The last thing lucas Fernandes wanted was to leave the life he had built overseas.
But when his father said it was time to return to India, Lucas didn't argue.
he might be arrogant
He might be reckless
But he had one weekness his family
Two weeks later, Lucas stood in front of the gate of westbridge residential academy.
"A new school."
"New rules."
Lucas Fernandes had no idea that returning to India would change everything.
Somewhere, in a place he had not stepped into, somewhere was already waiting someone who would soon become the biggest challenge of his life.
The classroom was unusually loud that morning.
Groups of students leaned over their desks, wishering excitedly as rumours spread from one corner of the room to the other.
"Did you know?" One girl whispered.
"A new transfer student is joining our class."
"I heard he came from abroad,"someone else said
Aboard?then why would he transfer here?
Another student leaned forward, lowering his voice dramatically.
"Apparently he caused a lot of trouble in his last school."
"Trouble?" Someone laughed. "At westbridge residential academy? He won't last a week."
More voices joined the conversation
"Someone said he is extremely smart."
"Smart and problematic? That sounds dangerous."
The door suddenly opened.
A boy stepped inside, carrying a stack of checked notebooks from the teacher's office. The class monitor.
He had been sent to collect the copies the previous day after they were checking.
As he walked past the desks, fragments of the conversation reached his ears.
"A transfer student ...."
" From another country..."
"Rich family, apparently."
The boy pause for a moment before placing the note books on the teacher's desk.
His expression didn't change.
Rumours were common at westbridge residential academy.
The bell rang sharply, cutting through the noise of the classroom. Conversation faded as students rushed back to seats.
A few seconds later, the classroom door opened.
Their teacher walked in but this time, someone was standing beside her.
Wishpers immediately began to spread across the room.
"That must be the transfer a student".
"Wait.. that's him?"
Lucas stepped forward casually, like the dozens of eye meant nothing.
He was taller than most boys in the class, his dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, messy in a way that somehow looked perfect. His sharp jawline and well defined features gave him a naturally striking look, the kind that made people stare without realising it.
His eyes were calm, almost indifferent, as they briefly scanned the classroom.
He wore the same uniform as everyone else, yet somehow it looked different on him.
For a moment, the entire classroom went unusually quite.
Even the students who had been gossiping the most were now staring openly.
Someone wishpered from the back, barely able to contain their shock.
"Why does he look like that ...?"
Another voice murmured,
"He's unfairly handsome".
Lucas, however, didn't seem to care about any of it.
He simply stood there beside the teacher, calm, unreadable...as if he already knew the attention would follow him everywhere.
The teacher looked at the boy beside him.
"Alright, introduce yourself"
Lucas stepped forward slightly. His voice was calm and confident.
"Lucas Fernandes"
Nothing more.
The class waited for a few seconds, expecting him continue, but lucas had already stepped back as if that was Enough.
A few students exchange amused looks.
The teacher cleared her throat before continuing, "lucas just transferred here, so he might need some help adjusting.
Her eyes moved toward the front row.
"Aarav."
The boy sitting in the third seat of the first row looked up.
"This is aarav sharma, our class monitor.
He'll help you with notes, rules, and anything you need."
Lucas's gaze shifted toward him again.
For a moment, their eyes met steady and silent.
Neither of them looked away.
Aarav's expression remained calm, almost indifferent, while lucas observed him with quite curiosity.
The teacher pointed toward the back of the classroom.
"Lucas,take the last seat in the second bench. The widow seat is empty."
Only then did lucas break the eye contact.
Without another word, he walked to the back of the class and sat down by the window.
From the front row, aarav returned his attention to board.
But the strange tension from that brief moment didn't go completely unnoticed.
Classes soon began.
The teacher started explaining the lesson, chalk moving across the board while students quietly copied notes.
At the back of the classroom, lucas sat by the window.
From his seat, he could see the School grounds outside, the trees swaying lightly and the bright morning sun spilling through the glass.
His eyes wandering outside and instead of the board.
After a while, the teacher asked the class to write something down.
As lucas looked back toward the first, his gaze landed on the third seat in the first row.
Aarav.
The class monitor was already writing in his notebook, completely focused.
But for some reason, aarav suddenly paused.
He turned his head slightly.
Their eyes met again.
This time, there was no accident in it.
From the back of the room, lucas could clearly see him.
And from the front row, aarav ha clearly noticed that lucas had been staring.
For a brief moment, neither of them said anything.
Then aarav quietly looked back again, the faintest hint of amusement crossing his face.
Class had just started.
And it was already getting intresting.
~After school~
Lucas walked into the dorm office and got his room assignment along with the keys.
Without wasting a second, he headed straight to room.
The Moment he open the door, he noticed someone was already inside the bathroom, the faint sound of running water coming from the shower. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything just started unpacking his bag, placing clothes neatly on the bed.
Few moment later, the bathroom door opened, and aarav stepped out, towel around his shoulder.
Lucas froze for a brief second.
"Oh," he said casually, as if nothing unusual had happened.
Aarav's gaze flicked toward him calm, unreadable, and completely unbothered. he didn't say a word.
Lucas shrugged and went back to his bag, trying not to let the tension show.
The room was quite accept for the soft sound of clothes being folded.
Lucas thought to himself:
this guy doesn't even flinch....even though teacher assigned him to help me he didn't even say hi should I say something. nevermind.
Aarav's didn't acknowledge him at all, returning to his own routine.
And just like that, there first dorm encounter ended in silence but a small spark off tension had already ignited.
The next morning, Lucas slowly opened his eyes. Sunlight slipped through the thin curtains, lighting up the quiet room. He turned his head toward the other bed.
He rubbed his eyes and glanced at the other side of the room .
Aarav's bed was empty.
Not just empty but perfectly made. The blanket was folded neatly, the pillow place with precision.
Lucas frowned slightly. Did he already leave for school?
His eyes widened when he looked at the clock.
"Shitt!"
He jumped out of bed, grabbed his towel, and rushed toward the bathroom. Without thinking, he pushed the door open.
And froze.
Aarav was in the shower.
~to be continue~