AYESHA POV

The first day of Class 11 started exactly the way every terrible day in my life started.

With my mother trying to wake me up.

"Ayesha..."

I heard her voice somewhere between sleep and reality, but I had absolutely no intention of opening my eyes. I pulled my blanket closer and turned to the other side.

A few minutes later, her voice came again.

"Ayesha, get up."

No.

Another two minutes passed.

"Ayesha Sharma."

Still no.

At this point, I wasn't sleeping anymore. I was simply pretending to be asleep because waking up meant getting ready for school, and school meant studies, and studies meant Class 11, which already sounded exhausting.

Unfortunately for me, my mother knew me too well.

The next thing I knew, her hands were on my shoulders, shaking me so hard that I genuinely thought the house was collapsing.

"Mummy!" I shot up immediately, clutching my blanket. "What do you want?"

"What do I want?" Mummy repeated, staring at me as if I had personally ruined her morning. "I want my fifteen-year-old daughter to wake up on time like a normal human being."

I groaned and dropped my head back onto the pillow.

"It is the first day of school, Ayesha," she continued. "First day. And every single morning I have to fight with you."

I rubbed my eyes, already irritated.

The day hadn't even started, and I was already tired.

Mummy, however, was nowhere near finished.

"Look at Siddharth," she said, pointing dramatically towards the door. "He is six years younger than you and he woke up before you."

Of course.

The comparison had arrived.

Right on schedule.

I closed my eyes for a second.

Here we go again.

"He gets ready on time. He doesn't make me shout. He doesn't sleep like a buffalo."

"Mummy," I complained, dragging out the word, "he's 10 years old. His biggest responsibility is watching cartoons."

"And what's yours?"

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

Fair point.

Mummy folded her arms and continued her speech. "Children your age wake up early, go jogging, exercise, study, help their parents-"

I immediately sat up.

"Where are these children?" I asked suspiciously. "Because I have never met them."

That earned me a glare.

"Ayesha."

"I'm serious."

"You think everything is a joke."

I sighed dramatically.

The problem wasn't even the comparison anymore.

It was hearing it every single day.

Some days it annoyed me.

Some days it made me angry.

And some days, like today, it just made me want to bury my head under the pillow and disappear.

"Just get ready," Mummy said before walking out of my room.

The moment she left, I looked at the ceiling.

"Good morning to me."

Twenty minutes later, I was somehow dressed, ready, and standing in front of the mirror.

Honestly, even I was impressed.

My hair was tied properly.

My uniform looked decent.

And for once, I didn't look like someone who had just escaped from a natural disaster.

Checking the clock, I realized I still had ten minutes left.

A rare achievement.

When I walked into the dining area, Mummy placed a cup of tea in front of me.

"Drink this," she said.

I happily accepted it.

No matter how many arguments we had, nobody made tea like my mother.

As I took a sip, Mummy sat down across from me.

"Listen carefully," she started.

I immediately knew another lecture was loading.

"Today, behave properly in class. Pay attention to your teachers. Don't talk too much."

I looked at her over the rim of my cup.

"Mummy."

"What?"

"You are acting like I'm going to school for the first time."

"I'm just reminding you."

"I've been studying there for more than five years."

"So?"

"It's literally my school."

"So?"

I stared at her.

She stared back.

And just like every other argument in this house, I lost.

With dignity? No.

But I lost.

After finishing my tea, I picked up my bag and headed towards the door.

"I'm leaving."

"Go carefully," Mummy called from behind me.

"I know."

"And don't create trouble."

I laughed.

"No promises."

Before she could reply, I quickly stepped outside.

The morning air felt surprisingly nice.

Most students in Class 11 preferred walking to school instead of taking the bus, so that was exactly what I was doing.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I started walking towards the chowraha.

For the first time since summer vacation ended, I wasn't thinking about studies or assignments.

I was thinking about Aashi and Kiara.

After an entire month.

One whole month.

Today, I was finally going to see them again.

And honestly?

That was the only reason I was excited to go to school.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I started walking towards the chowraha. The morning air felt surprisingly nice, and for the first time since summer vacation ended, I wasn't thinking about studies or assignments. I was thinking about Aashi and Kiara.

The chauraha wasn't too crowded when I reached there. A few students walked past me while some shopkeepers were opening their stores. I checked the time on my phone and sighed.

Five minutes passed.

Then seven.

Then ten.

"Wonderful," I muttered under my breath, kicking a small stone lying on the road. "First week of Class 11 and my friends have already forgotten the meaning of punctuality."

Just as I was preparing a speech about friendship and betrayal, an auto finally stopped a few feet away from me.

My irritation disappeared immediately.

Aashi stepped out first, fixing her hair while balancing her bag on one shoulder. Kiara followed behind her, looking suspiciously fresh for someone who had been forced to return to school after a month of freedom.

A smile automatically appeared on my face.

There they were.

My people.

"You guys are late," I complained the moment they reached me, wrapping my arms around Aashi before she could even say hello.

After pulling away from the hug, I high-fived Kiara and narrowed my eyes at both of them. "Do you realise we're supposed to walk all the way to school? If we get late on the first week itself, some teacher is definitely going to give us a lecture about discipline."

"I wasn't late," Kiara immediately defended herself, adjusting the strap of her bag while pointing towards Aashi. "Blame her. The auto was waiting for madam."

"Excuse me?" Aashi looked offended before laughing. "I woke up at six after an entire month. My body was literally in shock."

I stopped walking and stared at her.

"Six?" I repeated dramatically. "And you're saying that like it's early? During holidays, if I slept till eight, my mother started acting like I'd ruined my future."

That made both of them laugh.

"Trust me," Kiara said, shaking her head. "Aunty would wake up the entire colony before letting you sleep till ten."

I rolled my eyes because unfortunately, she wasn't wrong.

For a few seconds, we simply walked together, and honestly, it felt nice. The same road, the same people, the same conversations. It felt like nothing had changed.

Until Class 11 entered the conversation.

"It's still weird," Kiara admitted, looking ahead at the road. "For me, Class 10 was my favourite year."

"Obviously," I agreed immediately. "Class 10 was perfect."

Aashi looked between us. "Perfect?"

"Yes, perfect," I said, counting on my fingers. "The memories, the teachers, the chaos, the farewell atmosphere. Everything."

"And now?" Aashi asked.

"Now everyone is trying to scare us," I replied, throwing my hands in the air.

Kiara laughed. "That's actually true."

I immediately started mimicking every adult I'd met during the holidays.

"'Class 11 is the foundation of your future,'" I said in a serious voice, making both girls laugh.

"'If you waste Class 11, you'll fail in Class 12,'" Kiara added, joining my performance.

"'And if you fail in Class 12, your entire life is over,'" Aashi finished dramatically.

The three of us burst out laughing because every elder genuinely sounded exactly like that.

"It's only been four days," Aashi pointed out, smiling at our stupidity. "Can we stop acting like our careers are ending already?"

"No," I replied instantly.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because panic is free."

That only made them laugh harder.

And for the first time that morning, I felt completely relaxed.

The trio was finally back together.

"Let's just take a shared auto," I suggested as the three of us continued walking.

Looking at the road ahead, I could already tell we weren't making it to school on time. "Our school is literally three kilometres away. If we keep walking at this speed, we'll reach after the teachers."

"Shared autos take forever to fill up," Aashi pointed out, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. Even though she sounded doubtful, I could tell she was already considering the idea.

I grinned immediately. "Trust me. I know bargaining."

Kiara looked at me suspiciously. "That sentence has never ended well."

Ignoring her, I dramatically gestured ahead. "Follow me."

A few minutes later, we were standing beside an auto.

"Bhaiya, school chaloge?" I asked.

The driver nodded. "Thirty rupees."

"That's not bad," I replied automatically.

Before I could step inside, Kiara's head snapped towards him. "Thirty for one person or thirty for all three?"

The driver looked at her like she'd asked the world's stupidest question.

"Thirty for one."

For a second, none of us spoke.

Then I slowly turned towards Kiara.

Kiara slowly turned towards me.

Aashi looked between us.

"Thirty for one?" I repeated, making sure I had heard correctly.

The driver nodded again.

"That means ninety rupees," I calculated out loud, placing a hand over my heart. "Ninety rupees to reach school."

"Exactly," Kiara agreed immediately.

"No."

"No?" Aashi repeated.

"No," I said firmly, already stepping away from the auto. "Absolutely not. We are not paying ninety rupees."

The driver looked annoyed.

I looked offended.

"Ninety rupees is canteen money," I continued, horrified by the thought. "Do you realise how much food ninety rupees can buy?"

"Ayesha," Aashi said patiently, trying not to laugh, "do you realise we're getting late?"

"I realise we're getting robbed."

"We're not getting robbed."

"We are."

Kiara nodded in agreement. "For once, I agree with her."

I pointed at Kiara dramatically. "See? Even the topper agrees."

"I'm starting to regret agreeing with you."

Meanwhile, Aashi frowned.

"Guys."

The serious tone in her voice made both of us look at her.

"The principal has already sent a message in the group."

My stomach dropped slightly.

"What message?" I asked.

"'Assembly attendance is compulsory.'"

For a moment, all three of us stood there.

Then Aashi looked at us.

Then at the time.

Then back at us.

"We are going."

"No," I argued.

"Yes."

Unfortunately for me, both of them had already decided.

Five minutes later, I found myself squeezed inside the auto against my will.

"This is oppression," I muttered, folding my arms.

Aashi looked out of the window, clearly trying not to laugh.

Kiara shook her head. "You're acting like we kidnapped you."

"You did."

"We did not."

"You forced me into financial loss."

Neither of them took me seriously.

Traitors.

Thankfully, the ride didn't take long.

The moment the school building came into view, all three of us automatically became quiet.

There it was.

Our school.

The same building.

The same gates.

The same morning rush.

Yet somehow Class 11 made everything feel different.

"Let's go," Aashi said softly, adjusting her bag before stepping out.

I nodded.

Together, we walked through the school gate.

Students were everywhere. Some were searching for classrooms while others were greeting friends they hadn't seen in weeks. The entire corridor was filled with noise.

After asking around for a few minutes, we finally located our classroom.

"Ground floor," Kiara said, sounding relieved.

I narrowed my eyes immediately.

"Who told you?"

"A senior."

Something about the way she answered made me suspicious.

"Which senior?"

Kiara looked away for half a second.

That was enough.

"Kiara."

"What?"

"Which senior?"

She sighed dramatically.

"Khushi."

"Oh."

I nodded slowly.

Then another thought entered my mind.

"Ohhh."

Kiara immediately recognised that tone.

"No."

"Did you ask Khushi?"

"Yes."

"I thought you asked your ex."

Aashi instantly closed her eyes.

Kiara instantly glared at me.

And I instantly realised I should have stayed quiet.

"Why," Kiara asked slowly, "do you always bring him into every conversation?"

I shrugged.

"Because he's our senior."

"That's not the point."

"And because you used to love him."

"Ayesha."

"And because-"

"Ayesha."

I stopped.

For a second.

"Fine," I muttered. "Let's just go to class. It's too early in the morning for this."

Without waiting for a reply, I walked into the classroom and dropped my bag onto a bench.

Aashi followed behind me.

"It wasn't necessary," she said quietly while sitting down beside me.

I looked at her.

"Yes, it was."

"No, it wasn't."

I sighed.

Maybe she didn't understand.

Or maybe she understood too well.

"Everyone should have boundaries," I replied, lowering my voice. "But she doesn't."

"Ayesha-"

"No, listen." I looked away for a second before continuing. "After everything that happened, after being hurt like that, she still talks to him normally. I don't get it."

Aashi didn't answer immediately.

Because honestly?

Neither of us had an answer.

Before the conversation could continue, Kiara entered the classroom and placed her bag on the desk a few rows ahead.

The tension from earlier still lingered slightly.

Not enough to start a fight.

But enough for all of us to notice it.

Just then, a peon appeared at the classroom door.

"Assembly has started," he announced loudly. "All students, come outside."

The entire class immediately became restless.

Chairs scraped against the floor.

Bags were left behind.

Students rushed towards the corridor.

I exchanged a look with Aashi before standing up.

First week of Class 11.

And somehow, the day had already become more dramatic than necessary.

Some things, I guessed, never changed.

AUTHOR POV

The assembly ended almost forty minutes later.

Rows of students slowly started moving back towards their classrooms. The corridors, which had been silent during the morning prayer, were now filled with conversations, laughter, and the sound of hundreds of students walking at once.

For the Class 11 students, however, the atmosphere felt different.

This wasn't Class 10 anymore.

The familiar comfort of being seniors among juniors had disappeared. Now there were new subjects, new expectations, and a constant reminder from every teacher that the next two years would "decide their future."

Ayesha, Aashi, and Kiara walked back to their classroom with a few other friends they had met during the assembly.

"At least assembly is over," Ayesha sighed dramatically as she dropped onto her bench.

Aashi laughed and sat beside her. "It's literally the easiest part of the day."

"Exactly," Ayesha replied. "That's why I liked it."

Kiara shook her head before opening her notebook.

The classroom slowly filled with students. Some were introducing themselves, some were discussing subjects, while others were already complaining about studies.

A few minutes later, Ayesha looked around the room.

"By the way," she asked, turning towards Kiara, "who's our class teacher this year?"

Kiara didn't even look up from her notebook.

"Arun Sir."

Ayesha's face immediately fell.

"No."

"Yes."

Aashi looked confused.
"What happened?"

"I hate Physics," Ayesha declared dramatically, placing her head on the desk. "From the bottom of my heart."

Kiara raised an eyebrow.

"Do you love Chemistry then?"

"No."

"Biology?"

Ayesha thought for a second before shrugging.

"Fifty percent."

"Fifty percent?" Aashi repeated.

"Biology is fine," Ayesha explained. "Especially practicals."

The smile on her face instantly made both girls suspicious.

Aashi narrowed her eyes.
"Why are you smiling like that?"

Kiara immediately understood.

"Oh God."

Aashi understood a second later.

"Ayesha!"

"What?" Ayesha asked innocently while trying not to laugh.

Before either of them could scold her, the classroom suddenly became quiet.

A teacher had entered.

Ayesha immediately straightened up.

"If I hate someone from the core of my heart," she whispered dramatically while looking towards the front, "it's him."

Aashi followed her gaze.

The Chemistry teacher.

Or as many students secretly called him-

The Doremon.

"Stand up," Kiara hissed.

A second later, the entire class rose from their seats.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning," the teacher replied before motioning for everyone to sit.

Once the class settled down, he placed a register on the table and looked around the room.

"Your Physics teacher is absent today," he informed them. "So I will be taking this period."

A collective sigh echoed through the classroom.

Some students looked relieved.

Others looked disappointed.

The teacher ignored all of them.

Since it was one of the first weeks of Class 11, he decided to start with introductions.

One by one, students stood up and introduced themselves.

The process continued normally until he began asking about their Class 10 percentages.

Immediately, the atmosphere changed.

Some students answered proudly.

Some answered nervously.

Some spoke so softly that the teacher had to ask them twice.

Ayesha rested her chin on her hand.

"Look at him," she whispered towards Aashi.

"What?"

"He's judging everyone."

Aashi tried not to laugh.

The teacher eventually reached Kiara's row.

"Your percentage?"

Kiara stood respectfully.

"Eighty-two percent, sir."

The teacher nodded.

"Good."

For the first time since entering the classroom, his expression softened slightly.

"Eighty-two is a strong score. But remember something." He folded his hands behind his back and began walking slowly around the room. "Students often become overconfident after scoring well in Class 10. Science requires discipline. Hard work. Consistency."

Kiara nodded politely.

The teacher continued.

"You have potential. Don't waste it. Focus on your studies from the beginning. Avoid distractions."

Ayesha rolled her eyes from her seat.

She knew exactly what that meant.

The teacher wasn't directly saying it.

But every student understood.

Study more.
Socialize less.

The teacher finally nodded at Kiara.

"You may sit."

A few students looked impressed.

Others looked jealous.

Kiara simply sat down without reacting.

Unfortunately, the teacher's attention then shifted towards Ayesha.

"You."

Ayesha froze.

Slowly, she stood up.

"Your percentage?" He asked.

"Seventy percent, sir."

The teacher looked at the register.

Then at her.

Then back at the register.

The pause felt longer than it actually was.

"Seventy?"

"Yes, sir."

The classroom had become unusually quiet.

The teacher adjusted his glasses.

"Science can be challenging," he said slowly. "Especially for students who struggled in certain subjects earlier."

Ayesha already knew where this conversation was going.

"I checked the previous academic records," he continued. "Your Chemistry and Physics scores were not particularly strong."

Several students glanced towards Ayesha.

She immediately wished the floor would open and swallow her.

The teacher wasn't shouting.

He wasn't insulting her.

But somehow that made it worse.

Every word was being spoken calmly.

Publicly.

In front of everyone.

"You will need to work significantly harder than some of your classmates," he continued. "Class 11 is very different from Class 10. Many students underestimate that difference."

Ayesha could feel dozens of eyes on her.

She hated it.
Absolutely hated it.

Part of her wanted to respond.
Part of her wanted to explain that marks weren't everything.

Part of her wanted to ask why he never gave speeches like this to students who scored poorly in other subjects.

But before she could speak, Aashi lightly squeezed her hand beneath the desk.

The message was clear.

Not now.

Ayesha clenched her jaw.

The teacher finally nodded.

"Sit down."

She sat.

The introductions continued.

The class moved on.

Students answered questions.

Teachers spoke.

Notebooks opened.

Pens started writing.

Life continued normally.

But for Ayesha, the rest of the period felt different.

Because sometimes a few sentences spoken in front of an entire classroom stayed with you much longer than people realised.

AFTER 30 Minutes

The moment the period ended, Ayesha stood up so quickly that even Aashi looked surprised.

Without waiting for the next teacher to arrive, she grabbed her water bottle and walked out of the classroom.

Aashi immediately followed her.

"Ayesha!" she called, hurrying behind her. "Wait."

Ayesha didn't answer.

The entire walk to the washroom was silent.

The moment they entered, Ayesha walked straight towards the sink and splashed cold water on her face.

Once.
Twice.
Three times.

As if she could wash away the embarrassment along with it.

For a few seconds, she simply stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she exploded.

"What was that?"
Her voice echoed slightly against the tiled walls.

Aashi leaned against the sink beside her.
"What?"

"What do you mean 'what'?" Ayesha snapped, turning towards her. "That entire lecture."

Aashi sighed.

She had expected this.

"Ayesha-"

"No, seriously," Ayesha cut her off, frustration spilling out of her voice. "There were students who scored less than me. There were students with fifty-five percent. Sixty percent. Did he say anything to them?"

Aashi stayed quiet.

Because she knew Ayesha wasn't entirely wrong.

"He asked their percentage and moved on," Ayesha continued, throwing her hands in the air. "But when it came to me, suddenly I got a whole speech."

The more she spoke, the angrier she became.

"He looked at me like I'd committed a crime by taking Science."

"Ayesha..."

"No, listen to me." Ayesha shook her head, refusing to calm down. "The way he was talking... maybe nobody else noticed it, but I did."

Her voice dropped slightly.

"I did."

For the first time, the anger cracked enough for the hurt underneath to show.

Aashi's expression softened.

"He wasn't shouting," Ayesha continued quietly. "He wasn't even saying anything directly."

She looked away.

"But everyone was looking at me."

That was the worst part.

Not the lecture.

Not the teacher.

The eyes.

Thirty pairs of eyes turning towards her at once.

Watching.

Judging.

Comparing.

"I could literally feel everyone staring at me," she admitted, gripping the edge of the sink. "And the entire time he kept talking about how hard Science is and how much work I'll have to do."

A bitter laugh escaped her.

"Funny how he never felt the need to tell anyone else that."

Aashi crossed her arms.
"Honestly?"

"What?"

"I think he's still salty."

Ayesha looked at her.
"About what?"

"The complaint."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

Then both remembered.

Last year.

The students.

The principal.

The complaints.

The arguments.

"Oh my God," Ayesha muttered.

"Exactly."

Aashi nodded immediately.
"We literally complained about him."

"So now he's taking revenge?"

"I don't know."

"He's a teacher!" Ayesha exclaimed. "Not some movie villain."

The frustration returned instantly.

"If students make a complaint, shouldn't teachers improve? Shouldn't they think maybe they did something wrong?"

Aashi nodded.

"Exactly."

"But no." Ayesha laughed sarcastically. "Some teachers take everything on their ego."

The word ego came out sharper than intended.

"They'll never say it directly."

Aashi agreed.

"They just make life harder."

"Exactly!" Ayesha pointed towards her dramatically. "That's exactly what I mean."

Ayesha voice dropped again.

"He motivated Kiara."

The difference in her tone was obvious.

"He told Kiara she could do better."

A pause.

"He told me I'd have to prove myself."

The two statements sounded similar.

But they didn't feel similar.

Not to Ayesha.

One felt encouraging.

The other felt like doubt.

Before Aashi could respond, the washroom door opened.

Both girls turned.

Kiara walked in.

The moment she saw their faces, she knew what they were discussing.

Kiara sighed.
"We're still talking about this?"

"Yes," Ayesha replied flatly.

Kiara walked closer.
"I genuinely think you're overthinking it."

That sentence was enough.

Ayesha stared at her.
Then laughed.
Not because it was funny.

Because she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.

"Overthinking it?"

Kiara nodded and said.
"I think he was trying to motivate you."

Ayesha looked at her for a long moment.

Then she shook her head.

"No."

"He was."

"No, Kiara."

"He was telling you to work hard."

Ayesha's jaw tightened.

"He was motivating you."

The words came out much quieter this time.

"What?"

"He was motivating you."

For the first time since entering the washroom, Ayesha's voice wasn't angry.

It was hurt.

"He looked at your marks and saw potential."

Kiara frowned.
"Ayesha-"

"He looked at my marks and saw a problem."

The silence that followed felt heavier than any argument.

"He told you that you could do even better," Ayesha continued, looking directly at her friend. "When he talked to me, all I heard was what I wasn't."

Kiara opened her mouth.

Then closed it.

Because she genuinely hadn't seen it that way.

Aashi looked between them.

Neither girl was lying.

Neither girl was wrong.

They had simply experienced the same conversation differently.

And sometimes...

that hurt even more.

The tension in the washroom slowly faded.

Not completely.

But enough for the conversation to move on.

Aashi was the first one to break the silence.

"Okay, can we stop talking about him?" she groaned, leaning against the wall. "My mood is already ruined."

"Agreed," Kiara nodded immediately. "The more we talk about him, the more I understand why we call him Doraemon."

That finally earned a laugh from Ayesha.

"Poor Doraemon," she said, shaking her head. "At least the cartoon one was helpful."

The three girls laughed.

And just like that, the heavy atmosphere became lighter.

"Anyway," Ayesha said while fixing her hair in the mirror, "there's a bigger problem."

Both girls looked at her.

"What?" Aashi asked.

"Coaching."

The word alone was enough.

All three of them groaned.

Class 11 had barely started, yet coaching discussions had already entered their lives.

"My parents already decided," Kiara admitted. "Physics coaching with Arun Sir and Chemistry coaching with..." She paused.

"Doraemon," Ayesha completed immediately.

Ayesha sighed dramatically.
"For Physics, I can somehow agree."

The other two waited for her to continue.

"But Chemistry?" she complained. "Absolutely not."

"Why?" Aashi asked.

"Why?" Ayesha repeated in disbelief. "Did you not just witness what happened?"

She pointed towards the classroom.
"That man already makes me feel like I'm a mistake. Imagine joining his coaching too."

Kiara opened her mouth to argue.

"I'm serious," Ayesha continued before she could speak. "I want to study. I genuinely want to study. But if every class starts with him looking at me like I accidentally entered Science, then how am I supposed to survive?"

Aashi exchanged a look with Kiara.

Unfortunately, they both knew Ayesha had a point.

"But she's right about one thing," Aashi admitted after a moment. "In our town, nobody teaches Physics better than Arun Sir."

"And nobody teaches Chemistry better than Doraemon," Kiara added.

Ayesha looked betrayed.

"Why are both of you against me today?"

"We're not against you," Aashi laughed. "We're just telling the truth."

Ayesha sighed.

The worst part?

They were right.

The two teachers were famous for a reason.

Even she knew that.

After a few seconds, she finally gave up.

"Fine."

Kiara smirked.

"Fine?"

"Fine," Ayesha repeated dramatically. "I'll join."

"Good."

"But if he starts another motivational speech, I'm dropping out."

That made both girls laugh.

A few moments later, the conversation drifted away from studies and towards the much more important topic-

Teenage gossip.

Kiara suddenly smirked.

"You know," she said thoughtfully, "what if you find someone handsome in coaching?"

Aashi immediately looked interested.

Ayesha immediately looked annoyed.
"Oh God."

"No, seriously," Kiara continued. "New coaching. New students. New people."

Aashi nodded.
"She's got a point."

Ayesha rolled her eyes so hard it almost hurt.
"I'm not interested."

Kiara folded her arms.

"Not even a little?"

"No."

"Not even a crush?"

Ayesha thought for a second.

"A crush is different."

Both girls leaned forward.

"Oh?"

"I can find someone attractive," Ayesha admitted honestly. "I can have a crush. That's normal."

"Then what's the problem?" Aashi asked.

"The problem," Ayesha replied, pointing a finger at both of them, "is relationships."

Kiara looked confused.

"Why?"

Ayesha shrugged.

Because the answer had always been simple.

"I don't want one."

Both girls stared at her.

"You don't want love?" Aashi asked.

Ayesha shook her head.

"No."

"Why not?"

For a moment, Ayesha looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Then she smiled slightly.

Not because she was imagining someone.

But because she was imagining something.

Something impossible.

Something straight out of books.

"If it ever happens," she said quietly, "I want it to be different."

Kiara frowned.
"Different how?"

Ayesha laughed softly.
"I don't know."

Ayesha shook her head.

She couldn't.

Not properly.

How was she supposed to explain that every love story she'd ever imagined felt bigger than reality?

That she wanted something that made sense.

Something that felt right.

Something that didn't look forced.

Something worth waiting for.

"That's not possible," Kiara declared confidently.

"Exactly," Ayesha replied with a grin. "Which is why I'm not looking."

Aashi laughed.
"You're impossible."

"No," Ayesha corrected, picking up her bag. "I'm practical."

Then she pointed dramatically at both of them.

"And listen carefully."

The confidence in her voice made both girls stop walking.

"No matter how handsome a boy is."

Ayesha held up one finger.

"No matter how nice he is."

A second finger.

"And no matter how much of a green flag he turns out to be..."

A smile appeared on her face.

"I'm not getting into a relationship before Class 12 ends."

Aashi burst out laughing.

Kiara shook her head.
"You sound very confident."

"I am confident."

"You'll regret saying that."

Ayesha picked up her bag and started walking towards the classroom.

Without looking back, she waved her hand dismissively.

"Trust me," she said. "That's never going to happen."

Neither of them knew it yet.

But sometimes the promises people make with the most confidence are the ones destiny loves breaking the most.

ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Ujjwal POV

The best thing about mornings was that nobody expected anything from me.

No teachers.

No homework.

No lectures about marks.

Just peace.

I was currently standing near a car washing centre, watching a worker spray water over my father's car while I leaned against a wall and looked around the city.

The streets were slowly getting busy.

Shopkeepers were opening their stores.

School students were rushing towards their buses.

And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, I was trying to figure out what I was supposed to do with Class 11.

PCM.

Three letters.

Three future headaches.

I was so busy staring at the road that I didn't notice someone approaching until a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Arre, Ujjwal!"

I turned around and immediately recognised him.

A friend from my old school.

"How are you?" he asked with a grin.

"I'm alive," I replied honestly, making him laugh.

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only answer you're getting."

He rolled his eyes and stood beside me.

For a few moments, we just watched the road and talked about random things.

School.

Teachers.

Holidays.

The usual.

Then he suddenly looked at me.

"By the way, why did you leave MS School?"

I had expected that question.

Everyone asked it.

"I wanted to become a dummy student," I explained casually. "MS wasn't allowing it, so I left."

"Fair enough."

That was honestly the shortest reaction I'd received so far.

Most people acted as if I'd committed a crime.

"So what now?" he asked. "What are you doing these days?"

I sighed dramatically.

"PCM."

His face immediately changed.

"May God help you."

"Exactly."

That earned a laugh from both of us.

"I'm just figuring out where to study," I admitted. "Still haven't joined any coaching."

"You haven't?"

I shook my head.

"Then join ours."

I looked at him.
"Which one?"

He immediately mentioned the name of a coaching centre.

"The Physics teacher is amazing," he said confidently. "Half the students study because of him."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Then he lowered his voice dramatically.

"And even if you don't study, he won't chase you around. He's not that type."

I laughed.

I thought about it for a second.
"Do you have his number?"

"Of course."

A few moments later, the number was saved in my phone.

Without overthinking it, I pressed the call button.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then someone answered.

I introduced myself and asked about admission.

For a few minutes, the conversation went normally.

Then came the answer.

"Sorry, beta," the teacher said politely. "All the batches are full."

"Oh."

That was it.

No drama.

No disappointment.

Just an "oh."

After ending the call, I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

"What happened?" my friend asked.

"No seats."

"Seriously?"

I nodded.

"Looks like destiny doesn't want me in your coaching."

My friend immediately laughed.
"Or maybe destiny is still deciding where to send you."

I shook my head.

"Hopefully somewhere with less Physics."

A few minutes later, the conversation shifted again.

The car was almost clean now.

The city was getting busier.

And I was mentally preparing myself to continue my search for another coaching.

Then suddenly my phone rang.

I frowned.

Unknown number.

When I answered, a familiar voice spoke from the other side.

"Hello, Ujjwal?"

"Yes, sir."

The teacher laughed softly.

"Some seat just became available."

I straightened slightly.

"What?"

"Some students shifted batches. If you're interested, you can join tomorrow."

For a second, I simply stared at the road in front of me.

Then I smiled.

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Come tomorrow evening."

The call ended.

My friend was already staring at me.

"What happened?"

I slipped the phone back into my pocket.

"Looks like destiny changed its mind."

His face immediately broke into a grin.
"I told you."

I laughed and shook my head.

"Fine. I'll join."

"Good."

Then, because teenage boys could never stay serious for more than thirty seconds, he immediately asked the next question.

"So..."
"Anyone in your life?"

I shook my head.
"No."

"Not even a crush?"

"No."

"Not even one?"

I looked at him.

"You're way too interested in my personal life."

"Answer the question."

I sighed dramatically.

"There isn't anyone."

"Why?"

That question made me pause for a moment.

Not because I didn't have an answer.

Because I wasn't sure how to explain it.

I wasn't against relationships.

I wasn't one of those people who thought love was stupid.

If anything, I respected it too much.

For me, relationships were never supposed to be temporary.

Never something to pass time.

Never something to show off.

If I ever liked someone, I wanted it to mean something.

I wanted understanding.

Trust.

A future.

Something that lasted longer than a few months.

The problem was simple.

I hadn't found that person.

So I never looked.

"Let's just say," I replied finally, "I haven't met anyone worth changing my plans for."

My friend whistled dramatically.
"That's a dangerous statement."

"Why?"

"Because life loves proving people wrong."

I laughed and looked away.

At that moment, I didn't think much of his words.

I didn't know it yet.

But somewhere in the same city, another stubborn person had just made a promise that sounded almost identical to mine.

And destiny...

Destiny was already smiling.

Author's Note 💌

Hello, lovelies! 🤍

So, this was the first chapter of Tumse Hi.

Right now, both Ayesha and Ujjwal are completely convinced that love is not going to happen to them anytime soon. One doesn't believe in relationships before Class 12, while the other is waiting for something real enough to be worth his time.

But destiny has a funny habit of laughing at our plans, doesn't it? 👀

Ayesha isn't against love. In fact, she secretly dreams of it. Just not the ordinary kind. She wants the kind of love she reads about in books-the old-school romance, the understanding, the comfort, the butterflies, the friendship, and the feeling of finding your person.

The only problem?

Life rarely follows the script we write for it.

So, how did you like this chapter?

Did it meet your expectations? Did you enjoy getting to know Ayesha, Ujjwal, and their friends? And most importantly, what are your first impressions of them? 👀

Please let me know in the comments if there's anything you'd like me to improve or add. I read every comment, and your feedback genuinely helps me make the story better.

Thank you for giving Tumse Hi a chance and joining me on this journey. Your support means more than you know. 🤍

Lots of love,
Naina ✨