Vee's POV-
The rest of the morning passed in a blur of introductions, new teachers, and endless expectations. I played my part, answered smartly when spoken to, and ignore the stares. This school knew me already. But this year, I wasn't here to make noise.
I was here to win.
Sia and I walked into the cafeteria together, both starving and middly annoyed at the boring morning lectures.
"You think they gave Sharma sir a script?"She muttered as we got in line.
"No one can be that boring naturally".
I laugh in the my breath, the corners of my lips between betraying me.
"Probably downloaded from 'how to kill student with words: part one'".
We grabbed the trays, claimed the usual corner table by the window, and sat down. The first lunch of the year.A hundred conversation happening at once.Laughter, gossip, and the occasional slan of a tray.
And then it got quite.
Not completely- but a shift. Like someone had turned the energy down a notch.
I didn't have to look to know.
He'd walked in.
Veer huda.
Black hood still on. Hands in his pockets. Expression unreadable. His eyes scanned the cafeteria like he wasn't looking for good-just exits.
He walked fast are table, and sia's eyes widened.
"He looks like he came straight from a gang meeting", she whispered.
"Pretty sure even a gang wouldn't want him", I muttered back.
But still I looked.
He sat alone in the far corner, back against the wall, tray untouched. He didn't glance at anyone. Not even me.
Good.
I didn't want his attention.
Except..... part of mainted. Just to prove he couldn't ignore me.
"Hey, shivran".
I turned.
Raghav Sharma. Tall, athletic, the school's basketball team captain, and one of the few guys I actually respected. He'd always been loud but respectful. Annoying in a charming way.
"You joining student council again?"he asked, stealing a fry off my plate without permission.
"Ask again and I'll start you with my fork".
He laughed. "I missed you.".
I roll my eyes, but didn't punch him away when he start across from me.
Sia wiggled her brows."Raghav this is my seat".
"Then sit on her lap."
She did. Dramatically. I didn't complain.
That's how it begin, really.
Lunches like this. Conversation that started as teasing. Slowly, we became a group. Raghav, his best friend Kabir ,and to others. All loud. All confident. Non brave enough to flirt with me directly.
Except Raghav. But he knew better.
Still, even with the banter, my eyes kept slipping to the boy in the corner.
Veer.
He said like the room didn't exist. Like nothing touch him. It was unsettling and somehow, impressive.
He didn't need a group.
He didn't need approval.
But then-
"Hey! That's mine, you idiot!" Junior's voice broke through the cafeteria noise.
Everyone turned.
Two boys stood at a nearly table, one clearly smaller and furious, the other laughing as he held the younger boy's textbook up in the air.
Before I could react, someone else already had.
A black blur move fast are table like a storm.
Veer
In two long strides, he reached the scene.
"Give it back", he said, voice low. Quite. Deadly.
The taller guy snorted."why? You his dad?".
Wrong move.
Veer grabbed his wrest, twisted, and within seconds, the guys was on his knees, gasping, the sketchbook dropped.
Gasps echoed. Some kids stood up.
I watch, wide-eyed, as veer started down at him.
"Don't touch what's not yours", he said, calm as ever.
He let go. The guy scrambled up and ran, holding his wrist.
The buzzed. Some whispered. Some look away.
Veer turned, pick up the sketchbook, and handed it to the younger boy.
Then, without a glance at anyone,he walked back to his corner.
I couldn't look away.
Neither could Sia."Holy crap."
"Did you see-?".
"He barely touched him."
"He broke his wrist,I think-"
"Damn".
I said nothing, my heart beat a little faster, and I hated that it did.
Because now I knew.
He could fight. Not in a loud. Bragging way. In a trained way. Controlled. Brutal. Silent.
Dangerous.
And he didn't even care who saw.
For a second, I thought he'd glence my way again.
He didn't.
But that moment said with me longer than I wanted.
Veer's POV-
I didn't care about their noise. Or their friends. Or their fake friendship and overpriced shoes.
But I saw her.
Everytime.
Vee.
She wasn't just loud. She owned every space she stepped into. People move from her, laughed too quickly, watched too long.
She didn't ask for attention. She commanded it.
I hated it.
Not because I wanted attention.
Because she was distracting.
And I didn't need distractions.
When the punk grabbed the junior's sketchbook, I was already moving before I realised it. Maybe I rememberd how it friends like to be small and silenced.
Or maybe I just needed to hurt someone that day.
I didn't break his wrist. Not fully.
Just a warning.
The kid looked at me like I was a hero.
I wasn't.
I just drink like bullies.
Even if I was one, sometimes.
When I said back, I felt her eyes on me.
I didn't look.
I wouldn't give her that satisfaction.
She saw that.
I told myself it didn't matter.
But deep down, I knew it did.
Because I wanted her to look.
And that pissed me off or than anything.