After years away at boarding school, Aru Shah returns home, determined to start over. New school, new life, no expectations. But she quickly finds herself pulled into an unexpected friend group and feelings she never planned for. Aiden Acharya has always hated popularity. To him, it's shallow, exhausting, and built on illusions. People only see his looks and his wealth, never the person underneath. He swears he'll never fall in love. Love only leads to disappointment. Then Aru Shah walks into his life. Caught between high school drama and friendship Aru and Aiden must figure out whether something real can survive in a world built on appearances. Can their story defy the usual high school tropes? Read my other stories:) *All characters belong to Roshani Chokshi from TPQ*