Aditi and Ravi are the top students at school, with Ravi having recently taken the top spot from Aditi, the school's longstanding academic queen. Their rivalry is intense, but it's also filled with an unspoken attraction. Each pushes the other to ne...
Aditi had been staring at Ravi for what felt like an eternity. It was as if she were caught in a dream. He noticed her gaze, her thin brows furrowed, deep black eyes both distant and yet piercing through him. Her slightly parted lips, tinted a soft pink, hinted at deep thought. The shadow of her lashes danced across her flushed cheeks. Despite the crooked spectacles on her nose, there was an endearing vulnerability to her hardened features. A faint smile played on her lips, just for a moment, enough to make Ravi yearn to hold her, to know her, to hear her speak—to be the one to make her smile.
In that moment, Ravi thought, God, she’s beautiful.
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His eyes drifted to her fingers, lightly drumming on the bench in a subconscious rhythm. She had been lost in thought more often lately, her once vibrant face now paler, dark circles settling under her eyes. Studies were clearly taking their toll on her.
But the moment shattered when Aditi abruptly looked away. Reality rushed back to Ravi—the once-muted noise of the classroom came alive again. Mr. Debankur was still droning on about algebra, students murmured, pages flipped, pens scribbled furiously. Ravi forced himself to focus on the equations before him, not on the girl who was supposed to be his rival.
The final bell rang, breaking the day’s tension. Aditi glanced at Ravi, their eyes meeting briefly. An awkward silence settled between them. “Ravi… um… we need to talk,” Aditi’s voice broke through, her hands fidgeting nervously. Ravi nodded, unable to find his voice.
They walked out of the classroom together, the buzz of their classmates’ teasing following them.Aditi bit her nails, hesitating. Ravi’s gaze dropped to the floor, his shoes suddenly fascinating. His hands rubbed the back of his head, his heart pounding.
“Aditi…” Ravi started.
“Well, what was…” Aditi said at the same time.
Silence.
The silence was deafening. The weight of unsaid words hung heavy between them. Cold sweat dripped down their backs as their hearts raced with unresolved feelings. Their classmates had followed, grinning and giggling, eager to witness the aftermath of the day’s earlier drama.
Ravi finally broke the silence. “Aditi, that was a misunderstanding, I swear. I didn’t write it. I just found it yesterday and totally forgot about it,” he blurted out, the words spilling over one another.
“Oh,” Aditi replied, her initial disappointment quickly masked by her usual composure. “Well, I thought it was—never mind. Just some sick joke to throw me off?”
“That’s unnecessary. Just being in your class is distraction enough,” Ravi shot back, a slight smirk on his lips. Aditi scoffed, “You might be a distraction to others, but to me, you’ll always be the thief who dared to steal my crown.”
“The crown won’t be stolen again. It’s safe with the deserving king,” Ravi retorted.
“For now, with the not-so-deserving king,” Aditi countered, her competitive edge sharpening.
The tension eased as they slipped back into their usual banter. Their classmates dispersed, but rumors began to swirl. Despite their denials, everyone knew—Ravi and Aditi were perfect for each other.
Thank You for reading until here.
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