her; journey of life

the start :01

**Krutika's POV**

As I walked into school, Naksh and Rudra flanked me, their eyes glued to something—or someone—behind me. I felt a knot of anxiety twist in my stomach. Did I look bad today? Or had my cousins finally realized their playboy antics were getting old?

as i knew a familiar group approached us but the moment I spotted him, my heart soared. There he was, Aarav, my big brother. No one else knew about our bond; to everyone else, he was just a close family friend. But for me, he was everything.

I couldn't hold back any longer. I dashed toward him, my heart racing, and flung my arms around his neck. "Aarav! How much I missed you, do you know?"

He wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight as if he were shielding me from the world. "Sweetie, dang, I missed you so bad," he said, his voice filled with warmth and relief.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. Just us—two siblings hidden in plain sight, sharing a connection that no one could touch.

As I savored the moment with Aarav, someone behind me cleared their throat. "Step aside, guys," an unfamiliar voice interrupted. He added, "Rudra, thank goodness you're here. Bring Agastya Bhai to the basketball court."

"Agastya Bhai is here?" I asked, turning to face the unknown speaker.

"Yes," he confirmed, just as Aarav Bhai interjected, "Devansh, let's meet at lunch." Wrapping one arm around my shoulder, Aarav gently steered me away. "Let me show you the way to your classroom," he said with a smile, but not before stopping Rudra.

" i will reach the court with Agastya Bhai, okay?" Rudra instructed, "Rudra, make sure of that," Aarav added before leading me away. 

As we walked, I couldn't help but ask, "What was he supposed to make sure of?"

"That Rudra actually gets Agastya Bhai to the basketball court," Aarav replied casually, though his tone hinted at the importance of it.

As we walked through the crowd, I couldn't ignore the stares. They were obvious—girls and boys whispering, wondering why I was so close with the most strict and straightforward guy around. I knew this was bound to happen, but I had been careless, forgetting how people love to gossip and spread rumors to fill their otherwise peaceful lives.

A question gnawed at me. "Why didn't anyone tell me Agastya Bhai is here?" I asked, glancing up at Aarav.

He quickly changed the subject. "You took Commerce with Maths, right? That's a solid choice," he said, avoiding my question. "But I've heard the teachers in that stream are pretty scary."

He must have his reasons for avoiding the question, I thought. Maybe I should just drop the topic. I need to get familiar with this school quickly and focus on my dreams. Busy people don't have time for typical things like relationships or any of that stuff. Sure, I love the attention, but that doesn't mean I'm an attention seeker. I have my own choices and preferences. Some people think I'm selfish for that.

I stopped my train of thought as I glanced at Aarav Bhai—though, in front of others, I just called him Aarav. That's probably why people assume we're more than friends, but honestly, we don't care. All that matters is that our plans succeed and our team sticks together.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I said, "Aarav, I don't care how strict the teachers are. All I care about is my GPA and me."

As soon as I mentioned my GPA, Aarav's face lit up with a teasing grin. "Of course, it's all about you and your perfect grades, isn't it?" he joked, nudging me playfully. Despite his light-heartedness, there was always this underlying sadness about him that I couldn't quite place. He loved to make people smile, but only for those he cared about—like me, and Krutika. It wasn't about pleasing people; it was just his way of showing love.

"But seriously," Aarav continued, his tone softening slightly, "don't let anyone or anything get in the way of that. You've got potential, and I know you'll kill it here."

I smiled, appreciating the mix of humor and genuine support he always brought to the table. But there was something in his eyes, a flicker of sadness that never quite left, even when he was joking.

"And the rumors?" I asked, trying to shift the focus back, but also curious about how he handled them.

He shrugged. "Let them talk. You know how I am with people who aren't in my circle," he said, his voice shifting into that familiar, no-nonsense tone he used with outsiders. "I don't owe them anything, and neither do you. We've got bigger things to worry about than what people think."

That was classic Aarav—strict with strangers, but when it came to the people he loved, like me and our other team mates , he wore his heart on his sleeve.

"Fair enough," I said with a smirk. "And by the way, you might want to brush up on your jokes if you plan on keeping me entertained."

He laughed, a deep, genuine sound that seemed to brighten the hallway. "I'll work on it. But don't expect too much—I'm only funny for the people I care about."

"This is your classroom," Aarav said, stopping just outside the door. "We'll meet after recess. I'll come get you and take you to the cafeteria." He smiled, his usual playful warmth coming through as he gently patted my head.

"Don't get lost, alright?" he added with a wink before turning around and walking away, blending into the crowd of students in the hallway. I watched as he disappeared, his figure gradually swallowed by the bustling school, always warm but somehow distant.

Entering the classroom, I was immediately greeted by chaos—students talking loudly, notebooks scattered across desks, and a general buzz of activity. Among the commotion, I noticed a few familiar faces staring at me with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

What the hell is she doing here? I could almost hear them thinking, their eyes practically burning holes into me.

Ignoring the stares, I made my way to the seat I used to sit in before, trying to act like I belonged there. Just as I was about to settle in, someone walked up to me, their footsteps heavy with purpose.