Aadhya's POV
After finishing lunch, full stomach, full happiness, we walked back to class like civilized humans for once.
For once.
The moment we entered, madam walked in too.
"Class, today you have your PE period next. Change into your uniforms."
PE.
Great.
Running. Sweating. Dying.
I nodded like a responsible student. "Okay, Adi, you got this."
I took out my PE uniform from my bag. Black track pants. White t-shirt. Simple. Decent. Safe.
Or so I thought.
I looked up.
…
…
WHAT THE HELL.
These idiots had already started changing.
RIGHT THERE.
IN CLASS.
"ARE YOU ALL ANIMALS?!" I whispered to myself, immediately turning my face away.
"Don't they know there is a GIRL here??"
I tried to focus on literally anything else.
Wall.
Fan.
Ceiling.
My past life mistakes.
But then—
My eyes betrayed me.
They landed on Vivaan.
And my brain just—
paused.
He was… well built.
Broad shoulders. Defined arms. That annoying perfect posture like he owned gravity itself.
"…"
"Adi. Control."
"Eyes down."
"Eyes DOWN."
"Dou you like what you saw?" Avi's voice suddenly came from behind like some evil background narrator.
I jumped.
"NOTHING!" I snapped instantly.
He was smirking.
Of course he was.
"Tum sab patle dande ho," I said defensively, grabbing my clothes. "Koi special nahi hai."
And before my dignity could fall any further—
I RAN.
Straight to the nearest girls' washroom.
Changed at the speed of light.
Came back.
And guess what?
SOME OF THEM WERE STILL HALF NAKED.
"Bhagwan… mujhe uthalo."
I quickly looked away but again—
MY EYES.
TRAITORS.
They landed on Nikansh.
He was also well built.
But—
Scars.
So many scars.
Across his arms.
Shoulders.
Like someone had tried to write a painful story on his skin.
"…Why…" I whispered unconsciously.
"Let's go Adi!" Avi called out loudly, breaking my thoughts.
"Yeah… coming," I said, quickly following him.
And just like that—
we headed to the battlefield.
Also known as—
PE class.
—
Reyansh's POV
"Hi bro," Naman greeted.
"Hmm," I nodded back.
"Section E has PE today. Let's go," Manik suggested casually.
"I'm not interested," I replied.
"Come on, Rey. Your cousin is there," Naman added, smirking slightly.
I looked at him.
There was something in his tone I didn't like.
"I wonder how she looks in her uniform…" he said.
I went still.
That tone again.
Wrong.
Very wrong.
"She's my cousin," I said flatly.
"Yeah yeah, chill," he laughed, brushing it off.
Before I could say anything else—
Yuvika walked up to me.
Placed a soft kiss on my cheek.
"Baby, we have gym practice today. Wanna join?" she asked sweetly.
I paused.
Section E.
Vivaan.
Aadhya.
…
"Sure," I said.
Naman and Manik exchanged a look.
They knew.
They always did.
We walked towards the gym.
Voices.
Noise.
Chaos.
Typical Section E.
"Look who's back," Naman muttered.
I followed his gaze.
Dheeraj.
Back.
But I didn't care.
Not really.
My eyes had already found someone else.
Aadhya.
Standing there.
In her PE uniform.
Hair tied.
Slightly messy.
Still adjusting her sleeves.
Looking… normal.
Too normal for that place.
And for a moment—
I just stood there.
Watching.
Something felt off.
And I didn't like it.
Aadhya's POV
"Class, pair up and start warm-up practice with the balls," sir said, already halfway out of the gym like he didn't trust us with his own life.
And honestly?
Good decision.
Before he could even disappear completely, another student came running. "Sir, principal madam is calling you."
Of course.
Perfect timing.
Sir looked at us like we were about to burn the school down. "Warm up properly. No nonsense."
"Ji sir," we all said like sanskari bacche.
The moment he left—
nonsense unlocked.
I immediately grabbed Avi's arm. "Tu mere saath. Partners."
He lit up like I just offered him free food for life. "Done."
Honestly, we were getting dangerously close to best friend territory.
Or siblings.
Annoying siblings.
We picked a corner, took a light ball, and started tossing it back and forth.
Peaceful.
Calm.
Normal.
For exactly… 10 seconds.
A basketball suddenly came flying—
straight at my face.
"WHAT THE—"
I dodged it at the last second.
"Did you see that?" I asked Avi, looking around.
He looked… weirdly nervous.
"N-no…"
Hmm.
Strange.
I ignored it.
Went back to playing.
Another ball.
Then another.
Closer.
Too close.
I stopped.
This wasn't random.
I slowly turned.
And—
dead.
They were all staring.
Not at us.
At me.
That weird feeling in my chest returned.
Cold.
Heavy.
I looked for Avi.
"…"
He wasn't beside me anymore.
"Great."
"Perfect."
"Adhaya, congratulations. You're alone."
"Section E… charge."
Vivaan's voice cut through the noise.
And just like that—
hell started.
Balls came flying.
From all directions.
One hit my shoulder.
Another grazed my arm.
I ran.
Left.
Right.
Back.
Forward.
They laughed.
Like it was a game.
Like I was the target.
"What the hell did I even do to you?!" I shouted, breath getting heavier.
No answer.
Just more hits.
My legs gave out.
I fell.
But they didn't stop.
I curled up, covering my head.
"Stop it… stop it…" I muttered, but my voice sounded too small.
Too weak.
And then—
Silence.
Sudden.
Heavy.
I slowly looked up.
Everyone was there.
Watching.
No one questioning.
No one stopping.
And then—
I saw him.
Reyansh.
Standing there.
So this is because of him.
Of course.
My eyes shifted.
Vivaan.
Standing.
Smirking.
A baseball in his hand.
"…"
Oh.
So that's how it is.
Before I could react—
He threw it.
Fast.
Too fast.
THUD.
It hit my face.
Hard.
Everything went white for a second.
I collapsed to my knees.
"Damn it…" I whispered, holding my face.
It hurt.
Too much.
But more than pain—
There was something else.
Something worse.
I forced myself up.
Slowly.
My body screamed.
But I stood.
And I looked at him.
He was still smirking.
That stupid smirk.
"Just one punch…" I muttered. "Bas ek…"
I could end that smirk.
I could.
My eyes searched—
Avi.
Mahi was holding him back.
Avi looked… scared.
Almost crying.
"Adi…" he whispered.
Why?
Why is he looking at me like that?
I frowned.
Then—
Something warm.
From my nose.
"Not now…" I sighed, annoyed. "Cold bhi abhi…"
I wiped it casually.
Didn't look.
Didn't care.
But Avi's voice came again.
Louder.
Shaking.
"ADI…"
I looked at him.
Why is he—
crying?
Then something in me froze.
No.
No.
No.
My body started trembling.
Breathing got heavy.
Heartbeat—
too fast.
Too loud.
I slowly looked at my hand.
Red.
Blood.
"…blood…" I whispered.
And just like that—
Everything came rushing back.
Fragments.
Flashes.
Pain.
Voices.
Fear.
My vision blurred.
"No… not again… please not again…"
My hand moved on its own.
Towards my mouth.
That metallic smell—
"No Adi… don't…"
A voice inside me screamed.
Fight.
Control.
Stay here.
But my body—
wasn't listening.
Suddenly—
someone grabbed my hand.
Pulled it away.
I looked up.
Reyansh.
"We're going home," he said, firm. "Get your bag."
I blinked.
Nothing made sense.
"Aadhya!" he shouted.
His voice felt far away.
Distant.
Like I was underwater.
I stood up somehow.
Legs weak.
Head spinning.
No one helped.
Of course.
Why would they?
I walked.
Slow.
Heavy.
To the classroom.
Picked my bag.
Came back.
Sat in his car.
Passenger seat.
Door shut.
Engine started.
Silence.
My eyes felt heavy.
Too heavy.
"Adi… Adi…" Reyansh's voice echoed.
I wanted to answer.
But I couldn't.
Everything faded.
And then—
darkness.