𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐒𝐚'𝐬 𝐕𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞

11) The Homecoming Surprise

Author's POV

The room was still dark when Nalini's alarm went off for the first time. She reached out from under the covers, slamming her hand down on the snooze button without even opening her eyes. It wasn't until the third blaring of the alarm that she finally stirred, groaning as she threw off her blanket.

The air was cool, and the early morning light barely peeked through the curtains. Nalini rubbed her eyes, blinking at the ceiling. Today felt like one of those days-long, uneventful, and utterly boring.

Yuvika, on the other hand, had been awake for a good fifteen minutes, already dressed and standing in front of the mirror. She applied a thin layer of lip gloss, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Nalini, hurry up, or we'll be late again! You know Mrs. Sharma doesn't tolerate tardiness."

"Since when did you care so much about being on time?" Nalini mumbled, pulling herself out of bed and trudging toward the bathroom.

Yuvika chuckled, leaning against the doorframe as she watched Nalini shuffle. "I don't know, I just have a feeling today's going to be... different."

Nalini paused, toothbrush in hand, arching an eyebrow at her friend. "Different? It's school, Yuvika. What could possibly be different?"

Yuvika shrugged, but her grin didn't fade. "Just a hunch."

By the time they were both ready and out the door, Nalini had fully shaken off her grogginess, but the strange sense of dread she'd been feeling since her dream last night lingered. The streets were bustling with the usual morning traffic-cars honking, people hurrying to work, and the smell of fresh street food hanging in the air. Despite the familiar scene, something tugged at her nerves.

As they walked through the school gates, the sound of chattering students, lockers slamming, and footsteps bouncing off the walls surrounded them. Nalini's senses sharpened. She noticed everything-the subtle shifts in people's voices, the look on Yuvika's face, and even the slight tension in her own shoulders. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like something was about to happen.

When they stepped into their classroom, Mihira was already there, sitting near the window. She waved them over, saving their usual spots. Nalini slung her bag onto her chair, plopping down beside Yuvika.

"Guess what?" Mihira said, leaning forward as if sharing a secret.

"What now?" Yuvika asked, unbuttoning her blazer slightly to get more comfortable.

Mihira's eyes gleamed with excitement. "We're getting a new student."

Yuvika's eyebrows shot up. "In the middle of the term? That's rare."

Nalini wasn't interested. She knew how these things went-new students came and went all the time, often eager to make a splash but quickly fading into the background once the novelty wore off. "It's probably nothing."

Mihira leaned in further, lowering her voice, as though the walls themselves might overhear. "I heard he's from a super-rich family. Like, really rich."

Nalini felt a small flicker of intrigue, but she didn't show it. She shrugged. "So? We've had rich kids here before. What's the big deal? Let's see if he can handle being the second richest in the room."

Yuvika, however, was intrigued. "How rich are we talking?"

Before Mihira could answer, the classroom door swung open, and everyone turned their heads. A boy strolled in, tall and broad-shouldered, his posture dripping with confidence-no, arrogance. His uniform was immaculate, but it wasn't the usual school issue. This one looked like it was tailored specifically for him. Everything about him screamed wealth, from his polished shoes to the expensive watch on his wrist. He barely glanced at anyone, his cool, detached expression radiating indifference.