Darmiyaan

chapter 1

Chapter 1
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As the plane began its descent into  Mumbai, Bondita gazed out of the window at the familiar landscape below. It had been three long years since she had left India for London to pursue her education, and now she was finally returning home.

Memories flooded her mind as she thought back.

The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the bustling courtyard of the high school. Students were milling about, chatting and laughing, eager to start the new school year. Among them was Anirudh, the new boy in town, with a mischievous twinkle in his lively brown eyes and a grin that hinted at all the trouble he was sure to cause.

As Anirudh walked through the courtyard, he couldn’t resist a sly wink at a passing group of girls, earning him a few giggles and blushes in return. He had a reputation for being a charmer, always at the center of attention with his quick wit and infectious laugh.

On the other side of the courtyard, Bondita made her way to the library, her nose buried in a book as she navigated the sea of students. With her glasses perched on the tip of her nose and a serious expression, she exuded an air of studiousness and determination that set her apart from the rest.

Anirudh’s eyes lit up as he caught sight of Bondita, a girl who seemed completely engrossed in her own world, oblivious to the chaos around her. Intrigued, he decided to make a beeline for her, his curiosity piqued by this quiet and focused girl in the midst of all the noise.

Approaching her with a cheeky grin, he leaned against the bookshelf and quipped, “Well, well, what do we have here? A bookworm in the wild jungle of high school.” Bondita looked up from her book, a mixture of surprise and annoyance flickering in her eyes at the interruption.

Unperturbed by her initial reaction, Anirudh flashed his most charming smile and extended a hand. “Anirudh,” he introduced himself, with a flourish that drew a reluctant smile from Bondita. “Nice to meet you, studious one. Care for some company in this den of chaos?”

And so, in that moment of their unexpected encounter, the lively and mischievous Anirudh and the focused and studious Bondita 

In the tense silence of the exam hall, the sound of scratching pencils filled the air as students furiously scribbled away, desperately trying to remember the answers to the challenging questions on the paper in front of them. Anirudh sat at his desk, his brow furrowed in concentration, but his mind was blank. The minutes ticked by, and he realized with growing panic that he didn’t know the answers to any of the questions.

Glancing around furtively, he saw Bondita sitting a few rows ahead, her brow creased in focused determination as she meticulously filled in her answers. Anirudh felt a pang of envy at how effortlessly she seemed to tackle the exam, while he struggled to even comprehend the questions.

With a sigh of frustration, Anirudh tapped his pencil against the desk, racking his brain for any semblance of a correct answer. But try as he might, the knowledge continued to elude him, leaving him feeling increasingly helpless and anxious..

In a stroke of luck, the teacher motioned for Anirudh to move to the first row, right next to Bondita, the academic star of the class. As he settled into his new seat, Anirudh couldn’t help but feel a mix of nerves and desperation. Bondita glanced at him with a small smile, her pencil flying across the paper as she confidently answered each question.

Unable to resist, Anirudh leaned over and whispered to Bondita, “Hey, do you know the answer to question number three?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but the words hung heavy in the tense silence of the exam hall.