Aira Kapoor had never prayed harder for a class to end.
Reyhan Malhotra sat beside her like he was personally hired to ruin her mental health.
He drummed his pen on the desk, leaned back like he owned oxygen, and occasionally glanced at her notebook as if he was waiting to be entertained.
Unfortunately, he was.
Sia Mehta was turned halfway in her seat, watching them like a live drama.
Zayden kept giving Aira looks of sympathy, followed by looks of "you're doomed."
By the time the teacher dismissed the class, Aira had reached one spiritual conclusion:
Northcrest High was built on her suffering.
She stuffed her books into her bag. Reyhan stretched lazily and said, "So. Rookie."
Aira didn't look at him. "No."
"You didn't even hear what I was going to say."
"I didn't have to."
Reyhan let out a soft laugh — the kind that made people look twice.
Too warm. Too real. Too annoying.
"Relax," he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I'm not always this evil."
"Really? Is today 'Evil Lite' edition?"
He smirked. "You're funny when you're angry."
"I'm funny when you're far away."
"Good thing I'm not."
Before she could reply, the hallway filled with students. Voices echoed, lockers slammed, and chaos bloomed like it was a school tradition.
Zayden appeared at her side. "Aira, want me to walk you to your next class?"
"Yes," she said instantly. "Please. Before someone else insults me."
Reyhan placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Wow. Betrayal."
Aira didn't bother turning around. "I wasn't aware we had an alliance."
"We do now," Reyhan said confidently. "You can't escape it."
Sia popped up behind them. "Aira, you need to understand something. Once Reyhan decides someone's interesting, he sticks to them like chewing gum. The annoying kind."
Aira groaned. "Why me?"
Reyhan shrugged. "You're fun. Most people either scream, blush, or run away."
"And I…?"
"You fight back," he said simply.
Aira's heart did a weird flip she immediately smacked back into place.
Nope.
Not happening.
She tightened her grip on her bag. "Yeah well, I'm not your entertainment."
Reyhan leaned in slightly, voice low. "That's what makes it entertaining."
Zayden stepped between them like a protective older brother. "Reyhan, stop antagonizing her."
Reyhan raised his hands. "I wasn't antagonizing. I was bonding."
Sia snorted so loudly three students looked over.
Aira shook her head. "Whatever. I have class."
She turned and began walking with Zayden — but Reyhan followed.
Aira looked back. "Why are you still behind me?"
"Coincidence," he said.
Zayden blinked. "Reyhan, your next class is literally in the opposite direction."
Reyhan paused. "True."
Yet he kept walking with them.
Aira stopped walking. "Reyhan."
He stopped too.
"Go away."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because," he said, lips tugging into an infuriating smile, "your Rule #3 is about to break."
Aira froze.
She hadn't even written Rule #3 yet.
He could sense it forming in her brain.
"Don't sit next to me," she said quickly. "That's Rule Three. Don't sit next to me. Ever."
Reyhan shrugged. "Too late."
She frowned. "What do you mean too—"
They reached their classroom.
Inside, every seat was filled except two side-by-side empty ones.
Reyhan glanced at the seats. Then at Aira. Then back at the seats.
Aira whispered, horrified, "No. No, no, no—"
Reyhan grinned. "Yes."
She glared at him. "This is not happening."
He walked in. Sat down.
Took the seat by the window — her favorite spot, the one she always wanted to claim.
She clenched her teeth and took the other seat because there was literally nowhere else to sit.
Sia leaned through the door and mouthed, "Y'all look like a married couple."
Aira mouthed back, "I will kill you."
Class began, but Aira couldn't focus.
Reyhan occasionally nudged her notebook with his pen.
Tapped the corner of her desk.
Scribbled dumb doodles in his notebook and angled them in her direction like he needed her approval.
A butterfly with muscles.
A stick figure labeled "Aira's Attitude."
A doodle of himself with sunglasses saying, "Too cool for school."
She tried not to laugh. She failed.
Reyhan's smirk deepened.
Halfway through the period, the teacher announced, "Pair up for the assignment."
Aira felt dread crawl up her spine.
Reyhan looked straight at her.
"Lucky you."
"No," she whispered. "Not lucky. Cursed."
"Cursed by charm," he corrected.
"Cursed by you."
He winked. "Same thing."
Aira stared at her desk, feeling the impending doom of academic betrayal.
Rule #3 had officially shattered into dust.
RULE #3: Do not sit next to Reyhan Malhotra.
Because once you do…
you're stuck with him.
Reyhan stretched his arms casually.
"This is going to be fun, Rookie."
Aira dropped her forehead onto her notebook.
This was going to be pain.
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