The basketball court was in utter chaos.

Ridrakshika’s lifeless body slumped in Adyansh’s arms, blood trickling steadily from her nose, staining his white jersey bright crimson. His mind went blank for a second — everything around him blurred. The roaring crowd, the gasps, the shouts — all turned into distant, meaningless noise.

"Move!! Get out of the way!!" Adyansh barked, his voice sharp, urgent. His arms tightened protectively around Ridrakshika as he pushed past the panicking students, his face pale but determined.

Sanskaar and Esha rushed behind him, panic-stricken.

"Ridhu!! Wake up, yaar!!" Esha cried, tears threatening to spill.

"Shit, yeh sab kaise ho gaya?!" Sanskaar mumbled, breathing heavily.

Adyansh’s eyes flickered to Ridrakshika’s bloodied face and a strange, unfamiliar fear clenched his chest. He picked up his pace, practically running towards the medical room.

“Open the damn door!!” he shouted at the nurse before they even reached.

The nurse gasped at the sight but quickly sprang into action.

Adyansh gently laid Ridrakshika down on the bed, his fingers trembling slightly. "Kya ho raha hai mujhe? Why the hell am I feeling like this?" he thought, stepping back, his breathing uneven.

Esha and Sanskaar hovered beside him, equally tense. But for a moment, their gaze shifted... to Adyansh.

Their eyes met — the same unspoken question flashing between them.

“Adyansh ko Ridu ke liye itni tension kyun ho rahi hai? Yeh kab se hone laga?”

Adyansh could feel their eyes on him... questioning, wondering. And suddenly — like a bolt — the realisation hit him.

Why?

Why the hell was he THIS affected?

She was his rival. His headache. His biggest irritation.

Toh fir... yeh sab kyun?!

Why did his hands refuse to let go?

Why did her unconscious form make his heart pound this way?

Why did the thought of her getting hurt twist something deep inside him?

His fists clenched tightly. His throat dried. His brain — usually so sharp and smug — went completely blank.

No... no, Adyansh... she’s your enemy... right?

But that stupid ache in his chest said otherwise.

Sanskaar gave Esha a knowing look. "Yeh gaya kaam se..." his eyes seemed to say.

Adyansh swallowed hard and dragged a hand down his face, trying to control the storm building inside.

"Ugh... what the hell is wrong with me...?" he muttered under his breath. His gaze — no matter how much he fought — returned to Ridrakshika's pale face... again and again.

The nurse carefully wiped the blood from her nose, checking for fractures. Adyansh flinched every time she winced, every time she shifted.

Esha touched his shoulder softly. "Adyansh... she'll be okay..."

But he barely heard her.

Because this was the moment Adyansh Sachdeva — the arrogant, untouchable king of the school — realised something he never wanted to accept.

Ridrakshika Verma mattered to him.

Far more than he was ready for.

And that scared the hell out of him.

------

Ridrakshika slowly stirred, a soft groan escaping her lips as her lashes fluttered open. Her head throbbed painfully, and the sharp scent of antiseptic hit her nose.

"Ridu!" Esha gasped, leaning closer, relief flooding her face. "Thank God, tu hosh mein aa gayi!"

Sanskaar let out a long breath. "Pagal ladki... tu hamesha drama queen kyun banti hai?" His voice was teasing, but his eyes betrayed the worry he felt.

But Ridrakshika’s dazed eyes locked onto someone else.

Adyansh.

He stood at the foot of the bed, arms folded across his chest, his face unusually serious. His white shirt was stained with her blood — a sight that made Ridrakshika’s breath hitch.

"Y-you...?" she whispered, confused. "Tum mujhe... yahan...?"

Before she could finish, Adyansh stepped forward, expression guarded. "Relax. You fainted on the court. Main... main tumhe yahan leke aaya." His voice was low, unusually soft.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

A long, heavy gaze. The kind that said everything words couldn’t.

Esha and Sanskaar exchanged glances, barely hiding their smirks.

"Waise, Adyansh... tu itna restless kabse hone laga Ridu ke liye?" Sanskaar teased softly, nudging him.

Adyansh broke eye contact instantly. "Shut up, Sanskaar," he muttered, adjusting his watch, clearly trying to look unaffected.

But Ridrakshika noticed the faintest pink creeping up his ears.

Was he… embarrassed?

"Yeh kya scene hai, haan?" she asked faintly, trying to sit up, wincing as she did.

"Tum bas rest karo," Adyansh said, stepping closer, gently pushing her shoulder back on the bed. His hand lingered a moment too long.

Why is he being so... concerned?

Adyansh scowled to cover the strange twist in his chest. "Kitni badi heroine samajhti hai yeh apne aapko..." he muttered under his breath, trying to sound normal.

Ridrakshika caught that tiny smirk. "Dekha? Even Mr. Narcissist cares about me," she whispered weakly.

His smirk deepened. "Zyada bologi toh wapas court le jaa ke gira dunga," he shot back, but there was no bite in his voice — only soft amusement.

Esha gasped. "Bas karo tum dono! Medical room hai yeh, battlefield nahi!"

But the energy between them hung, crackling and unspoken.

As the nurse returned, Sanskaar leaned towards Esha and whispered, "Bhai... kuch toh gadbad hai dono ke beech..."

Esha grinned. "Haan... but dono accept kab karenge, dekhte hain."

Ridrakshika sighed softly, closing her eyes for a moment to rest — unaware of Adyansh’s quiet gaze lingering on her face far longer than necessary.

------

As Ridrakshika lay quietly on the bed in the medical room, Esha’s phone buzzed furiously. She quickly glanced at the screen.

"Viyansh bhaiya ka call aa raha hai!" she whispered to Sanskaar and hurried out of the room to pick it up.

"Hello?! Bhaiya! Calm down — haan, Ridu is fine now... yes, bas thodi chot lagi thi... thoda bleeding tha... abhi medical room mein hai... haan, Adyansh leke aaya tha... what? You’re coming here?!"

Before Esha could stop him, the line disconnected.

Within the next fifteen minutes, the door of the medical room flung open with a loud thud.

"RIDU!!"

Viyansh stood there, breathless, panic written across his face. His college bag hung from one shoulder, his hair was a mess, and he looked like he’d sprinted the entire way.

"Bhai?" Ridrakshika blinked in surprise.

He rushed to her side, ignoring everyone else. "Pagal hai kya tu?! Esha ne bataya — court me gir gayi tu?! Ball lagi tere face pe?! Are you insane, Ridu?!" His voice cracked, and his grip on her shoulder tightened.

"Bhai... chill na... I’m fine..." Ridrakshika managed a soft smile.

"Fine?!! You call this fine?!" Viyansh gently tilted her chin, checking her nose for bandages. "Look at you — bleeding thi tu!! Mera toh dimaag ghoom gaya jab Esha ka call aaya!"

Esha and Sanskaar exchanged a quiet glance from behind. Even Adyansh, standing silently at the back, watched this rare brother-sister meltdown moment.

Viyansh sighed deeply, brushing her hair away from her face. "You always have to scare me, right? Hamesha stunt karna hota hai tujhe?"

Ridrakshika pouted weakly. "Acha sorry na... bas match dekh rahi thi... ball galti se lag gayi..."

"Uff... tujhe bola tha na — stay careful, stay away from trouble! Par tu kab sunegi meri baat?" Viyansh muttered, but the fear in his eyes softened.

Then suddenly, his eyes flicked to Adyansh — still standing quietly, shirt stained with dried blood, hands fisted in his pockets.

"You." Viyansh's gaze locked on him. "Tum usse leke aaye the?"

Adyansh simply nodded. "Haan... she fainted in the court."

For a moment, Viyansh just stared. Then gave a small nod — part thanks, part warning.

"Good," he said coolly. "But yaad rahe... yeh meri chhoti behen hai."

Ridrakshika groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "Bhaiii… stop na! Don’t scare him!"

"Scare?" Viyansh smirked. "Main bas warn kar raha hoon."

Esha giggled softly from behind. "Classic Verma siblings moment..."

Sanskaar leaned towards her. "Drama runs in the blood, clearly."

Ridrakshika shot Viyansh a tired glare. "Bhai please… ab zyada lecture mat do... mera sar already ghoom raha hai..."

Viyansh laughed softly, finally sitting beside her. "Thik hai, chhodh diya... par agle match me court ke aas-paas bhi dikh gayi toh dekh lena!"

Adyansh smirked quietly but said nothing — though inside, something strange stirred.

Why had he panicked this much for her? Why did seeing her hurt make his chest tighten?

Why the hell did he care so much?

Even Viyansh's sudden possessive warning had pinched him more than he’d expected.

Something... was definitely changing.

------

The quiet hum of the medical room was broken by the nurse’s gentle voice.

"Aap ab Ridrakshika ko ghar le jaa sakte hain. Uski condition stable hai... bas dhyaan rakhiye ki usse rest mile aur stress na ho," she instructed politely.

Esha sighed in relief. "Finally... she’s okay."

Viyansh moved closer to his sister, adjusting the blanket on her lap. "Chal Ridu.... car bahar hai," he said softly, his protective brother mode still on.

But just then, his phone buzzed furiously in his pocket. He quickly checked the screen — a string of missed calls and messages from his professor flashed before his eyes.

“Shit!” he muttered under his breath. “Presentation thi... main toh college se yahan aaya tha... I have to get back right now varna bahut bura hoga,” he said helplessly, glancing at Ridrakshika and then the others.

Before he could say anything else, Adyansh stepped forward.

“I’ll drop her,” he said firmly, eyes meeting Viyansh's in quiet certainty.

The room went still.

Esha and Sanskaar exchanged silent, wide-eyed glances. Even Ridrakshika, still groggy, turned her head towards him, eyebrows raised slightly.

Viyansh looked at Adyansh for a moment — as if judging his sincerity — then gave a small sigh.

“Tu sure hai?”

Adyansh’s gaze didn’t waver. “Ji, mai chhodh dunga ise ghar” he said, his voice soft but unyielding.

Viyansh ran a hand through his hair, phone still buzzing in his hand. After a pause, he gave a reluctant nod. “Theek hai... but carefully leke jaana... warna mujhe fir se college chhodh ke daudna padega,” he said with a half smile.

Adyansh smirked faintly. “Chinta mat kariye. Zinda ghar pohcha dunga aapki  behen ko.”

Esha stifled a giggle, and even Sanskaar cracked a small grin.

Ridrakshika groaned softly, trying to sit up. "Main... main khud chal sakti hoon..." she mumbled in her half-drowsy state.

Adyansh bent slightly towards her, an amused look in his eyes. "Haan haan... dekh liya court mein tum kitni acchi chal rahi thi," he said with a teasing smirk.

She shot him a weak glare but said nothing — her energy too drained to fire back.

Viyansh’s phone buzzed again, this time insistently.

“Shit... I really gotta run,” he muttered, backing towards the door. “Esha... Sanskaar... tum dono bhi Adyansh ke saath jao... main baad mein ghar milta hoon.”

“Don’t worry,” Adyansh said softly behind him, glancing at Ridrakshika as he gently helped her stand, his hand lingering protectively at her back.

Their eyes met — silently, unspoken things hanging between them, heavy and new.

Enemy? Or something far more complicated? Adyansh wondered.

As they walked slowly out of the medical room — Ridrakshika leaning slightly against him — Esha and Sanskaar followed close behind, whispering curious things to each other, while Viyansh dashed out answering his frantic call.

The tension remained... crackling, growing... as if the story between them had only just begun.

__________________________________Stay tuned for further updates 🎀

~shanshya🧿