Shaurya Chauhan leaned against the college corridor wall, arms crossed, an easy smirk playing on his lips — but inside, nerves churned. His foot tapped restlessly against the floor.

"Bro, chill," Vikram singhania his friend laughed, tossing a bottle of water at him.

"You look like you’re about to get results for your board exam." Dev khanna, his other friend laughed

"It’s not funny," Shaurya muttered, catching the bottle without looking. His sharp brown eyes were glued to the group standing near the stairs.Tanya Sharma.

She was looking Confident, radiant, laughing like she owned the world.

"You’ve been after her for what, two years?" Vikram teased, elbowing him. "Pretty sure she knows. Why so scared now?"

Shaurya exhaled sharply. "I’m not scared. I’m just... making sure it’s perfect."

His voice was full of self-assurance. After all, who could resist Shaurya Chauhan?

He adjusted his leather jacket and pushed off the wall, running a hand through his thick hair.

As he strode forward, he barely noticed the group of quieter girls nearby. Among them, one girl — simple, delicate, wearing a pale pink churidar — caught his eye for half a second. Aradhya Sharma.

She was laughing shyly at something her friend said, her dupatta slipping from her shoulder, her soft features lighting up innocently.

Shaurya looked past her without a second thought.

Today was about Tanya.

He walked straight up to her, cutting through the chatter. "Tanya."

Tanya turned, flashing him her signature, lazy smile. "Shaurya Chauhan, gracing us commoners? I’m honoured."

Shaurya chuckled, stepping closer. "Got a minute?"

"Only if you promise it’s exciting," she teased, flipping her hair dramatically.

He smiled, cockily

"More than exciting. Tanya... I like you. I have for two years now. Be my girlfriend."

The words fell into the air, heavy and serious.

For a moment, even Tanya’s smile faltered.

And then — she laughed. Loud, unbothered, carefree.

"Aww, Shaurya," she said, resting a hand dramatically over her heart, "that's so sweet."

Shaurya stiffened slightly. "I mean it."

Tanya stepped closer, looking him up and down shamelessly. "You’re hot, no doubt. Tempting offer, really..."

Shaurya’s lips quirked up. "Then say yes."

Tanya's eyes sparkled mischievously as she whispered near his ear, "I don’t do relationships, handsome. They’re... boring."

She winked. "But you and I? We can have some fun."

Shaurya’s expression hardened. "You’re rejecting me?"

Tanya twirled a strand of her hair lazily. "Reject is such a harsh word. Think of it as... keeping your options open."

"You think I’m playing?" Shaurya’s voice dropped dangerously low.

Tanya smirked, brushing past him lightly with her dupatta brushing his hand. "You’ll survive, this. Don’t fall in love with me — I break hearts for breakfast."

Shaurya’s jaw tightened as he watched her laugh and walk away, hips swaying.

He didn’t miss the way some boys nearby ogled her. His fists clenched.

"Challenge accepted, Tanya Sharma," he muttered under his breath, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You will come to me. On your knees."

Unnoticed by either, Aradhya stood at a distance, quietly clutching her books to her chest, her soft brown eyes lingering on the scene. She bit her lower lip nervously when Shaurya’s angry gaze swept the corridor — but of course, it wasn’t for her.

Destiny, however, had already started pulling its strings.

Shaurya was leaning against the pillar of the college courtyard, his eyes scanning the hustle and bustle of students. His mind was still occupied with the rejection from Tanya. *I’ll make her mine, no matter what.* He clenched his jaw, eyes narrowing as he thought about his next move.

That’s when he noticed a nerdy student, carrying a stack of books, walking briskly across the campus. He was fumbling, trying to balance everything, and then — *whoops!* The stack of books flew from his hands, scattering across the floor like confetti.

Laughter erupted around him. A few students pointed, others snickered. The poor guy was turning red, visibly embarrassed.

Shaurya stood there for a second, debating whether or not to help. He was about to step forward when a figure appeared from the corner of his eye.

A girl, dressed in a white chudidar, knelt down immediately and started gathering the papers and books. Her face was calm, serene, as if she didn’t care about the laughter or the attention.

Shaurya froze. His heart skipped a beat as he watched her.

*Who is this?*

She had a soft face the kind that wasn’t loud or attention-seeking, but it held a certain quiet power. Her hair, dark and long, cascaded down her back, and her cheeks flushed with a subtle pink. She was graceful in every movement, and as she helped the boy, a smile appeared on her lips, though it was modest and innocent.

She didn’t seem to notice the onlookers. She was focused entirely on helping the embarrassed student.

Shaurya couldn’t take his eyes off her.

"She’s Tanya's sister," Dev's voice broke his trance.

Shaurya turned to his friend. "Tanya's sister?"

Dev smirked. "Yeah. Aaradhya Sharma. Quiet, innocent, the complete opposite of her sister."

Shaurya’s gaze flickered back to Aaradhya, who was now handing the last of the books back to the student. The nerd smiled in gratitude, but Aaradhya only nodded politely and turned to leave.

"What a saint," Shaurya muttered under his breath.

"She’s the complete opposite of Tanya, man,"* vikram added. "Innocent, soft, and kind-hearted. You could use her to get close to Tanya."

Shaurya’s frown deepened. "What are you saying?"

"You know, she’d be perfect. She’s close to Tanya, so maybe you could befriend her, get close to her, and then work your way to Tanya."

Shaurya’s anger flared at the mention of Tanya’s name. His hands balled into fists, but he didn’t speak. Instead, he watched Aaradhya disappear into the distance, her soft laughter blending with her friends' voices.

She’s beautiful.

He couldn’t deny the allure she had. He could already imagine how much easier it would be to get to Tanya if he used Aaradhya. But a part of him hesitated. *Is this right?*

"You really should, Shaurya," Vikram pressed. "She’s the type to be naive. It’ll be easy."

Shaurya shifted uncomfortably. "I don’t know... it feels wrong."

"It's just getting close to her," Dev added, shrugging. "Nothing wrong with making friends. Besides, you can get close to Tanya through her. Trust me, this will work."

Shaurya bit his lip, conflicted. Deep down, he knew what they were saying was true. If he wanted Tanya, this was the fastest route.

His mind raced. *I’ll just be her friend... just a friend. I’m not going to hurt her. But I need to get close to Tanya. I can do this.*

Shaurya finally exhaled, making up his mind. "Fine. I’ll do it."

Vikram and Dev exchanged knowing glances and nodded. "Good choice."

Just as they spoke, Aaradhya's group of friends approached, laughing together. There was Sanya, always the loud one, and Meera, a gentle soul, who was currently teasing Aditya. The pair was walking slightly ahead, whispering to each other with shy smiles.

“Aditya, you should totally ask Meera out already.”

Aditya blushed, scratching his head, clearly too nervous to speak. Meera just smiled at him sweetly, pushing her glasses back in place.

As Aaradhya walked behind them, her delicate eyes caught Shaurya's. She stopped for a moment, glancing at him before continuing with her friends.

Her innocence... her purity... Shaurya couldn’t help but notice.

He stood there, frozen for a moment, his eyes fixed on her. *She’s so... different.*

And then, with a shake of his head, he turned to his friends. "I’ll talk to her tomorrow."

As Aaradhya’s group passed by, Shaurya watched them leave. Sanya waved to him, a hint of curiosity in her eyes, but Shaurya barely noticed her. His focus remained on Aaradhya.

*I’ll make her my friend. And then, I’ll make Tanya mine.*

Aaradhya’s laughter echoed through the college courtyard as she walked with her friends. Sanya, Meera, Adhitya and Kabir were with her, chatting and joking as usual. Kabir was trying his best to impress Aaradhya, making her laugh at his silly jokes. He’d had a crush on her for months, but every time he tried to tell her, he would freeze, lost in her gentle presence.

Today, however, was different. Aaradhya was so absorbed in her conversation with Meera that she wasn’t paying attention to her steps. She tripped over a stone, arms flailing as she struggled to regain her balance.

Kabir, quick on his feet, lunged forward to catch her, his eyes wide with panic. But before he could reach her, another hand shot out from behind, grabbing her firmly by the waist.

Aaradhya’s heart skipped a beat as she looked up. Shaurya. The boy she had only noticed from a distance — the arrogant, self-absorbed college heartthrob — was the one who had caught her.

Their eyes met, and time seemed to freeze.

Shaurya’s breath caught in his throat. He’d never realized how captivating Aaradhya’s eyes were. They were soft and deep, like two pools of serenity, and he felt lost in them for a moment.

Aaradhya blinked, pulling herself back and immediately pushing him away. "Thank you, but I can handle myself."

Shaurya didn’t let go. His grip tightened as he stared at her, not noticing the awkwardness of the situation. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, his voice low and almost... intimate.

Kabir, seeing the tension, rushed over, his face twisted in frustration. "Hey! She said she’s fine!" He pulled Aaradhya away from Shaurya’s hold, glaring at him. "Don’t touch her again."

Shaurya glared back, his jaw clenching. "I was just helping."

Aaradhya, sensing the rising tension, quickly stepped between the two. "Kabir, it’s okay. He was just trying to help."

Kabir glared at Shaurya one last time before turning to Aaradhya with a smile. "Let’s go."

Aaradhya nodded, offering Shaurya a polite smile. "Thanks again."

She turned to leave with her friends, but Shaurya wasn’t ready to let it go. He took a step forward and called out. "Wait!"

Aaradhya stopped, glancing over her shoulder.

Shaurya approached her, his tone casual but persistent. "You didn’t really thank me, you know."

Aaradhya raised an eyebrow. "I did, didn’t I?"

Shaurya stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Not really. A simple 'thank you' isn’t enough. How about we talk for a minute?"

Aaradhya looked at him, about to refuse, but her friends—Meera and Sanya—whispered to her, urging her to talk to him.

“Just talk to him, Aaradhya! What’s the harm?” Sanya nudged her playfully.

Aaradhya hesitated, her eyes flickering between her friends and Shaurya. “There’s no use,” she replied softly. “I don’t know him, and I have work to do.”

Shaurya smiled, his expression almost knowing. "I’m not a stranger, you know. We could be friends."

Aaradhya shook her head, her tone polite but firm. "I don’t make friends with people I don’t know." With that, she turned and walked away, her friends trailing behind.

Later that afternoon, Aaradhya was in the library, buried in her books, trying to focus. She was absorbed in her work when she heard footsteps approaching. Without looking up, she knew exactly who it was.

Shaurya stood by her table, leaning slightly against the edge. "Hey," he said, his voice warm but a little too eager.

Aaradhya glanced up, meeting his gaze for a brief moment before returning to her book. She wasn’t interested in engaging, but Shaurya wasn’t about to give up that easily.

“Are you busy?” he asked, a playful edge to his voice.

Aaradhya didn’t respond, flipping a page without acknowledging him.

Shaurya sighed, sitting down across from her. "Look, I know you’re not thrilled about me, but I think we should at least talk. Maybe even be friends."

Aaradhya glanced at him once more, annoyance flickering in her eyes. “I told you. I don’t have time for this. I don’t even know you."

Shaurya’s smile faltered. "You don’t have to know me to be friends, Aaradhya. Friendship is built on trust, and I want to get to know you."

Aaradhya bit her lip, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. She glanced around, noticing that other students were watching them. With a sigh, she shook her head. "I’m not interested, Shaurya."

Shaurya’s smile faded as she spoke. His pride pricked, and for the first time, he felt a knot of humiliation tighten in his stomach. “Really?” he said, his voice a little quieter than usual.

Aaradhya glanced up, her eyes sincere but firm. "I don’t think it’s right to offer friendship just to get something out of it. I’m sorry, but I can’t accept."

The words stung. Shaurya clenched his fists under the table, his jaw tightening with frustration. He had never been rejected like this before. Not from anyone.

And yet, there he was, feeling humiliated. His anger simmered beneath the surface, but he forced himself to calm down.

“Okay, Aaradhya,” he said coolly, standing up. “I guess I’ll respect your decision.”

As he walked away, he couldn’t help but feel an unfamiliar burning in his chest. "I’ll make you change your mind, Aaradhya. You just wait and watch."