The ceiling fan in Akash's tiny hostel room groaned, a rhythmic metallic screech that mimicked the protest of his own stomach. It was 11:00 PM. Before him lay a battered textbook on Advanced Economics, its pages yellowed and smelling of damp earth.
Akash wasn't just studying economics; he was living a cruel version of it.
Growing up in a village where the monsoon rains often stole more than they gave, poverty was his oldest companion. His father, a retired primary teacher with a meager pension, had sent him to the city with nothing but a tin trunk and a thousand prayers. To survive, Akash didn't just need brains; he needed stamina.
"One more hour," he whispered to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. He had to prepare for tomorrow's tuition.
Tutoring was his lifeline. It paid for his meal card and the photocopied notes that his university life demanded. But his new assignment was different. He was supposed to tutor the daughter of one of the city's wealthiest real estate moguls.
The next afternoon, Akash stood before a massive wrought-iron gate. The house beyond it wasn't a home; it was a fortress of glass and marble. He felt out of place in his faded blue shirt and worn-out sandals.
"You must be the new tutor," a soft voice startled him.
He looked up. Standing in the garden was a girl who looked like she belonged in a painting. Her name was Sara. She had eyes that sparkled with a curiosity he hadn't seen in the city, and a smile that seemed to ignore the vast wealth surrounding her.
"I'm Akash," he managed to say, his voice slightly trembling.
"I'm Sara. My father said you're the best in your department," she said, stepping closer. "But you look like you haven't slept in a week."
Akash forced a smile. "Knowledge doesn't come easy for everyone, Sara."
That day, as they sat in the air-conditioned library, the contrast was blinding. He taught her about the 'Law of Diminishing Returns,' while she unknowingly taught him that beauty could be kind.
He didn't know it yet, but this room—this sanctuary of luxury—would become the stage for a love that would challenge everything he knew about survival. And eventually, it would lead to a heartbreak that no textbook could ever explain.