Siya's POV
The school was finally over.
And for the first time, I regretted walking with Ruby.
Why didn't I just say yes when my parents offered to pick me up?
I waited till my class emptied before leaving. My stomach was in knots, and honestly, I was scared. The moment I stepped out, Ruby came running.
> "I was waiting outside! You didn't come. Is anyone picking you?"
I forced a smile. "No. My books were unpacked. Let's go."
With all my strength, I walked beside her out of the school gate.
And then I froze.
My whole class's boys were standing there. Laughing. Watching. The second they noticed me, all their eyes turned.
Ruby whispered, "They're your classmates, right?"
"…Yes," I muttered. And before anything else could happen, I pulled Ruby along.
Thank God. Nothing happened. But inside, I was trembling. What if they had planned something? What if they did something worse later?
That's when I decided—I'll apologize to Tanev and sort this mess out.
Ruby noticed my silence.
> "Something happened?"
I shook my head quickly. "No. Nothing special."
She gave me a look. "Well, Tanev finally showed up today…"
My heart skipped. "Yeah. Why?"
Ruby smirked.
> "You don't know? He's one of the richest guys here. Football player. Fashion freak. Everyone knows him. And everyone knows he's… dangerous. Rude too."
I swear my blood ran cold. Why me, God?
---
The next morning, I reached school early. Only Vish and Nayaan were in class.
I knew Vish—he always borrowed notes. But Nayaan? Different story. He wasn't good-looking like Ayan or Tanev. But he had that bossy vibe. A leader, the type who controlled the room without effort. He was Ayan's close friend too.
And with me? He'd always been cold.
Vish spotted me and laughed.
> "Oho! Divaa is here. Yesterday you indirectly slapped Tanev's face!"
"What?! It was a mistake," I blurted out. "I didn't mean it."
He chuckled.
> "Relax. He's taking it serious, but you don't have to. Let it go… and hey, give me your notes."
Of course. Notes again.
I was about to hand them over when Nayaan stepped in.
> "I've completed this book. Take it from me. No need to bother her."
His words hit like ice. He glanced at me and added—
> "We know how to help each other. We don't need your sympathy."
WTF???
My jaw clenched. Before I could even react, Ayan and Tanev entered, laughing. But the second they saw me? Their faces turned cold.
Even Ayan's.
That hurt the most.
At that moment, I made up my mind—I'm done trying. I tried fitting in. I tried being nice. But what's the point? From now, I'll just ignore everyone.
And then—Tanev came up to me.
> "Do you have a pen?"
I don't know why, but even though I had one in my hand, I said, "No."
He raised an eyebrow. I quickly added, "I don't have an extra pen. Just this one."
He just said "okay," but I could feel his anger boiling inside.
The boys laughed. The girls stared at me. And deep down, I knew—I had pushed him again.
For days, the whole class treated me suspiciously. Tanev never talked much, but when he did, it was cold.
Somehow, I survived. And surprisingly—Anisha stayed by my side. Slowly, Vish did too. Even Nayaan, after being my benchmate for a few days, softened. One day he even said—
> "You're like a sister to me."
And I believed him. He gave off that protective vibe, even if he was rude at first.
Tanev too… eventually turned normal.
So yeah, everything became fine.
Except for the one person I wanted the most—Ayan.
He still never noticed me the way I wanted. Not even once. Not for notes, not for a pen. He took everything from Ayesha instead.
And I stopped chasing fate. Because if I could get Vish, Nayaan, even Tanev's attention by accidents and fights—then why not him? Why not the one I actually liked?
Fate sucks. That's all I could think.
---
Weeks passed. Exam season was coming.
But before that—farewell.
19th. The grand farewell for 10th graders.
Biggest event of the year.
And it was a competition. Div A vs Div B. Whose plan would be better.
I was in Div B. Excited, but nervous.
One day, I was quietly planning my study strategy when a senior came to our class. He called out—
> "Siya. Ayan. Tanev. Come with me."
My heart sank.
God… now what?