Aria's POV____
How dare they!! That Zorvath—one day I'll get him. I'll cut him into pieces and feed him to pigs.
I came down to the side yard. It was a complete mess. I just hope there aren't any snakes here. Isn't this a school? Why can't they just cut the grass? What if students get bitten by snakes or something? Such careless authorities. Tzzkk...
I searched everywhere. Why can't I find it? I saw it fall here... then where did it go?
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me.
"Are you looking for this?"
It was Rithul. He was holding the chain I was desperately looking for.
"Yes! … Can you give it to me?" I asked.
"Of course. It's yours, here you go," he said, handing it over.
I think... he's different from the others. More mature?
"Did you make it?" he asked.
"Yes," I replied, looking into his eyes.
"It's cute..." he said. I knew he didn't mean it sarcastically.
"Do you really love him that much?" he asked.
"Yes, I do," I said without a second thought.
"Do you know him well? I mean, who he really is?" he asked.
I paused for a second. Actually... I don't. I know him from his videos, that's all. The real him—I only met yesterday. Then why do I feel like this?
Still... I know he's not fake. I trust him.
"I'm here to know that. Actually, not here—there, in GHSS. But I ended up here," I said.
He smiled. "We know that someone like you wouldn't come here on purpose. But Aria… about Sinas and GHSS—there's another side to it. You should know him more."
Rithul sighed. His expression said more than his words. Anger? No… pain.
What exactly happened between them?
He continued, "After knowing him clearly—if you still love him—then no one will stop you."
"What exactly is the matter between you guys?" I asked.
He smiled again.
"You'll know it sooner or later. But remember—even knowing you for just half a day, we all care for you. We're all wary of him. Afraid of his interest in you. Do you think that's just a silly matter?"
He had a point. Zorvath, Sona, Danvy, Sreya, Rithul, Leo… every living being in KHSS seemed to hate Sinas. Hate GHSS.
Why?
It doesn't seem like a silly matter anymore.
But I still hope… maybe it's just a misunderstanding.
"Hmmm… do you think threatening me is caring for me?" I asked.
Rithul chuckled. "I'm sorry. Zorvath is just… like that. But I'm sure—even if you leave KHSS—he won't treat you kindly. Still, don't worry. The final choice is yours. Just… think before choosing."
With that, he walked away—hands in pockets, posture straight, movements clean and steady.
What was that warning all about?
Why is everyone in KHSS so obsessed with cursing GHSS?
And Sinas… why does he have such a terrible reputation here?
It has to be a misunderstanding. I know it is.
I have to fix this.
This school drama is killing my head.
I need a break.
I climb up to the rooftop—Sona said no one really comes here. Maybe it's because from here, you get a clear view of GHSS. But that's exactly why I love it.
This place… might just become my favorite spot.
The wind is calm. The sky's glowing faintly golden. Everything feels still.
Peaceful.
I sit on a shaded bench, staring at GHSS from afar.
When will I reach you…?
Rink-tink.
A notification.
Did Sinas post something?
Let me check.
[Sinas and a girl's picture]
Wait.
Who is she?!
I haven't seen her in his public posts before. Is she… his girlfriend?
No—this can't be.
She's pretty.
No, really pretty.
And me?
I'm just a zero in front of her.
Is she really his girlfriend…?
Suddenly, a hand snatched my phone from me.
I turned in shock.
Zorvath.
Of course. It had to be him.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice annoyingly calm.
"I should be asking you that!" I snapped. "Zorvath, give my phone back."
I tried to stay calm, holding back my anger.
"Warning?" he said, lifting an eyebrow. "How about adding a please?"
I lunged to grab my phone—but of course, I missed.
"What's your problem, man?!" I shouted.
He chuckled. "You're disturbing me, Aria."
I'm disturbing you?
"Excuse me, you were—"
Before I could finish, he pressed a finger against my lips.
"Shhhh. Silence."
His eyes stared into mine. Soft… calm… unreadable.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Then I stepped back.
"Give me my phone," I said again, more quietly this time.
He finally looked at it.
No.
No no no no no.
He's looking at the picture.
I jumped to grab it again, but he held it out of reach.
His expression shifted.
His face hardened.
His eyes—turned red.
Not angry red…
Something worse.
Why do I feel so uncomfortable?
His presence suddenly felt heavy. Dangerous.
Then—
THUD.
He threw my phone.
"What the hell?!" I ran over and picked it up from the floor.
It was dead.
I turned to yell at him—
But he was gone.
Just like that.
Vanished.
You arrogant jerk. You destroyed my phone?!
Oh, you're so going to regret that.
Author's POV___
Aria slowly came down the stairs. It was already evening, and the school grounds were empty. Everyone had left.
She walked into her classroom, her broken phone clutched tightly in her hand. Quietly, she picked up her bag, ready to leave for the day—when suddenly…
"Sona!" she gasped.
Sona had appeared out of nowhere.
"Where were you?! I searched the entire school!" Sona snapped, her voice sharp with worry.
"Oh…" Aria mumbled, still lost in thought.
Sona's eyes dropped to the phone in Aria's hand. "What happened to your phone? Are you okay?" she asked, stepping closer.
Aria slowly raised her head, locking eyes with her friend.
"Sona… what exactly is the problem between GHSS and KHSS?" she asked, her voice low but firm—eyes burning, not with anger, but with the need for truth.
Sona froze.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, quietly, she replied,
"…You'll know it soon."
At the Cafe ____
Sona and Aria entered the small café, the familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. Sreya and Danvy were already sitting at a table, waiting for them. Sreya waved excitedly when she saw them.
"Hey, you two! Took you long enough!" Sreya teased as they sat down.
Sona shrugged. "Oh, we just went to a shop to get her phone repaired," she explained casually.
"What happened to your phone?" Sreya asked, raising an eyebrow.
Aria sighed and leaned back in her chair, the frustration still lingering. "That jerk Zorvath broke it," she said, sounding surprisingly calm, though her mind was still on the incident.
Danvy, who had been sipping her drink, looked up sharply. "You provoked him?" she asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.
Aria chuckled, a little dryly. "Ah, I know you guys are on his side," she responded, rolling her eyes.
The others chuckled at the playful jab.
"We know him. What he does, it all has a reason, Aria," Sona said, her tone more serious now.
Sreya, chiming in, gave a thoughtful look. "Talking about Zorvath—after knowing everything about you, he just broke your phone? Honestly, I expected him to break your bones instead."
Sona nodded in agreement, a slight frown tugging at her lips. Aria just rolled her eyes and flipped through the menu, ready to change the topic.
"I'll order now. Three chai, one coffee, one samosa, and three appams," she said, placing her order with the waiter.
Danvy, still with her serious face, leaned forward slightly. "Zorvath… he has a soft spot for you, Aria."
Aria froze, looking at Danvy in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I think he has a…" Danvy began, but she was cut off by the loud, mocking voices of a group of girls entering the café.
"Look, the garbage team is here, too," one of the girls said, her voice dripping with mockery. The others burst into laughter, all of them joining in.
One girl, a leader from the group, turned to Aria. "Hmm, you got a new face?" she said, a sneer forming on her lips. "Another one to drag the garbage in."
The girls laughed even louder, the sound almost deafening. The leader of the group turned her attention back to Aria, eyes gleaming with malicious fun.
"I heard you guys are trying hard to get to us at GHSS. So sad. Dream on, baby."
With a final laugh, the girls walked away, leaving the tension in the air.
Aria sat there, completely confused. What just happened? Why the sudden hostility? The mocking laughter still echoed in her ears. The rest of the group, on the other hand, was simmering with anger.
Sona's eyes were narrowed, and Danvy clenched her fist, clearly irritated. Aria could feel their anger radiating.
"Don't worry about them," Sona muttered, her voice low.
Aria sighed, still trying to make sense of it all.