The next day, when Aria reached class, the room was completely empty. The silence wrapped around her like a fog. She stepped in quietly, her shoes echoing softly against the floor. Elara had promised to come early, but once again, she was nowhere to be seen. Probably overslept again, Aria thought, a flicker of irritation flashing through her mind.
She didn't feel hurt exactly, but she was definitely annoyed. In a school that still felt foreign, being alone like this didn't help. She slipped into her usual seat and pulled out her phone, scrolling through the screen just to pass time, but her mind kept going back to Elara. She said she'd be here. Why make a promise if she couldn't keep it?
A few quiet minutes passed before the door creaked open and broke the stillness. A group of boys entered, chatting and laughing among themselves. They looked surprised to see her already there but quickly smiled and waved.
One of them—tall, lean, and with soft brown hair—walked up to her first. "We didn't really get a chance to know each other yesterday," he said, offering a hand with a friendly grin.
Aria shut off her phone and looked up. His presence felt open and relaxed. She shook his hand politely. "Aria."
"I'm Nick," he replied. "Nice to finally talk to you properly."
Before their conversation could go further, the rest of the boys followed him toward her seat.
"I'm Ryan," another one said with a wink, leaning casually against the desk next to hers. "You've got quite the mysterious aura, Aria."
"Don't listen to him," the next boy said, stepping forward with a polite smile. "I'm Zayn. He's always dramatic. It's nice to meet you."
"Jayden," another introduced himself with a slight nod. "We've heard a lot about you already. You've got the whole class curious."
"And I'm Leo," the last one added with a charming grin, adjusting his sleeves. "Aria—pretty name for a pretty girl."
Aria blinked, trying not to laugh at the sudden shift in energy. Ryan and Leo were clearly the flirty ones, their words a little too smooth, but not in an uncomfortable way. Zayn, Nick, and Jayden, on the other hand, seemed more grounded—respectful, gentlemanly.
It was odd, but refreshing. Instead of feeling like an outsider, she suddenly felt included… even wanted. And though Elara was late, maybe this day wasn't going to be so bad after all.
Elara's POV
Today was totally frustrating. One thing after another just kept going wrong. I woke up late, got yelled at by Mom for my low marks, then a stupid car splashed dirty water all over my uniform—and now, I'm late for school.
Why does everything bad always happen to me?
Oh no! I just remembered—I promised Aria I'd come early today. I glanced at my watch. It was already 9 AM. She's definitely in class by now, probably waiting for me. I need to hurry or she'll kill me!
I ran toward our classroom, and as I got closer, I heard laughter and cheerful voices coming from inside. The kind that could only belong to my idiotic classmates. I stopped in my tracks for a second. Ugh. Those boys... of course.
And then it hit me—Aria is in there. Alone. With them.
My heart sped up. I rushed inside, ready to rescue her like some dramatic movie scene, but what I saw made me freeze.
There she was, my Aria, laughing with them.
I stormed toward the group, their cheerful faces quickly turning confused. Without saying a word, I grabbed Aria by the waist and pulled her outside the classroom.
"What the hell are you doing?!" I half-shouted.
She blinked at me, genuinely confused. "What?"
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from those perverts? They'll take advantage of you, I'm sure!"
She stared back at me and responded calmly, but firmly. "Didn't you promise to come early today? I came to class and sat there all alone. And now you're blaming me for talking to my classmates?"
I wanted to argue—but she was right. I was the one who broke the promise. Still, I couldn't help feeling worried. I knew those boys. I'd tried to be friendly with them once, and they misunderstood me completely. I didn't want Aria to walk the same painful path I did. I knew what their intentions had been—at least back then.
Suddenly, Nick stepped forward.
"Sorry for interrupting, but Elara," he began gently, "I know you're upset because Aria talked to us. But I want to clear the air. Back then, when you tried to be friends with us, we thought you were... interested in us. We totally misunderstood your intentions."
He looked down for a moment, then back at me with sincerity.
"We judged you unfairly. And maybe our behavior made you think we were bad people. But today, Aria taught us a big lesson. She treated us with kindness, not suspicion. And because of that, we've changed. From now on, both of you will be under our protection. We'd like to be good friends."
His words hit me hard.
For so long, I'd been alone in that classroom—avoided, judged, misunderstood. I tried to be kind, but they took it the wrong way. And that left scars.
Maybe I was too harsh with Aria.
And maybe, just maybe… these boys weren't the same anymore.
The rest of the boys came out of the class and stood in front of me. One by one, they all apologized, which honestly left me a little shocked. Maybe they really did regret their past behavior… or maybe Aria had done something that made these jerks finally feel remorse. Either way, I smiled. And the moment Aria saw me smile, she jumped in joy. All the boys let out a loud cheer, voices full of excitement. Now, we were a team. This—this was what I had dreamed of for so long. Thank you, Aria.
Lunch Break
Aria's POV
Me, Elara, Tanya, and Natasha were sitting in the canteen. Elara had gone to order the food. After today's incident, I was sure—if I left too, Elara wouldn't be alone. She now had the whole class as her friends. That gave me peace. I could go to SVS with a happy heart. Thank you, Elara.
When will Uncle prepare my admission...?
"Here comes the food!" Elara said cheerfully, arriving with a tray full of food. We were all happy. Me too. I just hoped I'd find good friends in SVS like I did here.
I took my plate while Tanya and Natasha were talking about something I had zero interest in. Elara, on the other hand, was busy changing the names of the boys' contacts in her phone.
Suddenly, a loud noise erupted near the canteen entrance as a bunch of boys rushed toward the door. I saw Elara roll her eyes. I turned around—and that's when I saw them.
Three girls were walking in like they owned the place—elegant, beautiful, and confident. Their presence screamed attention.
"This is Mira," Elara whispered beside me.
" The one in the centre is mira on the left it's Mehar in the right it's anvi " Tanya silently added .
They are coming towards us.
"So you're that Aria," Mira said, raising one eyebrow.
She had straight brown hair, styled perfectly. Her makeup was done beautifully—like a pro. Though she wore the same uniform as us, hers looked quite different. Her skirt was slightly shorter than usual, and instead of the school's regular coat, she wore a white woolen one that looked expensive. She had classy ornaments, and every move of hers was precise—like an idol on stage. But her tone? Rude and overly dramatic.
"Yes? What's the matter?" I asked in a confused tone.
"Do you really think you're something just because a bunch of foolish boys named you queen?" Anvi snapped before Mira could reply. "Mira is the only queen here. Those boys are just some poor losers who got rejected by us."
Anvi had thick makeup on, her lips painted a bright, screaming red. She chewed gum as she spoke, adding to the arrogance in her voice. Her uniform was tight—more like a bodycon dress—clearly meant to show off her figure. She wore loud, flashy ornaments in colors like green, yellow, and red, completely clashing with the school uniform. But with the way she spoke, it was obvious she considered herself one of the school's "beauties."
"So?" I asked calmly
Mira narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Girls like you show up out of nowhere and think you can steal the spotlight. Newsflash, Aria—popularity isn't earned in a day."
I stood up slowly, my voice calm but cutting. "I didn't ask for your spotlight. Maybe if you were a little less obsessed with power and more focused on being a decent human, people wouldn't run from you."
Anvi scoffed. "Oh please. You're just hiding behind your little cheer squad."
"Cheer squad?" Natasha smirked, stepping forward. "Sweetheart, I'm a boxer. I don't cheer—I knock out."
Tanya leaned against the table, tilting her head. "Funny how the 'queens' of the school are so scared of one new girl. Insecurity doesn't look good on you."
Mehar tried to butt in, but Elara cut her off. "Oh hush, Mehar. We all know you're just here to nod and laugh at Mira's lame insults. Try thinking for yourself for once."
Mira's face turned red with rage. Her fake smile cracked. "You'll regret crossing me."
I smiled. "Then bring it. But next time, come with something more than empty threats and cheap glitter."
Mira's smile faded into a cold, threatening glare. She stepped closer, her voice low but sharp enough to cut glass. "Enjoy your little moment, Aria. Because it won't last. The crown always finds its way back to the real queen." Her words hung in the air like a blade.
With a dramatic toss of her hair, she turned around and started walking away, her heels clicking confidently on the floor.
But Anvi wasn't done yet. She leaned closer with a sneer, popping her gum loudly. "Hope you like drama, newbie. 'Cause you just invited it."
Mehar folded her arms and smirked. "Don't get too comfy with your new gang. Let's see how long it lasts."
Tanya rolled her eyes. "You done with your extra? Go fix your foundation, it's cracking as hard as your attitude."
Elara laughed under her breath. "Bye-bye, drama queens."
Natasha simply stared them down, arms crossed, unbothered as ever. "Come back when you're ready to say something that actually matters."
The three girls turned and walked off, but the tension lingered. I looked at my friends and smiled. Whatever Mira and her minions were planning, I knew one thing—I wasn't alone. Not anymore.