When Topper meets Trouble

Author's Pov

Class 12-A of was the kind of classroom where dreams, hopes, and neatly combed hair came to die—especially by 10 AM. The room was alive with beautiful chaos: someone listening to songs where the smartphones weren't allowed , someone else was speed-copying homework like their life depended on it (it kinda did), and the AC made more noise than it gave cooling.

Aditya Malhotra—the boy with ruffled hair, lazy charm, and a face that looked like it had been custom-designed to ruin schoolgirls’ concentration.

 
Aditya didn’t walk. He strolled for five minutes late, like time bent itself around his aura. The class didn’t blink. They were used to it.

“Wow,” muttered Kabir Sharma, his best friend and unofficial manager of his nonsense. “Only five minutes late today. Are you dying?”

Aditya slumped into his chair in the last row, arms out like he owned the bench. “I was early. But I stopped to admire myself in the mirror.... Priorities.”

Kabir rolled his eyes, flipping through his manga  “One day, your ego will need its own Aadhaar card.”

“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Kabir.”

In the middle of this academic jungle sat Aarohi Sen, our topper . The type of student who arrives five minutes early, adjusts her desk , arranges her pens and books. 

The Ideal one , of course .

Beside her was the only person who could drag her into chaos: Ishita Ahujha—best friend, life coach, mango juice addict, and part-time devil's advocate. 

The total opposite personality of our Aarohi.

Ishita was everything Aarohi wasn't. Loud. Funny. Confident in that "I didn't study but will still top somehow" way.
She was sipping her third box of mango juice, like vitamin C could replace the actual effort.

“I swear,” Aarohi whispered, clutching her notebook like a lifeline, “if we’re getting project partners today, I’m jumping out the window.”

Ishita, halfway through her third juice box mentally smirked and  said, “You say that… but imagine if you get paired with Aditya Malhotra.”

Aarohi choked on air. “That boy doesn’t know what a textbook looks like.”

“And yet he knows what abs look like. Life is balanced.”

Before Aarohi could commit a murder via pencil stab, the classroom door slammed open.

Their class teacher entered.  Certified killer of teenage joy.

“Group project time,” she announced, without mercy. “Names are on the board. No swaps. No drama. No complaints.  ”

A unified groan rose from the class.

Aditya sat up straighter, only mildly interested. “Watch me get paired with someone who actually likes school.”

Karan didn’t look up. “That’s 90% of this room. You’re the endangered species here.”

Aarohi squinted at the board.

First few names went by. Average reactions. A few groans. A few whispered “God, no.”

Then came the thunderbolt.

Her name.

Next to his.

Aarohi Sen & Aditya Malhotra

She blinked.

Aditya Malhotra? Seriously?

Ishita gasped like she’d witnessed a plot twist on a K-drama. “Oh. My. God. Manifestation works!”

Aarohi’s soul left her body.

At the back, Aditya blinked at the board.
"Wait - Who the hell is... ? He tilted his head . "You’re in this class?”

Aarohi raised an eyebrow calm and deadly  " When did you  pass your 11th?”

Karan choked on laughter.

Ishita snorted. “God is real.”

Aditya turned to Aarohi with that smirk again. “Guess I’ll be needing a pen, Topper.”

She didn’t miss a beat.
“Don’t worry. I’m considering poisoning mine.”

The class oohed like they were watching live theatre.
Mrs. Sharma, unfazed by the chaos, continued reading the list like she’d seen this movie before.

Aditya studied her face properly now. Maybe for the first time ever.

And for once, Aarohi didn’t look away.

She met his eyes. Cool. Steady. Unimpressed.

And in that moment—

Game on.

--------

Do vote , comment and share

Pls do tell how is it . Did you like it ??