"Not every arrival is loud—some shake the room in silence."
A few minutes earlier, the two had finished a casual chat with Neha, a classmate Kartik had awkwardly apologised to that morning. She had forgiven him, taken the Dairy Milk he nervously offered, and even smiled faintly before leaving with her friends.
As she walked away, Veer elbowed Kartik playfully. "So... sweet ending, huh?"
Kartik's ears turned red "Shut up."
Veer chuckled. "Come on. Let's eat before the lunch break vanishes. I'm starving."
"Yeah, and before that canteen guy starts handing out burned samosas again," Kartik muttered.
The boys left the busy hallway behind and headed toward a quieter corner of the school—the old banyan tree bench. It wasn't glamorous, but it was peaceful. No chaos. No stares. Just them, and the usual ritual of unwrapping tiffin boxes and gossiping about everything from teachers to weightlifting.
"Bro," he said, biting into his aloo tikki. "Did you hear?"
Veer raised an eyebrow. "About what? The canteen guy raising samosa prices again?"
"No! About the two new transfer students in your class! It's all over the seniors' group chat." Kartik leaned closer, whispering like he was leaking state secrets. "One of them is a girl. Rumours say she's the daughter of one of India's biggest CEOs.The other one's a guy—her shadow or something. Some say he's been her bodyguard since childhood. Dude walks like he's trained in twenty martial arts."
Veer blinked. "Why do I feel this isn't just transfer gossip?"
Kartik rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know, bro. It's weird. Ever since I saw that girl's name on the notice board, I've had this strange feeling... like she's connected to something."
Veer glanced away thoughtfully. "Yeah... I felt something too."
The bell rang again—end of lunch. Kartik sighed, standing up.
"Back to the books. Good luck with your celebrity classmates," he teased, nudging Veer.
Veer grinned. "Maybe they'll autograph my notebooks."
Back in Class
The room was buzzing with energy as students returned from lunch. The teacher, Mrs. Sinha, stood at the front with two new faces beside her. One was a tall, sharp-jawed boy with calm, hawk-like eyes. The other—a girl with flowing hair, perfect posture, and a presence that instantly made the whole room feel like a movie set.
"Everyone," Mrs. Sinha began, "please welcome our new classmates—Arjun and Kiara. They've recently transferred from an international school."
Murmurs rippled through the room. Phones subtly clicked under desks. A few jaws dropped.
"We are honoured," one student whispered dramatically.
"They'll sit at the back for now," Mrs. Sinha continued. "And no unnecessary questions."
As Arjun and Kiara walked down the aisle to the back bench, Kiara's eyes swept the class. When they passed Veer's desk, she slowed just for a moment.
Her gaze caught him. Just a glance.
Veer, feeling the stare, looked up—and time froze for a second.
There was something in her eyes. Recognition? Or curiosity?
Kiara sat beside Arjun, but leaned slightly toward him and whispered, "Who's the guy in the third row?"
Arjun didn't even blink. "I don't have data on him. Yet."
"He feels like a soldier, not a student," she murmured.
"I'll run a background tonight," Arjun said coolly, like this was a mission briefing.
Veer, overhearing none of it, pretended to keep writing. But his hand hovered just a second too long.
He couldn't help it—he glanced back.
Kiara caught him.
She smiled.
Veer immediately turned around, heart thudding.
Behind him, Arjun tilted his head. "You noticed too?"
Kiara nodded. "Yeah... he's not just some random student."
As the final bell rang and students began flooding out of classrooms, Arjun and Kiara walked together through the corridor. Arjun kept glancing at Veer from afar [far away], his brows slightly furrowed.
Once they stepped outside the gate and found a quieter corner near the parking lot, Kiara tugged his sleeve. "Tell me what you found out."
Arjun pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and showed her an old picture—Veer, from just a year ago. Overweight, shy, standing in the back row of a class photo, half-hiding behind another student.
Kiara blinked. "That's… him?"
Arjun nodded. "Yup. Veer sharma. Used to be bullied. Got into trouble last semester—suspended for fighting. But that's not all."
He lowered his voice. "His childhood friend, Aradhya—she was the one who always stood up for him. She ended up in the hospital after a brutal attack. No one knows who did it, but it changed him. He vanished for weeks, came back... different."
Kiara stared at the photo, her fingers tightening around her school bag strap. "Aradhya. I've heard that name before."
Arjun looked at her. "You should have. Aradhya Sharma. Her case was in the news. Assaulted.In critical condition for weeks. She was pulled out of school."
Kiara's face tensed. "I think… I remember the headlines. But it disappeared so fast."
Arjun nodded grimly. "Exactly. That's the strange part. For two days, it was everywhere—'Topper Girl Brutally Attacked,' 'School Violence Peaks.' Then… poof. Vanished. No follow-up. No police updates. No interviews. Even her name stopped showing up online."
He leaned in slightly. "It's like someone upstairs—high up—wanted the case buried."
Kiara's lips parted slightly in shock. "But why? Who would cover up something like that?"
Arjun shrugged, eyes sharp. "Maybe someone powerful was involved. Maybe someone didn't want the truth to come out. But one thing's for sure—Veer knows more than he lets on."
Kiara's fingers brushed her pendant nervously. "And now he's back... silent, transformed, and carrying something heavy."
Arjun nodded. "Exactly. He's not just a student anymore. He's a storm waiting for the right moment."
They both looked back at the school building as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the courtyard.
And in the fading light, something about Veer's silence felt louder than ever.
As Kiara and Arjun walked along the tree-lined road that led toward the school gates, the golden hues of the setting sun washed everything in amber. The chatter of students heading home echoed all around them, but Kiara's eyes narrowed on a small group ahead.
Veer, Kartik, and a girl were walking together, laughing lightly, as if the world hadn't been a battlefield just days ago. The trio strolled with purpose, but without tension. A quiet, almost casual bond had formed between them.
Kiara tilted her head. "Arjun, look. Isn't that Veer?"
Arjun followed her gaze. "Yeah… and that's Kartik with him. And the girl—wait, that's Neha. She's in Kartik's class."
Kiara's brows knit together. "Neha? I thought she was a bit of a loner."
Arjun shrugged. "She is. But lately, things have been… different. Kartik used to bully half the class, including her. But now he's walking next to Veer like they're some kind of squad."
Kiara crossed her arms. "So what is this? Veer's building his gang now? He was walking around alone last week—and now look at him."
Arjun gave a half-smile. "I don't know if it's that simple. I heard Kartik was apologising to everyone during lunch. Even returned the money he took from some kids. Rumours say he's changed."
"Hmph," Kiara huffed. "People don't change that fast."
Arjun glanced sideways. "Sometimes… trauma does things. Or maybe he found someone to follow. Someone stronger."
Kiara's eyes lingered on Veer. "Or maybe someone scarier."
As they turned the corner, they watched the trio head toward a restaurant on the opposite side of the road. The dim neon sign above flickered: Spice Square—a student-favourite spot, but not somewhere Veer would've been spotted in the past.
Kiara's voice dropped. "Why would Neha hang out with her old bully? Why would Kartik follow Veer?"
"I don't know," Arjun said, eyes narrowing. "But I have a feeling… Veer isn't the same person anymore."
They watched as Veer opened the door and held it for Neha and Kartik, then followed them in—calm, silent, confident.
Kiara couldn't shake the unease in her chest.
Arjun finally said, "Whatever's going on… It's just beginning."
Kiara nodded, gaze fixed on the restaurant entrance.
Because from here on… nothing would stay quiet.
[End of Chapter]
Author's Note:
I know what you're thinking…"Wait—how are Kiara and Arjun getting all this top-secret info? Are they spying? Are they from RAW?!" 😅
And most importantly..."Why are Kartik, Veer, and Neha suddenly hanging out like a trio from some rom-com?" 😅
Well… when you're the daughter of one of India's top corporate families and your best friend/bodyguard is a walking human database, gathering information isn't a big deal.
So yes, when Kiara looked at Veer and said, "He's not just a random student,"—she wasn't bluffing.By the end of the first class, Arjun had already:
✔️ Dug up old photos of Veer (the chubby, adorable ones 😅)✔️ Found out about Aradhya's case✔️ Heard rumours about Veer's transformation✔️ And even got whispers of Kartik's sudden behaviour shift
✔️ Rumours from students✔️ And more...
Now you're wondering— what's Neha doing in this squad?"
Fair questions.
But hey, that's a story for the next chapter 😉
Let's just say... everything happens for a reason.And sometimes, allies come from unexpected places.
So if she suddenly stares at Veer like he's a mystery novel waiting to be opened… now you know why. 😉
Stay tuned—because things are just starting to heat up.And yes… Kiara's interest in Veer? It might not be just curiosity anymore 😏