The first rays of sunlight streamed through the large glass windows of Adyansh's room. He groaned softly, rubbing his eyes as his alarm buzzed relentlessly on the nightstand. With a half-hearted swipe, he shut it off and sat up, running a hand through his messy hair.

Adyansh (muttering): "Naya din, wahi bakwaas..."

Still half-asleep, he gently nudged aanya's shoulder.

Adyansh: "O madam... uth jao, school miss karna hai kya?"

Aanya (groggy): "Bhai... bas 5 minute aur..."

Adyansh (raising an eyebrow): "Main jaa raha hoon... fir mat kehna ready nahi hui."

He gave her a playful pat on the head and went to get ready. Within a few minutes, he was in his school uniform, hair perfectly styled, and his signature smirk in place.

---

Meanwhile, at the Verma residence…

Ridrakshika stood in front of her mirror, tying the last button on her crisp white shirt. Her bag was packed, shoes polished, and she looked every bit ready for day two.

Just then, little Riddhi peeked into her room, holding a hairbrush.

Riddhi (pouting): "Didi... meri ponytail bana do na, please!"

Ridrakshika (smiling): "Aayiye 

meri madam... idhar aao, abhi bana deti hoon."

She gently tied Riddhi’s hair into a neat ponytail, then kissed her cheek.

Ridrakshika: "Ho gayi princess ready?"

Before Riddhi could reply, their brother Viyansh’s voice echoed from downstairs.

Viyansh (calling out): "Ayeee... jaldi chalo dono! Mujhe bhi college jaana hai, late ho raha hoon!"

Ridrakshika (shouting back): "Aa rahe hain Bhaiii! Riddhi ka hairstyle kar rahi thi!"

Viyansh (teasing tone): "Aur main yahan wait kar raha hoon salon ke bahar jaise!"

Ridrakshika chuckled, grabbed her bag, held Riddhi’s hand, and rushed down the stairs.

Riddhi (excitedly): "Aaj na meri new friend ke sath lunch karungi!"

Ridrakshika: "Acha? Mujhe bhi kisi se panga lena hai... dekhte hain kiski shamat aayi hai aaj."

They all piled into Viyansh’s car and headed off toward school and college, the morning full of laughter, chaos, and unspoken anticipation of what the day might bring.

-----

The buzz in the classroom quieted as Mehta Sir entered with his usual authoritative air. Without wasting time, he reminded the class about the assigned project on Business Environment.

"You all already have your topics. Is period ke baad ka ek free slot use karo discussion ke liye. Tomorrow, I expect the detailed outline on my desk—no delays."

With that, he walked out, leaving a momentary silence in his wake.

Ridrakshika glanced at the paper in front of her where their topic was listed: "Impact of Technological Advancements on Small Businesses."

Adyansh sat beside her, quietly drumming his fingers on the desk.

Neither of them spoke.

From the side bench, Sanskaar leaned toward Esha and whispered, "Lagta hai hamare partners toh zyada excited nahi hain."

Esha chuckled softly, “At least tum mujhse baat toh karte ho.”

He grinned, “Tumse baat na karun toh kis se karun?”

Esha rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, brushing back her hair.

Back on the front bench, Ridrakshika sighed lightly and opened her notebook, making a rough column for notes.

Adyansh finally spoke, his tone flat, “Main introduction aur data collection handle kar lunga. Tum analysis aur presentation bana lena.”

“Sure,” she replied curtly, not even sparing him a glance.

There was a thick layer of cold civility between them—too early to call it enmity, but far from comfortable.

From a few seats away, Tanisha Singhania stared daggers at Ridrakshika. Her eyes followed every little movement, every glance between her and Adyansh. The sight of them sitting together was unbearable. Her grip on her pen tightened as she muttered under her breath, “She better stay in her limits.”

The bell rang again, marking the start of the discussion period.

The four of them had claimed a quiet corner of the school library — books were sprawled across the table, the project file lay in the center, and laptops were lazily opened. Ridrakshika sifted through her notes with focus, Esha was already sketching a rough layout for the presentation, while Sanskaar spun his pen absentmindedly. Adyansh, however, seemed more interested in provoking Ridrakshika than discussing anything remotely academic.

With a teasing smirk, he leaned toward her and said, “Toh genius Verma ji, kya socha hai? Business environment ko kaise crack karein?”

Without even looking at him, Ridrakshika replied dryly, “Shuruat tumse karni hogi… business environment ka sabse bada distraction tum ho.”

Esha couldn’t help but giggle. “Burn! Maar diya direct.”

Sanskaar grinned. “Aur main soch raha tha ki yeh dono aaj shaant rahenge.”

Adyansh leaned back, clearly enjoying the friction. “Tum log jitna bol lo, end mein toh project mujhe hi sambhalna padega.”

Ridrakshika shot him a glare. “Haan haan, tumhare jaise oversmart log presentation ke naam pe sirf font style aur animation daalte hain.”

“Presentation banana koi Canva wali editing nahi hoti bhai, actual content bhi chahiye hota hai,” Sanskaar added mock-seriously.

Esha, playing peacekeeper as always, interrupted with a hopeful smile. “Guys, chill! Mujhe lagta hai hum sab apna part karenge toh project mast hoga.”

They all exchanged a look. There was a brief pause, and even Adyansh gave a subtle nod — the first sign of agreement.

“Fine,” Ridrakshika said finally. “Let’s divide the work. Sanskaar — you handle government policies wala part. Esha, you’ll take examples of Indian companies… main background and causes likh rahi hoon.”

Adyansh folded his arms. “Aur mujhe kya mil raha hai, wrapping paper?”

“Tum conclusion likh do,” Ridrakshika replied sweetly, flashing him a mock smile. “Tumhari drama skills usme kaam aayengi.”

A burst of laughter echoed from the group.

Adyansh rolled his eyes, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. “Tumse toh debate mein milna chahiye tha mujhe…”

“Kya bola?” Ridrakshika raised an eyebrow.

“Kuch nahi,” he muttered. “Tumhare notes theek-thaak hain. Improvement ki zarurat hai bas.”

Sanskaar leaned closer to Esha and whispered, “Yeh dono ek din ya toh best friends banenge, ya ek dusre ka murder kar denge.”

Esha giggled. “Either way… entertainment toh milega.”

Despite the constant teasing, the group slowly began working, their banter woven seamlessly into their discussion — a strange but oddly satisfying blend of chaos, chemistry, and unexpected camaraderie.

Just as they finally began focusing, Adyansh stretched dramatically and said, “Waise, tum log toh seriously kaam karne lage ho… mujhe laga group project ka matlab hota hai ek kaam kare aur baaki approval mein sirf ‘hmm hmm’ karein.”

Ridrakshika didn’t even lift her head. “Toh tum wahi ‘hmm hmm’ karne wale ho?”

“Main toh visuals aur vibe maintain karne aaya hoon. Dekhne wale ko lage ki project mein class ka most talented ladka bhi hai,” he replied with a mock bow.

Sanskaar snorted. “Talented… matlab overconfident ka naya synonym?”

Esha grinned. “Pehli baar kisi ne khud ko decoration piece bola hai. Progress!”

Adyansh held a hand to his chest like he was deeply hurt. “Tum logon ko meri value hi samajh nahi aati.”

Ridrakshika raised an eyebrow. “Tum value ki baat kar rahe ho ya volume ki? Har baar muh kholte ho toh lagta hai debate start ho gayi ho.”

“Oye, tumse toh baat hi karna bekaar hai. Tum toh har sentence mein attitude chipka ke bolti ho,” he snapped back, though there was amusement dancing in his eyes.

She replied, “Kya karun, tumhare jaise self-obsessed insaan ko balance karne ke liye thoda attitude toh zaroori hai.”

Sanskaar jumped in. “Waise guys, project ban raha hai ya ek aur episode of ‘Sasural Ban Gaya Group Project’ chal raha hai?”

“Bhai mujhe lagta hai in dono ko ek silent room mein bandh kar do,” Esha said, half-laughing. “Ya toh dosti ho jaayegi… ya news headlines.”

Adyansh gave Ridrakshika a sideways glance and muttered, “Tumhare jaise logon ki wajah se hi log group work se darte hain.”

She shot back instantly, “Aur tumhare me jaise logon ki wajah se teachers attendance ke saath mental stability bhi check karne lagte hain.”

Everyone burst into laughter again, even the librarian gave them a side-eye from her desk, but no one really cared.

The group was deep into their not-so-productive “project discussion,” with sarcasm flying across the table like confetti. Suddenly, the rhythmic tap of shoes broke the rhythm.

Tanisha had arrived—with her trademark overconfidence and a nose so high it could touch the ceiling. Her eyes scanned the table and landed squarely on Adyansh. Her smile was fake enough to be sponsored.

“Oh wow,” she said, walking up to them, “tum log toh sach mein group banake baith gaye ho. Especially you, Adyansh… interesting choice of company.”

Adyansh didn’t say a word. He just leaned back slightly in his chair, arms folded, expression unreadable.

Ridrakshika looked up calmly. “Tumhe dikkat ho rahi hai toh tumhare liye ek suggestion hai—udhar wali table free hai. Shift ho jao.”

Tanisha’s smile twitched. “Tum mujhe suggestion dogi?”

“Han, kyunki tameez toh tumhare paas hai nahi. Advice hi sahi,” Ridrakshika said, not even looking up again as she flipped through the project file.

Tanisha crossed her arms. “Tumhe shayad nahi pata ki main kaun hoon.”

“Exactly. Tum ho kaun?” Ridrakshika said, turning toward her with a head tilt. “Koi bhatki hui background-character ho kya?”

Sanskaar bit his lips to stop laughing. Esha ducked behind her file, hiding her grin.

Tanisha took a deep breath. “Dekho, Rushika-ya jo bhi tumhara naam hai, main tumhe warn kar rahi hoon—Adyansh ke aas paas zyada ghoomna band karo.”

Adyansh still didn’t say a word. He glanced sideways at Ridrakshika, then looked away, disinterested.

Ridrakshika gave a mocking laugh. “Arey waah. Tum ho kya?security guard? Kisi ke aas paas kaun aaye, ye bhi tum decide karogi?”

Tanisha’s nostrils flared, but she tried to act calm. “Main bas keh rahi hoon… stay in your limits.”

Ridrakshika smiled sweetly. “Tumne limits ki baat ki hai? Tumhare limits toh khud tumse door bhaag gaye hain.”

Adyansh leaned back, almost amused now, watching Ridrakshika go full fire mode.

Tanisha glared at her, looked at Adyansh for some kind of backup—but all she got was a cold, blank stare.

Nothing.

That stung worse than any insult.

With clenched fists and burning cheeks, she muttered, “Tum sab dekh lena,” and walked off dramatically.

As soon as she left, Sanskaar whispered, “Bro, you were fire.”

Ridrakshika sighed and flipped her notebook open again. “Ajeeb obsession hai uski. Shayad therapy se theek ho jaye.”

Esha giggled. “Uske therapist bhi use dekhke resignation de denge.”

The room filled with quiet chuckles, and the banter continued—laced now with a deeper spark between two people who pretended not to notice each other, while everyone else could see the flames.

----

The late afternoon sun bathed the school gate in a golden glow as Ridrakshika, Adyansh, Esha, and Sanskaar stood casually, chatting and waiting for their rides. The usual buzz of post-school chatter filled the air—until a harsh screech tore through the calm. Heads turned in alarm as a black bullet bike came hurtling down the narrow lane, far too fast for a school zone. The biker, clad entirely in black with a helmet concealing his identity, didn’t slow down. Instead, he veered dangerously close to their group, aiming straight toward Ridrakshika.

In a split second, Ridrakshika stumbled back, eyes wide in shock. Adyansh’s reflexes kicked in; he grabbed her arm and pulled her aside just in time.

“What the hell! Are you blind, idiot?!” he shouted, his voice laced with fury.

But the biker didn’t stop. Slowing only for a moment, he tossed something toward Ridrakshika—a folded note—before speeding off into the distance, vanishing down the road like a shadow. Silence fell over the group, their earlier laughter replaced by a heavy, uneasy tension.

Ridrakshika’s hands trembled as she bent to pick up the note. She unfolded it slowly, her breath catching in her throat. One line was scrawled across it in bold block letters:

“TUMHE LAGTA HAI TUM SAFE HO, PAR KHEL ABHI SHURU HUA HAI.”

Esha gasped audibly, a hand flying to her mouth.

“What the hell is this?” Sanskaar asked, all humor gone from his face.

“Give it to me. Let me see,” Adyansh said, his tone tight, guarded.

But Ridrakshika shook her head, clutching the note to her chest. Her voice was low, but the fear behind it couldn’t be masked.

“Nahi… ye kisi ne mujhe diya hai. I need to figure this out.”

For the first time, a flicker of real fear crossed her usually composed face. The others exchanged worried glances, suddenly realizing this was more than a prank.

Unseen by them, from a distance, behind the thick shadow of a tree, a figure watched. Hidden in the foliage, he tilted his head, eyes trained on Ridrakshika. A cruel smirk tugged at his lips… and then, as silently as he had come, he vanished.

---

Adyansh reached home with Aanya and headed straight for the dining table where lunch had already been served. The house felt quieter than usual—maybe it was the weight of everything that had happened just an hour ago.

He sat down opposite Aanya, absentmindedly putting food on his plate. Aanya, bubbling with her usual energy, was talking about her new friend and how she had gotten a star sticker from her teacher. But Adyansh wasn’t really listening.

The screeching of that black bike rang in his ears again.

His hand froze mid-air with a spoonful of dal. The image of Ridrakshika stumbling back. The folded note hitting the ground. The words—bold and threatening—burned into his memory.

TUMHE LAGTA HAI TUM SAFE HO, PAR KHEL ABHI SHURU HUA HAI.

“Bhai?” Aanya’s voice snapped him out of it. “Aap kaha kho gaye?”

Adyansh blinked and looked at her, trying to shake off the thought. “Kuch nahi,” he replied, forcing a small smile.

He quickly busied himself with his food, but his appetite had vanished. He kept telling himself it didn’t matter, that it wasn’t his problem. But no matter how hard he tried, the back of his mind refused to let it go. Something about that note, that moment—it crawled under his skin.

Just then, his phone buzzed.

He glanced at the screen. A notification from WhatsApp lit up:

Sanskaar created a group: “ Sarcastic Squad🗿”

Sanskaar: 5 baje cafe me milo sab. Project discuss krna hai.

Adyansh sighed and leaned back in his chair. Even though he didn’t feel like going out again, he knew he would show up.

---

Ridrakshika reached home after a long day at school. Her mother greeted her with a gentle smile and immediately asked about how her day had been. They talked for a few moments, Ridrakshika sharing bits about her classes and friends, though her mind kept drifting back to the strange incident earlier near the school gate. After lunch, she quietly slipped into her room, closing the door behind her, seeking a moment of peace. Just as she was settling down, her phone buzzed. It was a message from the “Sarcastic Squad” group chat, where everyone was coordinating their project work. The message was from Sanskaar, reminding them to meet at the café at 5 PM to discuss their project. Ridrakshika couldn’t help but smile a little at the group’s nickname and the casual way they planned things. She typed back confidently, “Theek hai, 5 baje milte hain,” determined to keep her focus on the task ahead despite everything swirling in her mind.

__________________________________Stay tuned for further updates 🎀 And do comment on your favourite scenes🫠

~shanshya🧿