Aur yeh hai-Mr. Perfect."

"Camera hatao," he said simply.

She ignored him, continuing to talk. "Aur aaj ka plan hai ki main-"

Kairav stood up mid-sentence, picking up his bag.

"Mujhe late ho raha hai, so I'm leaving. Iska toh waise bhi chalta rahega."

Varnika stopped, staring at him. "Wow."

He walked past her calmly and left.

She turned back to the camera, offended.

"Dekha? Attitude."

Then quickly took a bite. "Okay but this is actually good."

"Roz hota hai," her mother said.

Just then-

"Varnika, late ho jaaogi!"

She looked at the clock.

"Oh no-time!"

She grabbed her bag in a hurry. "Okay bye-first day!"

She stopped the recording and rushed out.

ーー・ーー

The house buzzed with morning sounds - plates clinking, chairs moving, Priya calling someone's name every few seconds.

As soon as Aadhya entered the dining room, Priya looked up dramatically.

"Wah! Aadhya Kapoor time pe tayyar? History ban rahi hai kya?"

Aadhya groaned.

"Mummaaa please. I'm already stressed."

Priya placed a warm paratha on her plate.

"Stress mat lo. First day hai. Tum sab handle kar logi."

Rehan dropped into the chair beside her like he had just finished running a marathon.

"Handle? Aadhya?" he scoffed.

"Teacher attendance se pehle iska introduction band kar denge."

Aadhya elbowed him under the table.

"Ow!" he yelped.

Priya didn't even look up.

"Rehan, chup. Aadhya, breakfast finish karo."

Rajesh folded his newspaper.

"School ka route pata hai na?"

"Mujhe kaunsa Paris jaana hai, Papa," Aadhya replied, biting her paratha.

"School next street mein hi toh hai."

Rehan smirked.

"And even then she'll manage to get lost."

"BAS!" Aadhya slammed her plate lightly.

"Can everyone stop stressing me out?"

The room went silent for exactly three seconds.

Then Priya burst out laughing.

"Chalo chalo, jaldi khatam karo. Varnika wait kar rahi hogi."

Aadhya checked her phone.

One message.

Varnika🎧:

Main bahar hoon. Jaldi aa warna main hi late ho jaaungi.

"OH GOD!"

Aadhya jumped up, stuffed the last bite of paratha into her mouth, grabbed her bottle, and ran for the door.

Outside the House

The moment she opened the door, she froze.

Varnika stood outside with her arms crossed, tapping her foot dramatically.

"Kya time management seekhne ka iraada nahi hai tumhara?"

Aadhya pouted.

"Main try kar rahi hoon yaar."

"And failing," Varnika replied sweetly, pulling her into a quick hug.

"Chalo, warna main tumhari wajah se late ho jaaungi."

The two girls started walking toward school, sunlight stretching across the quiet street.

"So," Varnika said mischievously, "nervous?"

"A little," Aadhya admitted. "New school, new people..."

"Relax," Varnika said, bumping her shoulder lightly. "Main hoon na."

Aadhya smiled. "Haan... tu hai."

The two girls continued walking towards school.

After a few moments, Aadhya looked around curiously.

"Waise... Kairav nahi aa raha?" she asked casually.

Varnika immediately rolled her eyes.

"Please. Mere bhai ko normal students wali life jeene ki permission nahi hai."

Aadhya laughed. "Matlab?"

"Madam Head Boy," Varnika said dramatically. "Subah-subah school pahunch jaate hain. Assembly check karo, discipline check karo, juniors ko daanto, teachers ki help karo..."

She started counting on her fingers.

"Basically, school khulne se pehle hi school mein hote hain."

Aadhya chuckled. "Itna serious rehta hai kya?"

"Tu imagine bhi nahi kar sakti," Varnika groaned. "Ghar pe bhi Mr. Rules And Regulations. Kabhi-kabhi lagta hai principal ne galti se usko beta bana liya aur mere parents ko de diya."

Aadhya burst out laughing.

"Poor guy."

"Poor guy?" Varnika gasped dramatically.

"Poor me! Main uske saath rehti hoon."

The two girls laughed as they continued walking, the school building slowly coming into view ahead of them.

By the time they reached the classroom, most of the students had already arrived.

The room was filled with chatter, laughter, and the usual first-day excitement.

"Welcome to 11th PCM," Varnika said dramatically as they entered.

Aadhya laughed and took the seat beside her.

Before Varnika could start another story, the classroom door opened.

Kairav stepped inside, a file in his hand.

The noise immediately reduced.

"Assembly in five minutes. Everyone, please proceed to the ground with your sections," he said calmly.

"See?" Varnika whispered to Aadhya. "Head Boy mode."

Aadhya smiled slightly.

As Kairav turned to leave, his eyes briefly landed on Aadhya.

Just for a second.

Then he walked out.

"Kitna serious rehta hai," Varnika muttered, standing up.

"Maybe because he's the Head Boy," Aadhya replied.

"Still. Thoda normal bhi ho sakta hai."

Laughing, the two girls followed the rest of the class towards the assembly ground.

---

The corridor was crowded with students heading downstairs.

Varnika was busy talking when-

Thud.

She walked straight into someone.

"Ow!"

Before she could lose her balance, a hand-steadied her.

"Tum chalti ho ya bas bolti rehti ho?" Rehan asked.

Varnika immediately rolled her eyes.

"Tum saamne aa gaye, usmein meri kya galti?"

"Meri galti hai ki main corridor mein chal raha tha?"

"Exactly."

Aadhya laughed.

"Bas karo tum dono."

A teacher's voice echoed from ahead.

"Everyone to the assembly ground!"

"Saved," Rehan smirked.

"Jaao yahan se," Varnika shot back.

As he walked away, she shook her head dramatically.

"Annoying."

Yet the small smile on her face said otherwise.

The assembly passed quickly, and soon the students were dismissed.

As they headed back towards their classroom, Varnika let out a dramatic sigh.

"Mere pair toot gaye."

Aadhya laughed. "You've been standing for fifteen minutes."

"Exactly."

Still laughing, the two girls followed the crowd back to class.

The two girls settled into their seats as the teacher began the first lesson of the day.

Aadhya tried her best to focus, but every few minutes Varnika would pass a note or whisper some random comment, making it impossible not to laugh.

Meanwhile, in Class 12 PCM, the first period had just ended.

Rehan flipped through his notebook and frowned.

"Yaar, joining late has messed everything up.

I'm still behind in two chapters."

Kairav looked over.

"Give me your notebook."

Rehan handed it to him.

"T'll help you after school," Kairav said after checking the syllabus. "We'll cover most of it this week."

Rehan sighed dramatically in relief.

"See? This is why you're my friend."

"Because I save you from your backlog?"

"Exactly."

Kairav shook his head, trying not to laugh as the next teacher walked into the classroom.

The bell rang for recess, and students rushed into the corridor.

Kairav and Rehan were walking ahead when

Kairav's gaze paused.

Aadhya was coming from the opposite side with Varnika, laughing about something, not paying attention to anything else.

And then he saw it.

Her shoelace was untied

"Aadhya," he called out.

She looked up. "Haan?"

She didn't even get time to react properly-he had already crouched down.

This time slower.

Careful.

He tied it neatly, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

Aadhya stood frozen for a moment, then blinked. "I... could've done that."

Kairav looked up briefly.

No reply.

Just a quiet second

Then he stood up and walked away with Rehan.

Rehan, still watching, let out a low whistle.

"Bro..."

Varnika smirked, clearly entertained.

"Interesting."

Aadhya looked down at her shoe again, trying to act normal-but the small smile on her face betrayed her confusion.

“...Weird," she said softly.

But she didn't sound like she meant it completely anymore.

The corridor was slowly emptying as students headed back to class.

Aadhya kept adjusting her shoe without realizing it.

Varnika noticed immediately.

"Bas kar, warna tum us shoelace ko trophy bana dogi," she teased.

Aadhya rolled her eyes. "It's just tied properly.

“That's it."

"Hmm," Varnika smirked. "Head Boy ne bahut mehnat ki hogi phir."

Aadhya froze. "Varnika!"

Before she could argue more, Rehan and Kairav crossed them in the corridor.

Rehan glanced at Aadhya's shoe and smirked at Kairav.

"Oho... social work bhi chal raha hai?"

Kairav calmly replied, "Walk."

Rehan laughed. "Haan haan, hero mode."

Aadhya frowned. "Excuse me?"

Rehan waved it off. "Nothing."

As they walked away, Varnika leaned in. "See? Even he's noticing."

Aadhya glared. "There's nothing."

But her voice came out a little too quick.

The final bell rang, and students rushed out of classrooms with relieved energy.

At the gate, Rehan stretched. "Finally Freedom."

Kairav adjusted his bag. " your backlog?"

Rehan nodded. "Hmm, vo bhi toh hai. Let's meet at my place then, meri help karna.

"Done. What time ? "

"6 in evening ," Rehan smirked.

Kairav gave a small nod. "I'll be there."

The two boys walked ahead, already discussing the game as they disappeared into the crowd.

A few steps behind, Aadhya and Varnika stepped out together.

"First day survived," Varnika sighed.

"Barely," Aadhya laughed.

Varnika tilted her head. "So... evening free?"

Aadhya nodded. "Haan."

"Then meet-up?" Varnika asked immediately.

"Same time as boys?" Aadhya teased.

Varnika grinned. "Obviously. I need full updates and gossip."

Aadhya smiled. "Deal."

The two girls walked away together, planning their evening as the school slowly emptied behind them.

How was it ?

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