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"Secrets I have held in my heart Are harder to hide than I thought Maybe I just wanna be yours"
-I Wanna Be Yours Song by Arctic Monkeys
“Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the esteemed Adhya Sharma, our school's reigning academic champion,” the anchor's voice rang out with an exaggerated flourish. My name echoed through the packed auditorium, and I could practically hear the collective envy. I stepped onto the stage, my heels clicking confidently against the polished floor. Applause erupted like thunder, and for a moment, the spotlight felt like it belonged to me and me alone.
I haven’t introduced myself, have I? Adhya Sharma, Celestial Heights ki sabse khubsoorat aur sabse zyada brilliant ladki (the most beautiful and most brilliant girl of Celestial Heights). Think of me as the Rory Gilmore of this place, only a version that mastered being pretty before anything else.
All my life, I've been nothing but a bookworm. Forced into it, really, by parents who believed success came at the expense of everything else. They wanted perfection, and I delivered. But their suffocating expectations made me popular, and I can't lie—I love being the center of attention.
“And now, another top ranker this year, Vihaan Malhotra!”
The anchor’s voice cut through my thoughts like glass, shattering the illusion of triumph. I clenched my fists. My eyes shot to the other side of the stage, where Vihaan strode in, his mere presence electrifying the crowd. The girls screamed, their obsessive applause rattling my bones. If they knew the real Vihaan, they'd think twice about cheering for him.
Vihaan Malhotra—my nemesis. My living, breathing nightmare.
People called him the "born genius." I called him a devil in disguise. At six feet tall, with an effortlessly handsome face, a body sculpted to perfection, and those piercing hazelnut eyes, he could have had anyone falling at his feet. Everyone except me. I saw through the act. Behind that angelic face was a manipulative, arrogant bastard who had ruined every academic milestone I’d ever aimed for. If I was rank 2, it was because he was rank 1.
Every. Single. Time.
My blood simmered as we stood side by side, accepting our awards. We didn’t exchange a single word, not even a glance, but the tension between us? Palpable.
The principal handed us our trophies, and the applause grew louder. I could feel my skin burning under the weight of the stares, but it wasn't the attention that bothered me—it was the fact that Vihaan was sharing my spotlight. My first rank had been tainted by his victory.
My foot slipped just as I turned to leave the stage. My breath caught in my throat, panic coursing through me as the floor rushed up to meet me. Just when I braced for the fall, a strong hand caught my arm, steadying me. I opened my eyes to find Vihaan holding me up. His grip was firm, his face too close.
The auditorium roared, students shouting things like "Power couple!"
My humiliation burned even brighter, turning into rage. But Vihaan, of course, smirked, his perfect lips curling in that signature way that drove me insane.
Without a word, he released me, his smug expression screaming arrogance as he walked off the stage like some victorious king. And in that moment, I hated him more than ever.
I stormed after him, every step a reminder of how much I despised him. How dare he smirk at me? How dare he pretend to be some knight in shining armor?
I caught up to him just as he was about to leave the auditorium, grabbing his arm and yanking him backward. “What the hell do you think you're doing?” I demanded, fury lacing my voice.
He turned slowly, that damn smirk still plastered on his face. “You’re welcome, Sharma. If I hadn’t saved you, you’d have face-planted in front of everyone.”
“I’d rather fall than have you make a fool of me!” I snapped, my grip tightening on his arm.
He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. “Fool you? No, darling. I saved you. But if you’d rather I let you fall next time, just say the word.”
My pulse raced, but not just from anger. His words, his tone—they had this dark edge, something possessive. His smirk deepened, and he stepped back, releasing me from his grip. “Stay out of my way, Malhotra,” I spat, voice shaking with frustration.
Vihaan laughed lowly, leaning against the wall as I turned to leave. "Stay out of your way? Sharma, where’s the fun in that? You know you’d miss me too much.”
I flipped him off, not bothering to glance back. His laugh followed me down the hallway, filling me with an unshakeable feeling of unease.
The whispers had already begun. I could hear them—people gossiping about the scene, about how Vihaan and I were “destined rivals” or some shit. I couldn’t take the scrutiny, the whispers. I needed out. Now.
I headed straight for my locker, grabbing my things quickly. But as I pulled my books out, something caught my eye—a letter, wedged between my belongings. My heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t unusual for me to get letters, love notes from admirers, but this one felt…different. My locker had been locked. So how did it get in?
I unfolded the letter slowly, my hands trembling slightly.
My Dearest Adhya,
Do you feel it yet? The way your heart races, the way the air thickens when I’m near? You don’t know me, not truly. But I know everything about you. Every smile, every tear, every glance you’ve ever stolen. You’re the only one that matters in this world, and one day, you’ll realize you belong to me.
You’re not safe with them—those friends you laugh with, the boys who try to get too close. They don’t deserve you. They don’t see you the way I do. They don’t understand what it means to worship you, to want you so completely that nothing else exists.
I’m always there, even when you don’t see me. Watching. Waiting. Keeping you safe from those who would steal your attention.
But know this, Adhya—your heart has no right to wander. You’re mine. You always have been, and you always will be. And soon, I’ll be closer than you can imagine.
Until then, be careful who you trust, who you let in. I won’t tolerate anyone coming between us.
With all my love—and more than you can handle, Yours, Forever
Author's Note
Hiii everyone! The first chapter of my story is published. Vihaan and Adhya two academic rivals . Sounds interesting right? How's the chapter ? Let me know in the comments. And if you guys have any suggestions regarding the story let me know. And do vote on this chapter.
