The first thing you learn at St. Elara High is simple:
Don't look at the Four.
Don't breathe near them.
Don't accidentally exist in their radius.
Because the second you do, the entire school starts watching you like you just signed up for public humiliation.
They called them the Four Kings.
Not because they were student council geniuses or sports legends.
No.
Because this school was basically a mini-kingdom, and those four boys didn't just belong to it…
They owned it.
Even teachers acted polite around them.
Even security guards suddenly "forgot rules."
And girls?
Girls acted like common sense was optional.
"Bro, if he looks at me, I'll faint."
"He doesn't even blink at people. That's hot."
"He could ruin my life and I'd say thank you."
"I'm not delulu, I'm just emotionally loyal."
I hated everyone.
Not in a dramatic way.
In a realistic way.
Because while girls were out here worshipping boys who treated the world like it was their personal stage…
I was standing near the gate, counting coins in my palm, trying to figure out if I could afford the canteen samosa or if I should just drink water and pretend I'm a strong independent woman.
Spoiler: I was strong.
Independent?
Only because I had no other choice.
My name is Anshu.
Not the rich Anshu.
Not the "my dad is on the school board" Anshu.
I'm the Anshu whose uniform is always perfectly ironed, but only because my mother says, "If we don't have money, we'll at least have dignity."
My bag was old.
My shoes were clean, but the sole was giving up.
And my phone?
Let's just say it had commitment issues with the charging cable.
But I had one thing that didn't break easily:
My courage.
Which was honestly a curse.
Because courage in a school like this doesn't make you brave.
It makes you a target.
I stepped inside the campus, ready for another day of minding my own business, surviving on willpower, and avoiding drama like it was a contagious disease.
And then—
I saw them.
Near the main building stairs.
Four boys.
Four different types of trouble.
And a crowd of girls around them, acting like oxygen was optional as long as they got to stand close.
There were whispers everywhere.
"Rai is here."
"No, look—Zayn too."
"Omggg Armaan's smiling, I'm done."
"Wait… Kian is in a mood. Someone's dying today."
I didn't want to look.
I did anyway.
Because the universe loves testing me like I'm a free trial.
Rai Suryavanshi was leaning against the railing like the school belonged to him.
Sharp face. Calm eyes. Expensive watch. That effortless rich-boy energy like he'd never waited in a line in his life.
Next to him—laughing like he wasn't dangerous—was Armaan Kapoor, the type of boy who could flirt with a wall and the wall would blush.
Then there was Zayn Malhotra, who looked like he didn't care about anything, but somehow everyone cared about him.
And lastly…
Kian Raizada.
The villain.
Not officially, obviously.
But if evil had a school uniform, it would look like him.
His eyes were cold.
His smile was rare.
And when he did smile?
Something bad usually followed.
And right now, Kian was standing in front of a boy from Class 9.
A small boy.
Nervous. Cornered. Backpack clutched tight.
The poor kid looked like he was trying not to cry.
Kian's voice carried just enough for people to hear.
"You dropped it," he said, holding a wallet between two fingers like it disgusted him.
The boy's voice shook. "S-sir… it's mine…"
Kian tilted his head slightly, amused.
"And?"
The boy swallowed. "Can I… please have it back?"
Kian didn't move.
The crowd of girls giggled like this was entertainment.
Someone whispered, "He's so savage."
My stomach twisted.
That wasn't savage.
That was disgusting.
The boy reached forward, hands trembling.
Kian pulled the wallet away at the last second.
The kid flinched.
I saw it clearly.
The fear.
The humiliation.
And something inside me snapped so cleanly it felt quiet.
I didn't even think.
I just walked forward.
Straight through the crowd.
Straight into the danger zone.
Girls stared like I was committing a crime.
"Who is she?"
"Is she… going near them?"
"Bro does she wanna die?"
"Wait—she's not even pretty-rich, she's just… brave-poor."
I reached them.
Stopped right in front of Kian.
And said, loud enough for everyone:
"Give it back."
The entire world paused.
Like even the wind stopped to gossip.
Kian blinked slowly.
Armaan's smile vanished.
Zayn's eyebrows lifted.
Rai's eyes sharpened like he'd finally found something interesting.
Kian looked down at me like I was a new species.
"What did you say?" he asked, voice soft.
That soft villain voice.
The "I'm calm but I might ruin you" voice.
I didn't flinch.
"I said," I repeated, even clearer, "give him his wallet back. Right now."
Kian stared at me for a second, then smiled.
Not a nice smile.
A "this is going to be fun" smile.
"And who are you?" he asked.
I didn't drop my gaze.
"Someone who doesn't watch bullying like it's a show."
A few girls gasped like I'd slapped their religion.
Kian laughed under his breath, almost impressed.
"You think this is bullying?"
I pointed at the boy. "He looks terrified."
Kian's smile faded just a little.
Rai finally spoke—his voice calm, controlled.
"Anshu," he said.
My heart jumped.
I didn't know why he was saying my name like he already owned the syllables.
I turned my head slightly. "Do I know you?"
Rai didn't answer.
He just looked at me like I was… a problem he wanted to solve.
Armaan leaned closer to Zayn and murmured, "Oh wow. She's cute-angry."
Zayn muttered back, "She's bold. That's worse."
I ignored them.
My focus stayed on Kian.
"Give it back," I said again.
Kian looked at the wallet, then at the boy, then back at me.
And then he did something that made my blood boil.
He held the wallet out toward the boy again.
The kid reached for it.
Kian dropped it.
It fell to the ground.
Right between them.
Like the boy was a dog being trained to fetch.
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
I stepped forward instantly, bent down, picked up the wallet myself, and placed it gently into the boy's hands.
"There," I said. "Go."
The boy nodded fast, whispering, "Thank you," before practically running away.
And now…
It was just me.
And the Four Kings.
And about two hundred students watching like this was the most exciting thing that had happened all year.
Kian stared at me in silence.
I stared back.
No one spoke.
Then Kian stepped closer.
One step.
Then another.
He was tall.
Too tall.
The kind of tall that makes people uncomfortable on purpose.
He looked down at me like he was trying to decide whether to laugh… or destroy me.
"You've got guts," he said quietly.
I lifted my chin. "I've got principles."
Kian's eyes darkened.
Rai's voice cut in, calm but sharp:
"Kian."
Kian didn't look away from me.
He smiled again, this time slower.
"You're poor," he said, casually, like it was a fact he tasted on his tongue.
The crowd went dead.
Even the girls stopped giggling.
My throat tightened.
But I didn't show it.
I smiled back.
"Yeah," I said. "And you're rich."
I stepped closer—just enough that he couldn't ignore me.
"But money doesn't buy class," I added. "It just makes your attitude louder."
A whisper ran through the crowd like wildfire.
"She cooked him…"
"She actually cooked him—"
"No way—"
"He's gonna end her—"
Kian's smile vanished completely.
His eyes went cold.
And in that moment, I knew I'd crossed a line.
Not a school line.
A life line.
Rai stepped forward.
Finally.
He looked at me.
Then at Kian.
Then back at me.
His voice was quiet, but it carried power.
"You're brave," he said to me, almost like it annoyed him.
I rolled my eyes. "I didn't ask for a review."
Armaan let out a short laugh, like he couldn't help it.
Zayn smirked once and looked away like he was trying not to enjoy this.
Kian stared at Rai for one second—like they had a silent conversation made of ego and warning signs.
Then Kian looked back at me.
His voice dropped, slow and dangerous.
"You'll regret this," he said.
I didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Didn't back off.
"I regret nothing," I replied.
Kian leaned slightly closer, just enough that only I could hear the last part.
"This school doesn't protect girls like you," he whispered. "It watches them break."
My skin turned cold.
But my voice stayed steady.
"Then I'll break the school first."
That was the moment.
The moment everything changed.
Because Rai Suryavanshi's eyes flicked to my face—sharp, focused.
Like he wasn't watching a fight anymore.
He was watching a beginning.
Armaan looked at me like he'd just found a new obsession.
Zayn looked like he was finally awake.
And Kian?
Kian looked like he'd just found his favorite enemy.
The bell rang.
Loud.
Violent.
The crowd scattered like the universe pressed play again.
Girls rushed past me, whispering excitedly.
"That poor girl has no fear…"
"She spoke to Kian like that???"
"She's dead."
"No, she's iconic."
"She's so… main character."
I turned to leave.
I had done what I needed to do.
I didn't want attention.
I didn't want drama.
I didn't want any of them.
But before I could step away—
Rai's voice came from behind me.
Calm. Smooth. Too close.
"Anshu."
I stopped.
Didn't turn.
"What?" I replied.
Rai spoke softly.
"You just declared war."
I finally turned around.
His eyes were unreadable.
My heartbeat betrayed me.
I forced a smile anyway.
"Good," I said. "I was bored."
And I walked away.
But I could feel it.
All four of them watching me.
Like the school's kings had just met the one girl who didn't bow.
And the worst part?
The most terrifying part?
Somewhere deep inside my chest…
My heart whispered the truth before my brain could deny it:
This wasn't going to end quietly.
Not with four boys like that.
Not with a girl like me.
Not after I interrupted them.
Not after I challenged him.
Not after the whole school saw it.
Because now…
The Four Kings knew my name.
And the entire school was about to make my life a headline.