The car door opened.
Students from GHSS stepped out one by one—each of them dressed head-to-toe in luxury. They looked less like students and more like supermodels walking down a runway, every single one of them strikingly handsome or pretty, as if they were acting in some high-budget movie.
And among them… stood her.
The girl whose beauty didn't just stand out—it commanded the entire scene.
Her smooth, silky black hair fell perfectly over her shoulders. Her outfit was bold yet elegant. Her makeup was flawless. Her accessories screamed luxury. And her eyes—sharp, striking, unforgettable.
Everything about her was perfection.
Her figure was so perfect that even the ugliest clothes in the world would look flawless on her.
She was Ria Phillips—the Queen of GHSS.
Right behind her came her two closest friends.
First was Neja Fathima, Ria's right hand. A Muslim girl with her hijab wrapped neatly around her head. She wore no makeup, yet her natural beauty glowed effortlessly—a soft, serene beauty standing among runway models.
Then a second car rolled in—a luxurious pink one—and from it stepped Ameya.
Almost Ria's mirror in boldness: heavy makeup, luxury items, and sparkling confidence dripping from her every step. But the moment her eyes landed on Sona…
Her expression twisted into pure attitude and disgust.
She stared at Sona like she owned the world.
And Sona?
She wasn't backing down.
Their eyes clashed in a silent, electric staring battle.
Slowly, the other GHSS students also noticed Sona and Aria sitting inside the ice cream parlour.
And the air shifted.
"Ria Phillips…" Aria whispered under her breath.
Sona scoffed.
"Yeah. And the other one is Ameya. Next is Neja Fathima. And following them—" she tilted her head slightly—
"their dogs."
Aria's eyes widened. She snapped her head toward Sona.
"Don't open your mouth. We can't cause trouble here."
Sona raised an eyebrow.
"Are you scared of them?"
Aria leaned closer, almost begging.
"Sona… don't forget. We are from KHSS now."
Sona smirked. "Exactly. We're from KHSS."
Aria shook her head. "That's what I'm saying. They know we're preparing to rebuild our school. They came here on purpose. They'll look for a fight, provoke us, create a scene, and ruin everything.
Please, Sona. Don't open your mouth. Promise me."
"Fine," Sona sighed dramatically. "Because of me, nothing's going to happen to your plan… or to your precious sinas."
She rolled her eyes hard.
Aria didn't respond. Her face looked tired, stressed… worn.
Sona noticed it and exhaled sharply.
"Fine. I won't cause any trouble. But if they start it, then I'm not going to stay silent."
Before Aria could reply, the café door swung open.
They entered.
First came ameya,
She stopped right beside Aria and Sona's table, a devilish smile curling on her lips.
Her eyes locked onto Sona.
"Oh? Who is this?" ameya said sweetly, venom dripping between every word.
"My dearest friend."
She leaned forward slightly.
"Couldn't you have just called me? I would've sent a car to pick you up. After all, I thought you couldn't even afford a chai from the roadside."
Then her gaze slid slowly, deliberately, to Aria.
"But looks like today… Sona brought a rich friend with her."
Ameya hadn't even finished her last word when a few GHSS boys and girls casually moved in, circling Aria and Sona like they were surrounding prey.
Their smiles were thin… mocking… deliberately intimidating.
Sona's jaw tightened.
And then—
Ameya snapped.
Slowly, dramatically, she picked up the glass of ice cream.
And she dropped it on the floor.
The glass shattered loudly, the sound echoing through the small café.
Ameya covered her mouth with fake shock.
"Oh… I'm so sorry," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"That was an accident."
Ameya smirked. she said sweetly. "Since you brought such a rich friend today, I'm sure she can pay for the glass."
The others around them laughed, some quietly, some loudly, all of them watching like this was entertainment.
Sona clenched her teeth, her anger trembling under her skin.
Aria looked terrified, turning her eyes from one GHSS student to another.
And then Aria's gaze landed on Neja.
Neja Fathima was standing at the edge of the group… silent.
She hadn't mocked, hadn't said a word.
She only offered a small, polite smile—as if she wasn't even part of the bullying at all.
Something in that expression struck Aria.
Neja wasn't like the others.
She was kind—maybe too kind—just stuck among them because she had to be.
Trying to fit into a group that didn't match her heart.
Aria kept staring at her, feeling that difference.
Meanwhile, Sona was practically vibrating with rage, doing everything she could to hold herself back—
only because of Aria's words earlier.
If it wasn't for that…
Sona would've already flipped the table.
Ameya snapped her fingers.
"Bring ChimChim here."
Within seconds, escorted by two GHSS boys, a middle-aged woman in the Taj Ice Cream Parlour staff uniform hurried toward them.
Her head was lowered, hands shaking slightly. She looked terrified.
Ameya tilted her chin lazily.
"ChimChim… how much does this glass—the one these beggars broke—cost?"
Her eyes flicked to Sona and Aria with pure mockery.
ChimChim swallowed.
"Madam… this glass was specially imported from Italy. Ria Madam's father ordered it. It… it costs almost five lakhs. And the importing fee… is separate."
A chill ran across the table.
Ameya let out a delighted laugh, turning her mocking gaze from Sona… to Aria… then back.
Before she could speak, a GHSS boy jumped in.
"I doubt they can even pay for the ice cream they ordered," he said loudly, enjoying the crowd's attention.
"So five lakhs? Let's not waste our breath."
The others burst into laughter, forming a tight circle that blocked Sona and Aria completely.
While Sona and Aria were being bullied by Ameya and her gang, a sudden voice cut through the noise.
"Stop it."
Sharp. Calm. Commanding.
Everyone froze.
Heads turned instantly.
And then the GHSS students slowly stepped aside, creating a clear path.
It was her.
Ria Phillips.
She walked forward like she owned the ground beneath her feet—
a queen without a crown,
a storm wrapped in elegance.
The boys moved aside instinctively, forming a perfect passage for her.
Her heels clicked softly, every step controlled and powerful.
Ria didn't shout.
She didn't glare.
She didn't act wild like the others.
She simply looked.
First at Ameya.
Then at Neja.
Then at the broken glass lying near their feet.
A small smile curved on her lips.
And finally—
her eyes moved to Sona.
She opened her mouth, ready to say something cruel or elegant—
no one could guess which—
But then she noticed someone else.
Her eyes landed on Aria.
For a moment, the entire café seemed to fall silent.
Ria's gaze travelled slowly—
from Aria's face
down to her hands
to her shoes
and back up again.
She studied Aria carefully.
Almost… curiously.
Then, to Aria's shock, Ria smiled at her.
It wasn't a mocking smile.
Not a smirk.
Not fake.
A soft, knowing, mysterious smile.
Aria didn't know whether she should smile back or not—
but a tiny, confused smile still appeared on her face.
Then Ria finally spoke.
"Why are you all making this so dramatic?" she asked softly.
"It's just five lakhs."
Her voice was gentle.
But the weight behind it silenced the entire GHSS group.
"Take it from my account, ChimChim," Ria continued.
"Clean it up. And leave."
It was the first time Aria heard Ria's voice so close.
She had heard it only once before—
in Sinas's vlogs.
She had seen Ria's face on his posts, heard her name in his stories.
And now, just like Sinas standing in front of her earlier felt unreal…
Ria Phillips standing right here felt equally unreal.
She wasn't a celebrity.
She wasn't someone Aria fangirled over.
But she was someone Aria could never ignore—
because she knew the rumours.
The rumours about Sinas and Ria.
The rumours about their hidden relationship.
And now…
Aria was staring directly at the girl the entire internet shipped with her six-year crush.
It felt like reality was folding itself in front of her.
And Aria didn't know whether she should be scared, threatened…
or fascinated.