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[ 13 April : she nodded at my opinion for the first time.]

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Vedang's pov

The car came a halt slowly, the weather was painfully beautiful, outside the premium interior of this metal chunk.

Painfully.

I glanced outside, regretting the decision to come back. I don't deserve any of this, the luxury to live, to breathe, to exist.

Not when I took two innocent lives.

Not when I couldn't do anything but sit in the pool of blood, of those lifeless, cold bodies.

"Bhai."

A soft voice dragged me out me if the dark thoughts.

I turned my face to my little brother sitting besides me, Vedansh, Who became a orphan because of me.

Concern stretched over his little face, "You can do this!" He tried to cheer me up.

And I don't remember how many times he tried to in the last one year.

I tried to smile, the one I practiced, all my sleepless nights, to show him, that I am okay even though I keep breaking into millions pieces with every breathe I take.

He returned the smile, and took my hands in his, "chale phir?" He said and opened the car door.

I nodded, and looked at Abhiraj who was sitting on the passenger seat, our legal guardian who will leave us on our own from today onwards. He smiled softly too.

I bet he is happy that, I am back in my right mind to attend school. Afterall He hasn't left

Our side since mom and dad passed away.

I sighed and took a step outside the sun rays hitting my face, it's already past the bus timings so one was around.

Just a few soldiers.

I turned 18, this January. I would have been already be in a college, Had I not taken an year off. But I guess everything's for the best.

Vedansh waved hands and he walked away, towards his wing, while I walked to mine.

"12th... A?"

I mumbled trying to remember what was written on my admission form.

I reached the empty classroom, full of bags.

Everyone must already be at the assembly ground, I guess.

Looking around it was hard to find an vacant seat. Probably the last bench, if possible. I don't have any interest in studies anymore.

Abhiraj said, I just need to finish my schooling to be able to take over the industry.

So passing my boards is all I need to get done.

I saw a seat empty at the second last bench, but it was besides someone.

I stared.

"Should I sit here?" I mumbled, what if they had this seat empty for someone?

I still kept my bag on the bench. But then again, first come first gets.

Attending assemblies is a mandatory morning routine in this school. No matter how sick you are, how much of a big fever you have you will still be needed to attend the assembly, or else get caught bunking it, and go through a harsh punishment.

I pinched the bridge of nose, gathering my energy to face a hundreds of faces.

I walked towards the exit door of the class, and just at then-

"Bro, dekh kar chal bhai." He said rubbing his shoulder. The one I bumped into.

Isn't that a bit if overreaction? We barely even touched.

Yug's pov

I thought everyone went out already, why was this dude here? What if I get caught sneaking out of the assembly?

Should I use my superpowers as the headboy on him? Ofcourse! I am one!

"By the way, what are you doing here?" I asked getting into my character, my voice firm and strong.

And Excuse me-why is he taller than me? I thought I had worked on myself enough to out height everyone in the school?

His expression didn't change, a straight face, and no sight of fear that he will get caught outside the assembly when it's about to start.

"I was on my way, I arrived just now." He answered maintaining the same expression.

Uhh, what a weirdo.

I stepped aside, giving me the space to go out, "It's about to start, stop roaming around here and there, aur sidhe ground ja." I still managed to shot back, sounding exactly how a headboy should sound.

This isn't like me.

But-

"Okay." He didn't even bat me an eye, and brushed me off.

As I said earlier, what a weirdo.

Anyways, now my path is clear, my path is clear. I stepped inside the class, switched off the lights, and closed the curtains, since I was already sitting on the second last bench, I will just complete my sleep here.

The room was totally dark after pulling the curtains, not even a bat can find me in here.

I kept my head on the table, and made a pillow out of my arms. Now this was why it was important to go to a gym, and grow muscles.

So that I can sleep wherever I want!

I closed my eyes, already feeling comfy. My dear sleep please come to me. I desperately needed to drift off to dream world, at this point.

...

...

...

"Bhaiya."

Ignore yug, ignore. It's a kid, you can ignore.

"Bhaiya, I know you are awake, you literally entered the classroom, 2 minutes ago." A girl's voice was never this irritating.

I still went on with my act.

I am asleep, I am asleep, I am asleep.

That girl suddenly poked my arm.

Don't react.

Again.

Yug Mallick you can do this. You can win this war.

One more time.

"What the hell, yaar!?" I sat up straight, my tone frustrated, and seriously full of tiredness. Atleast it sounded like that to me.

She gave me the same look, my mother gave this morning after waking me up. Hands on waist, judging me.

"They are looking for you, to start the assembly." She pointed her index finger towards the Direction where the ground was.

I covered my mouth with my hand, faking a cry, "Oh my god, I didn't know that! Are they?" Please get the sarcasm little kiddo.

She rolled her eyes. Literally. ROLLED HER EYES.

"Oye chhutki, when I was your age, I feared my seniors as if they would beat me the next second." I said wide eyed, trying to appear scary. Hell I am too handsome to appear scary.

"Kya apne mujhe, chhutki kaha?" Her expression was totally screaming offended.

Hahaha, take that you kiddo.

"Ji ha! Ab chhutki ko chhutki na bolu toh aur kya bolu?" I gave the same judging look she was giving me a moment ago.

And the my eyes fell on her badge.

"JUNIOR HEADGIRL"

Holy shit- I screwed up-

I had only heard about the juniors council because they weren't allowed in senior's wing. And I had never met-

Hell nooooo.

If khud ke pairo pe kulhaadi maarna had a face it would be mine.

"S-srija R-rathore?" I asked, and I don't know why, because I already knew the answer.

She nodded. Anger on her face. The offended face I was making fun a whole ago, just became the sole reason why I should be running towards the assembly to save my ass now.

"Bhaiya ji," she sweetly smiled, "Chaloge assembly ya phir-"

"CHAL RAHA HU!" I stood up immediately with full soldier energy and led the way.

My sleep~

Shivika's pov

My legs are screaming.

10 minutes had passed since they made us form a line, and practiced to match foot thumps with the drumbeats.

Where the hell is this Yug Mallick? I am going kill that good-for-nothing today.

He was good until he became the headboy, because before that no one could touch him quiet literally. He never got caught pulling pranks after all.

I tapped on Tanishi's shoulder, she slowly turned her face back, "what happened?" She asked in a whisper.

"Tere Bhai ko bol, uss ullu ke pathhe ko dhundke laane ke liye, nahi toh pura din kharab rehna parega." I covered the sides of my mouth whispering back.

Uske gadhe ke bachhe par itt se hamla karungi.

She nodded, and then tapped on Nishchit's-

Bastard's shoulder, the same way I did to her. Whispered something to him, after noticing her and then smirked.

And the whispered something back to her.

Yeh kaunsa game hain bhai? Yeh usko, woh usko.

Nishu's expression changed to, are-you-really-fucking-serious? But in a polite way. My gurl always managed to have a polite face no matter what.

She looked at me from the corner of her eyes and I saw that bastard smiling at me again, iski Bhais ki aankh- I swear I wanna year that smirk off.

She signalled me to come closer with her eyes, and I slowly took a step forward, trying not to look too noticable.

"Kya hua?" I asked in low voice.

She sighed, pursing her lips tight, "he said, 'ask the person who made this request to come to me herself, only then I will think-"

Before she could complete the sentence, I landed a kick on Nishchit's left calf.

He fell on his knees, the students around us gasping.

And here I thought he would stop bothering the shit Outta me, if I treat him right, but no this gobar only deserves belt treatment.

"What the hell!?" He looked back at me, still on both knees. Serves you right, you human garbage.

"You asked me to come to you myself, here I am." I sang in a tune, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

The PT sir who came to our side to check what happened, ussi raaste wapas chale gaye after seeing it was, again me and Nishchit.

Even the whole school knows how much we hate each other, at first they did try to stop us from hitting each other, but now they don't even bother.

And by not bother I mean, if I kick this boy again, no one will say anything.

He stood up to his full height, looking intimidating, but I won't be THE Shivika Pandey if I give a fuck about this appearance.

The whole school might have a crush on him, but never me. The only thing that can ruin my day is his do din se sada hua khana jaisa chehra.

He took steps closer to me, making me appear small, and before he could evade my personal space I barked, "Ek aur kadam and the next kick would be in your face."

"You shouldn't be forgetting that I am a black belt, right?" I gritted through my teeth.

"And you shouldn't be forgetting that the only opponent of yours left was me, remember?" His tone similar to mine.

Ofcourse how can I forget. After I joined taekwondo classes, he joined the same day. Curse my bad luck, by the end of our one year of rigourous fights, the last opponent of mine left, was him.

"I don't want to disturb you guys' love quarrel, but Yug is here." Vanya stepped between us, pointing towards the stage.

"This is not a lovers' quarrel!" Nishchit and I yelled in unison. This should be announced as world war 2.

"Sure, I am the reincarnation of Princess Diana." Vanya replied deadpanned. Of course I had heard, people Shipping me with this amrood ka beej.

Yug's voice came loud just after that, "SCHOOL ATTENTION!"

Ira's pov

I had always thought that Nishchit bhaiya was sweet and gentle. This side of him was... What should I say? Surprising?

I could never imagine him angry.

But I think everyone has a side they only show to certain people.

Just like right now.

The boy I thought wasn't even fit to be at school turned out to be the headboy.

My height is small compared to other girls in our class, so they made stand in the front.

Right infront of where he was standing on the stage.

His commands are powerful and loud, as if he was using a mic to give them, but no it was just him.

His uniform looked perfect, hair back at their place and eyes shining. Like a true leader.

From the looks of it, I could tell that he was friends with Bhaiya. A friend, who can adapt himself anywhere the situation asks. That's so much admirable-

Suddenly, we all heard a smash.

Our eyes turning to the chairs and sofa where the principal was sitting, her tea cup on the floor. And her expression bitter, "Meri chai itni kadwi kaise hain!!!!?" She yelled.

"Bhaisahab, it actually worked-"

A stifled laugh followed. I looked up to see Yug biting his lip, eyes dancing with mischief. The sports captain beside him looked the same.

I narrowed my eyes. The machine in my brain twisting and turning.

Let me take back my appreciation. He is unfit to be the headboy. Who the hell made him one?!

The principal shot her eyes up at yug, who looked away in a split second, up in the sky, as if trying to find stars in broad morning light.

His eyes roamed and landed on me, he stared.

I stared.

We both stared.

I titled my face, my eyes screaming I-figured-out-what-you-did.

He titled his face, and lifted an eyebrow, so-what?-you-cant-do-anything-anyways. Those eyes mocking me.

I looked away rolling my eyes.

I hated people like him.

Arnav's pov

Akhiyo se goli maare~ 🎶

Should be perfect for this situation. They didn't notice but I already saw them talking through their eyes.

Ughh, meri lugai badi hogayi, he is finally talking to a girl.

Kitni achhi parwarish ki hain maine. I patted my back with my own hands.

But-

The principal's reaction? Worth the risk we took to sneak inside the school kitchen, to replace her sugar free grinded sugar with salt.

We were planning this one for months, since last December. We even asked around whether the principal likes her tea being tasted while it is prepared. And the answered was no.

She had fear of contamination. Paranoid. Her tea was never tasted while being prepared. Perfect loophole. And we used it, just the right way.

How does the bitterness taste, ma'am? It's nothing compared to what yug and I went through, after being the council members full of senior while we were their juniors.

No less, making us the head boy and sports captain, fully aware that the seniors who wanted to be one wouldn't like the idea.

Somehow the assembly still continued. Without anymore further issues.

And we were back to our classes.

New face, new year and new...

My eyes landed on Vanya. Everything can change but My Vanu was still the same. The little girl who refused to talk to strangers, when I moved in two blocks away from her quarter.

Look at her, talking so freely with Nishchit's cousin sister, as if she did not consider herself an introvert.

Whenever I looked at her, my lips would curl up on their own, mann mein laddu phutna? Yeah that's what happened.

"Ghoorna band karde, chhed ho jayega uss bichaari mein." Nishchit whispered in my ear, with his usual teasing tone.

"Hatt bey," I pushed him, "let me enjoy my serotonin," I said being hopelessly in love, and rested my chin on the desk, my eyes gathering all the light that passed through her.

It took me 2 whole years to figure what I was feeling towards her. First came identification, once I identified, came denial,

"How can I even think of her in that way?"

"She treats me- she treats me like a brother?!"

"I shouldn't feel this way."

"It must be the sudden hormonal changes, yeah that's it. It will go away as time passes by."

It never did,

it just grew stronger and more stronger. And here I was, silently pinning on her, and she was completely unaware.

Don't even get me started on when she told me that she had gotten secret love confession letter under her desk.

I have swore, the day I found out who it was, I will see his end myself.

We heard heel clicking amidst of the chaotic classroom noise.

Our new teacher is here.

Vanya's pov

The teacher entered, and everyone went silent we stood up on our seats and sang,

"Good morning ma'am~"

She groaned, "Woww, you sound exactly like 3rd standard's students." Her tone came, teasing but also mocking.

We all laughed at her remark, we had already heard this same line a 100 times now.

"Okay bachho baith jaao." She said, "I am seeing a lot of new faces. New students, please remain standing, baki aap sab baith jaiye." She ordered with a mischief smile.

Hum ladkiyo ki paltan aage baithe huye the, so naturally her eyes fell on Ira first.

"Bachha, your name?" She asked, her chin pointing towards Ira.

"Ira Diwaan, ma'am." Ira answered without any hesitation, her voice monotonous. Does this girl even show emotion?

Patthar Dil aurat hain yaar, she is sitting besides me, with me continuously yapping, and yet she answered to none of my talks.

"So, Ira, where are you from?" Teacher stepped near her, crossing her arms over, smiling tightly.

"My parents are from two different states, Rajasthan and West bengal." Same boring tone.

Ma'am just nodded, clearly not entertained by Ira's lack of emotion, "That's nice, please sit down." She must have expected lively introduction. But god decided to provide her to back-to-back introvert.

And then she turned to the class, finding her more victims.

"Ah-ah!" She exclaimed, "Yug! You finally have a benchmate." She walked to the end of the class, where A new student was sitting besides Yug.

Yug suddenly woke up from his sleep, looking like a hibernating grizzly bear, his eyes... I couldn't make out. Ankhein khuli hain ya band?

Bhaalu kahika, kitna sota hain yeh, raat raat bhar gaming karta hain aur din mein school mein sota hain.

"So, can we have an introduction?" Ma'am questioned the new boy, with the same enthuse, that she had with Ira.

Mujhe kyu lag raha hain, she is going to be disappointed again?

"Vedang Malhotra."

And I was right. Give me an award now.

Seems like we are having a bunch of introverts in class this year.

Tanishi's pov

Teacher's expression drooped again.

I bet she is sad that no one answered her like how a student is supposed to. And that she is going have to go through a lot to open them the walls every introvert has built in their heads.

Especially Ira.

Ma'am gave us a painfully forced smile before moving on to the next set of new students-who, thankfully for her sanity, at least responded like functional human beings.

And then the principal's peon knocked on the door.

Everyone jumped.

Even Ma'am.

She hurried to him, took the folded note from his hand, and he left as silently as he'd appeared.

The moment she read the paper, her face changed. A tiny smirk tugged at her lips before she covered her mouth with her fist, trying-badly-to suppress a laugh.

She shook her head, inhaled deeply, and attempted to switch back to her serious-teacher mode.

"Class," she announced, "we are... rearranging your seats."

And that-apparently-was enough to unleash chaos.

People groaned, whispered, acted like she announced the end of the world.

"Itna bhi bura idea nahi," she muttered, side-eyeing all of us as if we were the problem.

Twenty minutes later...

I had believed-foolishly-that this was just a normal reshuffle.

But no.

She made us sit with boys.

Boys.

As if that wasn't traumatic enough, she placed dada with Shivika of all people.

Had I known this disaster was incoming, I would've worn full protective gear, knee pads, helmet-maybe even those elbow pads kids wear while skating.

But my own tragedy?

I looked to my side.

From the way he stiffened, the universe had clearly punished him too.

Ma'am had replaced me with the new boy.

Vedang Malhotra.

And judging by his expression, he hated sitting beside me just as much as I hated being surprised like this.

Yug ended up sitting with none other than Ira.

My poor baby sister.

May God give her strength... because Yug will not.

At least Arnav and Vanya looked normal together. A rare win in this circus.

I took a breath, pulled my shoulders back, and decided to be a decent human being. I turned to the new boy beside me with the brightest smile I could manage.

"Hi! I'm Tanishi Chatterjee!" I said, hand extended, full enthusiasm mode activated.

Vedang Malhotra looked at my hand.

Then at me.

Then at my hand again.

And kept staring.

And staring.

And staring.

Before I could even process that level of awkwardness, he calmly dropped his head onto the desk and... went to sleep.

Just like that.

My poor hand was left hanging in mid-air, empty and humiliated, like it had just been rejected in front of national television.

Great.

Fantastic.

Love that for me.

Yug's pov

I blinked at Ma'am, who was STILL busy shuffling students around like puzzle pieces.

Yeh sab mere saath hi kyu hota hai?

Why am I always the victim of divine comedy?

Ira Diwaan already had her books out, her pen racing across a rough notebook, scribbling numbers as if the world didn't exist.

She didn't even say hello. Not even a fake smile.

Just one bored look at me... and she decided I wasn't worth her oxygen.

Sitting arrangement khatam.

Period khatam.

Aur meri zindagi bhi bas khatam.

The moment Ma'am stepped out, I slammed both my palms on the desk. Ira jumped a little-finally, some reaction-then glared at me like I was a mosquito she desperately wanted to kill.

I didn't care.

I had a mission.

I stood up, signalling Arnav and Nishchit to also get their useless selves up.

We marched behind Ma'am and stopped her right before she entered the staff room.

"Ma'am!" I called, breath half anger, half panic.

She turned, eyebrows raised. "What happened, Yug? Is there a problem?"

Problem? Meri zindagi hi problem hai, ma'am.

Girls. Ke. Saath. Kaun. Baithata. Hai. Yaar?!

I inhaled sharply. "Ma'am, why did you suddenly change our seats? We were doing perfectly fine!"

Nishchit nodded aggressively, "Aur mujhe uss ganji chudail ke saath kyuuuuu? She's going to eat me alive!"

He cried about Shivika like he had seen his future death.

Meanwhile, Arnav...

This traitor...

Was smiling at the floor as if it had confessed its love to him.

I jabbed his shoulder. "Abe suar, tu kya karwachauth ka chaand dekhne aaya hai? Kuch bol!" I hissed.

He looked up with that gentle, innocent smile. "Actually, ma'am, I think you did the right thing. Students should learn to step out of their comfort bubble."

The betrayal hit harder than 12th boards.

Arnav?

Arnav?

ARNAV?!

Yahi tak ka saath tha humara?

Bas yahi?

Dosti ka funeral kab hai phir?

Before my shattered heart could speak, Nishchit shoved him aside and stepped forward, desperation dripping from his voice.

"Ma'am, what we want to know is... why? Just why? Did you just feel like torturing us today?"

Ma'am stared at us the way people stare at monkeys in a zoo-amused, confused, mildly entertained.

Then she smiled.

Sweetly.

Dangerously.

"The principal's orders can't be ignored, right?"

That was it.

That one line.

We didn't have proof yet...

But we knew.

She already figured out that it was us who messed with her good morning tea.

Nishchit's pov

"Principal ma'am se kuch baat karni thi," I told the aunty sitting outside the office.

She nodded, adjusting her glasses, and went inside to ask if we could enter.

The moment the door closed, I turned to the other two idiots I call friends.

"Iss gaddhe ko kuye mein fek de," I said, jerking my chin at Arnav.

"Kua?" Yug scoffed. "Bro, he deserves to be thrown from a 12th floor building. Twice."

If death had a customer care line, Yug would've filed a complaint against Arnav already.

And Arnav?

His majesty stood there with his stupid smile, looking like a baby goat who did nothing wrong.

"Sorry bol toh raha hoon, yaar," he said, hands in pockets. "I wasn't thinking straight at that time."

Haan, sochna kyun?

When life serves you your crush on a silver platter, kaun dimag ka use karta hai?

"But me?" I pointed at myself with great agony.

"With WHO did they make me sit? Out of 56 students? That naagin?"

Shivika-

The girl who can smile for literally anything.

Teachers. Strangers. Dogs. Random walls. Clouds.

But me?

No, no.

When it comes to me, she looks like someone showed her a standard math problem at 7 a.m.

"Beta, jaao andar. Madam ji bula rahi hain," Aunty said, stepping out and holding the door open for us.

The three of us walked in.

The office was dimly lit, freezing like Himalayan weather, smelling of expensive perfume and something... buttery? Probably her breakfast. Everything inside screamed rich, dangerous, and do-not-mess-with-me energy.

Principal Malini Narayan sat behind her desk, scrolling through her phone while eating. She finally looked up, smiled like she'd been expecting this drama all morning.

"Yes, Headboy? You wanted to talk?"

Even though she said it to Yug, we all knew she was talking to all three criminals standing in front of her.

Yug stepped forward like he was marching into war.

"Ma'am, you can't make us sit with girls! I can accept sitting with ANY boy in the class other than Nishchit and Arnav-BUT NOT. A. GIRL."

His voice was firm, dramatic, painfully Yug.

Principal Malini's eyes twinkled. "Nishchit Chatterjee? Anything more to add?"

I clenched my jaw.

"Just tell us the reason behind this arrangement, ma'am."

Then her gaze shifted to Arnav.

"Arnav Rajawat?"

This idiot.

This traitor.

This Romeo.

He just smiled.

Fucking bastard.

Principal Malini finally placed her phone aside, exhaled softly, and when she looked up again-her smile was gone.

Her eyes were sharp. Too sharp.

"You three messed up with the school kitchen... right?"

Bingo.

The way all our souls left our bodies for one full second.

But admit it?

Confess?

Admit to the crime of the century?

Hah.

Never.

She had no proof.

Not yet.

And we were going to hold onto that like our lives depended on it.

Arnav's pov

Yug and Nishchit were burning holes into my skull with their death stares.

Do I care?

Not even a little.

They still don't understand what it feels like to have a crush so intense that even a two-second eye contact feels like moksha.

To want to look cool every second she's around.

To want to show her the absolute best parts of me.

Bachhe kahike.

Woh kya hi samjhenge.

Principal Ma'am catching us?

Honestly... predictable.

Nobody in the entire school has annoyed her more than the three of us.

And now?

Two of us hated her even more.

And one of us-

me-

was secretly thanking her.

She made me sit next to my crush.

Of course I was grateful. Call it destiny. Call it academic blessings. Call it principal-coded Cupid.

"No ma'am! How can you say that?" I jumped in quickly, smoothly.

I grew up in a house where pretending was survival; where acting innocent was basically a second language.

Naturally, my acting skills were far superior to these two buffoons.

"We did come early, but it was to submit the vice-headboy badge to Reena Maurya ma'am-the council incharge," I said politely, like a well-trained golden retriever.

Principal Ma'am slowly removed her glasses, looked at us with the emotional range of a brick wall.

"Stop the act, all three of you. I've seen you grow up in front of me. And you expect me to believe your lies?"

I shut up instantly.

No point fighting when the queen has spoken.

Time for Nishchit the Drama King to take over.

"But ma'am, you can't frame us without evidence!" he argued.

I'll give it to him-any normal person would melt at his voice and his stupidly pretty face.

Principal Ma'am too.

He looks like the boy who ruins girls' first love stories... because he is that boy.

Ma'am simply leaned back and smiled.

"Oh, really? Then let's just say I just felt like rearranging your seats-"

"But just us?!" Nishchit exploded.

"What about other sections? What about 12th Humanities C? Unke couples toh saath mein baithe hain! Separate them first!"

He sounded personally offended.

As if justice itself had cheated on him.

"Are you boys saying you are couples?" she asked, pointing her index finger at us with that dangerous, sarcastic calm only principals possess.

"A-I-NO! What we want to say is-you can't show partial-" Yug's voice cracked mid-sentence, shooting up like a panicking pressure cooker.

Principal Ma'am simply clapped her hands once, sharply.

"Okay! Sure. I'll have their seats rearranged too. Satisfied?"

She smiled sweetly... the kind of sweet that gives diabetes and trauma together.

And just like that, she turned the entire 12th grade against us with one sentence.

All three of us shut up instantly.

Dead silent.

No more arguments left. No more excuses.

Just three defeated soldiers bowing down to the queen who outplayed us without even standing up.

We quietly lowered our heads in surrender and walked out of the office like prisoners who had accepted their fate.

Tanishi's pov

(Two weeks later)

After the whole "seat-shuffling war" incident, we finally accepted our fate.

And surprisingly... life didn't end.

We actually started getting comfortable with our new partners.

Vedang, especially.

He wasn't like the other boys who always approached me with weird motives or unnecessary confidence.

He came quietly, sat quietly, focused when needed... and left quietly.

A silent visitor.

A polite ghost.

My peace-loving benchmate.

Meanwhile, I spent half the period twisted in my seat, whispering with Vanya-who now sat with Arnav right behind us.

And yes, Arnav always tried to strike small conversations with Vedant, but massive failures.

Shivika, on the other hand, had taken it upon herself to crack open Ira like some stubborn walnut.

Every day she forced Ira to talk, joke, react-anything.

And Ira, surprisingly, had started showing... more than one expression.

Progress.

Meanwhile Yug, Nishchit, and Arnav still received weekly death stares from the entire 12th grade.

Apparently "inke pet mein chul machi thi" and because of them, the whole 12th-standard seating got rearranged.

The boys were suffering the consequences of their failed rebellion.

Today was Pohela Boishakh-Bengal's New Year.

School holiday.

Peace day.

Ma woke us up early in the morning, ordering baths, skincare, dresses, hair oiling-the full festival starter pack.

Last weekend we took Ira shopping since she had left her house with almost nothing.

She didn't say it directly, but she definitely looked interested in short kurtis and cargos.

She kept glancing at them with this tiny spark in her eyes.

So this year...

Short kurtis for two of us.

And honestly?

It felt perfect.

Ira's outfit



Tanishi's outfit



Nishchit's outfit



"Nishu, have you seen my socks? Kaalke dhoota diye chhilam, khooje paachhi na," Dada called out, turning the entire room upside down like a storm in human form.

(I put them in for laundary yesterday, and I can't find them now.)

I sighed, walked into his room, and directly checked the most predictable location-

under his school bag.

And of course.

There they were.

I rolled my eyes. "Eyi naao!" (here, take it!)

I tossed the socks at his face.

Perfect shot.

Right on target.

He glared. I smirked.

Typical sibling morning ritual.

After some harmless bickering-and a tiny, amused smile from Ira in the doorway-we finally went downstairs to take blessings from Ma and Baba.

Pohela Boishakh always started like this:

Touching elders' feet, new clothes, the smell of incense drifting through the house.

And like every year, we had our plan ready-

a morning visit to the temple together.

Ira's pov

I loved it here-

this house that breathed warmth the moment you stepped into it.

Every corner held a laugh, every chair had a memory, every morning started with the kind of noise that didn't hurt... but healed.

No gloomy air pressing into my lungs.

No tight throats at the dining table.

No feeling of throwing up just because someone's eyes carried too much disapproval.

Just... smiles. Giggles. A softness I didn't know families could have.

Mama ji and mother were like two different worlds stitched by blood and nothing else.

Where mother's face was carved from stone-still, sharp, unreadable-

mama ji was all sunshine in human form, cracking jokes before breakfast and laughing louder than all of us combined.

Sometimes it felt like he was the youngest one here, not us.

And maybe that's why this place felt like balm.

Warm. Ridiculously sweet. Foreign in the best way.

We went downstairs, the smell of incense already drifting through the air.

Uncle was arranging the puja thali we were supposed to take to the temple-careful, focused, humming under his breath as if every ritual mattered.

"Good morning, my little sunshines!" he said the moment he saw us, pulling the three of us into a hug so big it could suffocate a nightmare.

"Good morning, papa!" Bhaiya and di chimed, practically bouncing.

"And what about my niece?" he asked, tugging gently at my nose.

"...Good morning, mama," I whispered, feeling that familiar shyness curl into my chest.

He pinched my cheeks.

Of course.

Everyone here pinched my cheeks.

Shivika, Vanya, di, bhaiya, mama ji, mami ji-apparently it was a ritual at this point. I'd given up resisting.

"Mummy abhi bhi makeup kar rahi hain?" bhaiya asked while tying his shoelaces.

Uncle nodded with a soft sigh that said, she is always late, but right only starts when she sa

And right then-

Aunty stepped out of the bedroom.

Wearing a dark reddish saree with gold-embroidered borders that shimmered when she moved.

Gold jewellery.

Hair done so perfectly not a single strand dared be out of place.

She looked stunning. Effortlessly so.

And if someone saw her and uncle for the first time, they'd never believe they were parents of seventeen-year-old twins.

They looked like a couple in their early thirties caught in a permanent honeymoon phase.

And standing there, watching them glow in their small, soft world...

I felt something warm bloom quietly in my chest-

a kind of happiness that didn't scare me.

A kind of love that didn't demand anything.

Suddenly a sharp whistle cut through the air.

We all turned toward mama ji-only to find him smirking like he'd discovered hidden treasure.

We followed his gaze.

And... of course.

It was fixed somewhere around aunt's waist. Or her waist chain. God only knows.

The three of us shook our heads in perfect synchrony.

I had learned by now-mama ji was hopeless. Absolutely, undeniably, gloriously mami ji ka jodu ka gulaam.

We hurried toward the exit before things escalated, but fate hates children.

Especially traumatisable ones.

"Chikni kamar pe teri mera dil fisal gaya..."

Mama ji started singing-singing-as he sauntered ahead, pinching aunt's waist like this was a Bollywood item song rehearsal.

Our escape route was officially blocked.

Uhhh. Should I just... go back to my room and pretend none of this ever happened?

"Viraj!!" Aunt hissed, mortified. "Kids are watching!"

She tried pushing him away, but he was already holding her by the waist like she was the last slice of pizza in a starving world.

"So what?" he said, absolutely unbothered. "I can't flirt with my own wife in front of my own children?"

He placed a loud kiss on her cheek.

I wanted to evaporate.

Just dissolve into oxygen molecules and float out the window.

"But Ira-" aunt tried saying something, maybe defending me from emotional

damage-

And uncle silenced her.

With a kiss.

A KISS.

A FREAKING KISS.

I slapped my palms over my eyes immediately.

Nishi di covered my hands with hers, as if double-layered protection would erase the scene burned into my retina.

"All the more reason," mama ji said smugly, still holding aunt, "Ira needs to see what a healthy family looks like."

Koi mujhe zameen mein dafna do.