BETWEEN BOOKS AND BILLIONAIRES

Chapter 1 - THE ENCOUNTER

The campus buzzed with students heading to their classes, holding coffee cups and backpacks. Aman leaned casually against his sleek black car in the parking lot, watching the morning crowd with mild interest. Wearing designer jeans and a crisp shirt, he looked every bit like someone who had it all—a fact he knew well.

But today, his usual boredom was interrupted by someone. A girl walked quickly across the courtyard, holding a stack of books and a notepad pressed to her chest. She didn’t seem to notice the people around her, focused entirely on where she was going. Aman watched her, noticing her simple but neat outfit, the kind that showed she was there to study, not chat.

“Who’s that?” he muttered to his friend, Varun, who had just joined him by the car.

Varun chuckled, following Aman’s gaze. “Oh, that’s Priya. She’s the top student here, the one everyone talks about in class.”

“A top student?” Aman smirked, curious. “Didn’t know they still made those.”

But Priya was already disappearing into the building, walking with purpose. Aman found himself lingering, wondering if he’d ever meet her again. The thought amused him. After all, he’d never been the type to be curious about anyone.

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Later that day, Aman walked into his economics class, where students were still finding their seats. To his surprise, he spotted Priya, sitting up front, focused on her notes. He took a seat a few rows back, feeling an unexpected urge to observe her.

The professor entered, announcing a surprise group project that would make up a big part of their grade. As students groaned and started shifting seats, Aman raised an eyebrow. Group projects weren’t his thing; he preferred doing his own work—or, more accurately, letting others handle it.

But then, fate stepped in.

“Alright, pair up with the person sitting nearest to you!” the professor instructed, not giving anyone a choice.

Aman glanced over and felt a surge of surprise—he’d been seated directly behind Priya. Before he knew it, they’d been partnered.

She turned around, her gaze steady but uninterested. “I’m Priya.”

“Aman,” he replied, trying not to show his grin. “Looks like we’re stuck together.”

Priya simply nodded. “Let’s just get through this quickly. I have a strict schedule to keep.”

Amused, Aman leaned forward slightly. “Strict schedule, huh? You don’t leave much room for… fun, do you?”

She raised an eyebrow, unbothered by his tone. “I don’t have time for distractions. And I hope that won’t be an issue.”

As she turned back to her notes, Aman’s interest only grew. Priya wasn’t just a top student—she was focused and completely indifferent to the reputation he had built as the easygoing, rich guy everyone liked.

He couldn’t resist pushing a little. “Maybe you could relax. It’s just a project. We don’t need to make it a big deal.”

She glanced at him, eyes sharp. “This isn’t just a project to me. And if you’re not serious, maybe you should rethink this partnership.”

For once, Aman found himself speechless. No one had ever challenged him this way.

As the class went on, he felt a strange pull, a curiosity that was unlike anything he’d ever felt. And as they discussed the project, Aman knew one thing for sure: Priya wasn’t going to be easy to get to know—but he was more than willing to try.