The morning sunlight streamed through my window, casting a golden glow across my room. I groaned, turning my back to the light, snuggling deeper into my blanket. Just five more minutes. The bed was too warm, too comfortable. There was no way I was leaving it. 

"Rhea! Get up, or you'll be late for your first day!" My mom’s voice rang through the room as she yanked open the curtains. 

I groaned again, pulling the blanket over my head. "Maa, just five minutes," I mumbled. 

"Five minutes? That’s what you said ten minutes ago!" she scolded, placing her hands on her hips. 

Before I could respond, another voice chimed in. "If she doesn’t want to go, let her sleep. She’ll regret it when she has to run to school with an empty stomach." 

I peeked out and saw my elder sister, Anaya, standing at the door with a smug smile. 

"Shut up, didi," I grumbled. 

Anaya smirked. "Why? I’m just telling the truth. Also, don’t take too long in the bathroom. I need to get ready too." 

"You’re going to college, not school. You have enough time!" 

"Still, I don’t want you hogging the bathroom!" she shot back. 

"Ugh, you’re so annoying!" I threw my pillow at her, but she dodged it easily. 

"Enough, both of you!" Maa rubbed her temples. "Rhea, get up right now, or I’ll bring your Papa!" 

At that, my eyes widened. "No need for that!" I immediately sat up. 

My father was the sweetest, but when it came to discipline, he was scarier than my mother. And if I didn’t wake up soon, he would come in with his strict no-nonsense look, and I’d have no choice but to obey. 

Maa sighed. "Go freshen up. And don’t take forever." 

Anaya smirked. "See? You only listen when Papa’s name is mentioned." 

I stuck my tongue out at her before rushing to the bathroom. 

By the time I came out, my Dadu (grandfather) and Dadi (grandmother) were sitting at the dining table, sipping tea. 

"Ah, look who's finally awake," Dadu teased, folding his newspaper. 

"First day and still sleeping in? What will happen when exams start?" Dadi shook her head. 

I pouted. "Dadu, Dadi, you both always take Maa’s side!" 

Dadu chuckled. "We take the side of discipline, beta." 

Before I could argue, my father walked in, already dressed in his formal clothes for work. "Is everyone ready?" he asked. Then his gaze landed on me. "You still haven’t had breakfast?" 

"I was just about to eat!" I rushed to the table, not wanting another scolding. 

Maa placed a plate of hot parathas in front of me, along with a glass of milk. I brightened at the smell of the food but frowned at the milk. 

"Do I really have to drink this?" I whined. 

"Yes," Maa said firmly. 

"But it’s so—" 

"Drink it, Rhea," Papa said, his voice leaving no room for argument. 

I sighed and chugged the milk in one go, making a face. Anaya snickered beside me. "Aww, poor baby Rhea." 

I elbowed her. "At least I don’t spend an hour just doing my eyeliner." 

She gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? My eyeliner is perfect!" 

"Yeah, because you take forever to do it." 

"Girls!" Papa interrupted, shaking his head. "Enough of your fights this early in the morning." 

I stuck my tongue out at Anaya, who did the same before flipping her hair like she had won some grand battle. 

After finishing breakfast, Maa handed me my schoolbag. "Everything is packed. I checked your books last night. Now, don’t forget anything, and behave yourself." 

I rolled my eyes. "Maa, I’m not a kid!" 

"Even if you are kid.. you are adopted!. Tumhe pta hai tumhe kachre ke dabbe se uta ke laye the??" Anaya teased. 

[You know, you were brought from a dustbin!]

"Haan toh jab khud ki aulad kisi kaam ki na ho toh  adopt hi krna prega!" I replied and turned  and turned to my Dadu and dadi hugged them for blessings. 

"Mummaaa!" Anaya shouted but I ignored

"Study well, beta," Dadi said, patting my head. 

"Be confident, but don’t get into trouble," Dadu added. 

"She and trouble go hand in hand," Anaya mumbled. 

I shot her a glare, but before I could reply, the auto honked outside. 

Papa looked at me. "Do you have everything?" 

"Yes, Papa!" 

"Good. Now go. And call me if you need anything," he said. 

Maa gave me a soft smile. "Take care, beta." 

"I will!" I grinned, stepping outside. 

As I got into the Car, I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. My first day of 11th grade. New subjects, new teachers… and of course, new adventures.....

So before I enter my college let me introduce myself..

Life looks perfect from the outside. A big house, luxury cars, and the best school in India—one where no one is poor because only the elite can afford it. Sounds like a dream, right? Well, not for me.

I’m Rhea Sharma, 16 years old, currently drowning in the medical stream, not because I want to, but because my parents decided my future for me. My father Rakesh sharma —— a renowned surgeon, and my mother Nikita sharma ——a top neurologist, expect nothing less than perfection. My older sister Anaya is already studying dentistry, and me? Well, I’m just another piece in their perfect puzzle, except I don’t fit.

I don’t dream of being a doctor. I don’t want to spend my life buried under medical books, diagnosing people, or holding a scalpel.

But in my family, dreams don’t matter—only expectations do. So here I am, memorizing biology terms I don’t care about, sitting in classrooms filled with students who are either obsessed with grades or with flaunting their wealth.

This school? It’s a world of its own. Everyone here is rich—luxury brands, personal drivers, extravagant vacations—nothing impresses anyone anymore because we’ve all seen it. Some of my classmates are future CEOs, some are heirs to billion-dollar businesses, and some are like me—trapped in a life they didn’t choose.

But I wonder… is this all life is? A script written by our parents, with no room for changes? Or is there something waiting for me outside this suffocating bubble?

We will talk about me later, because I have reached my school!.

The familiar, sleek black car rolled to a stop at the entrance of St. Monarch’s Academy, the elite prison—I mean, school—where every student dripped money, privilege, and (mostly) parental expectations. 

Sighing, I pushed open the car door and stepped out, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. The morning sun reflected off the line of luxury cars dropping off students, as if we were attending some high-profile gala instead of just another school year filled with never-ending lectures and the overwhelming smell of expensive perfumes. 

I strolled toward the reception, where a neatly dressed receptionist handed me my ID card, schedule, and a bunch of unnecessary pamphlets about ‘school values’—as if anyone here actually cared about those. 

Just as I was shoving everything into my bag, a familiar voice chirped from behind me. 

"Rheaaa! Finally, you’re here! I was about to send a search party." 

I turned to see my best friend, Saanvi Kapoor, looking effortlessly gorgeous as usual—hair in perfect waves, designer sneakers, and a smirk that suggested she had already stirred up some drama this morning. 

I rolled my eyes. "Relax, drama queen. I’m literally five minutes late." 

She scoffed, linking her arm with mine. "Five minutes late in this school means missing at least two scandals. Anyway, let’s skip the sentimental crap. We’re going to the canteen first, right?" 

I snorted. "Obviously. My stomach comes before education." 

We turned toward the canteen, dodging groups of students either flexing their summer vacations in the Maldives or gossiping about who got the latest sports car for their birthday. Ah yes, another normal day at St. Monarch’s. 

Halfway to the canteen, a loud, familiar "Oi, losers!" made us pause. 

Oh god. Here comes chaos. 

We turned just in time to see Aarav Mehta storming toward us, looking slightly out of breath, as if he—oh wait, yeah, he definitely just got into a fight. His shirt was slightly wrinkled, his knuckles had a faint bruise, and his expression screamed ‘I just punched someone and I have no regrets.’ 

"Who did you fight this time?" I asked, crossing my arms. 

He grinned. "Some idiot from the senior batch who thought he could flex his dad’s money and call me a ‘brainless thug.’" 

Saanvi gasped. "Did you punch him?!" 

He smirked. "No. I educated him with my fists." 

I groaned. "You’re going to get expelled one day, and I won’t even be surprised." 

He waved me off. "Please, this school would rather set itself on fire than expel the child of my mafia—I mean, influential family." 

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, we were heading to the canteen. Want to join us, or are you too busy terrorizing people?" 

He slung an arm around both of us. "Please, terrorizing people is my hobby. Food, however, is my priority." 

Laughing, the three of us headed toward the canteen, where our tragic school life would officially begin… again.

Armed with our life-saving snacks—chips, Mentos, and coffee bites—we finally left the canteen and headed toward… well, that was the problem. 

"Uh, where exactly is our classroom?" Saanvi asked, frowning as she unwrapped her Mentos. 

I turned to Aarav, expecting an answer, but he just shrugged. "No clue. Not my problem." 

I sighed dramatically. "Seriously? It’s not like this school has ten floors. Pre-primary is on the ground floor. Classes one to eight are on the first. Nine to twelve are on the second. Basic common sense, guys." 

Saanvi gave me a flat look. "Wrong." 

I blinked. "Excuse me?" 

She gestured with her Mentos like a teacher making a point. "Labs, rehearsal rooms, and all the extra-curricular stuff are on the second floor. Our classrooms? Not there." 

Aarav whistled. "Damn, Rhea. You failed at basic school navigation. Your parents will be disappointed." 

I smacked his arm. "Shut up, Aarav. If it’s not on the second, then we should go to the third floor, right?" 

"Third in which block?" Saanvi questioned, raising an eyebrow. 

Aarav shoved chips into his mouth. "Uhh… Block A?" 

I immediately shook my head. "Block A is for the staff and admin office." 

Saanvi crossed her arms. "So… Block B?" 

I frowned, trying to remember. "Block B is for indoor games, I think?" 

Aarav gasped dramatically. "Of course! How did we forget? We spent half our lives in that carrom and ludo room." 

Saanvi groaned. "So, not Block B either. That leaves…" 

"Block C?" Aarav suggested, sounding only 50% sure. 

I squinted at him. "Are you guessing, or do you actually know?" 

He gave me a wide grin. "Little bit of both." 

"Great. We’re officially lost," Saanvi muttered, popping another Mentos in her mouth. 

"Okay, geniuses, instead of standing here debating school geography, let's just head to Block C and find out," I said, already turning in that direction. 

Aarav threw an arm around both of us. "Worst case scenario? We end up in some mysterious dungeon where the school hides failed students." 

Saanvi rolled her eyes. "I swear, if we’re late because of you two, I’m blaming Aarav." 

"Fair," I agreed. 

"Rude!" Aarav gasped. 

Laughing, we made our way to Block C still only 50% sure we were heading to the right place.

What was supposed to be a simple task—finding our classroom—turned into a 25-minute expedition through the endless halls of St. Monarch’s Academy. 

We wandered through the blocks like lost tourist, checking every corridor, peeking into random rooms, and arguing over whose memory was the worst. By the time we finally spotted Block C, we were already half dead. 

Saanvi groaned dramatically, dragging her feet. “God! Can’t they add an elevator? I am so tired!” 

Aarav smirked. “That’s not your dad’s school, princess.” 

Saanvi shot him a glare. “But my dad pays the fees!” 

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, both of you! Look—there’s our class!” 

The three of us froze, stared, and then looked at each other—processing the moment. 

“Finally!” we yelled in unison before pulling each other into a group hug, nearly knocking Aarav over. 

“Ugh, never again,” I muttered. 

Saanvi sighed in relief. “I swear, if I had to walk one more floor, I would have dropped out on the spot.” 

Aarav snorted. “Liar. You’d cry if your dad cut off your credit card.” 

Saanvi gasped. “Excuse me! My love for money and my hatred for walking are two separate things.” 

I shoved them both forward. “Shut up and move before we get another lecture about being late.” 

With our snacks still in hand and our energy levels at zero,we finally marched toward our classroom—ready to start the chaos of 11th grade. 

Just when we thought our struggle was over, we were rudely stopped right at the classroom door. 

A man stood in front of the class, arms crossed, his presence alone enough to suck the oxygen out of the hallway. The entire classroom was so silent—not even the sound of someone breathing. 

I barely caught a glimpse of him—tall, sharp features, a deadly aura surrounding him like a storm ready to strike. 

Saanvi, being the brave (or reckless) one, stepped forward. “May I come in, sir?”

His head tilted slightly, but his expression remained unreadable. 

"No. Out." 

Saanvi’s jaw dropped. "How rude—" 

Aarav, the overconfident idiot, smirked and decided to try his luck. "May I come in, sir?" 

"No."

His voice was deep, rough, and so cold it could freeze the sun. The kind of voice that didn’t need to be loud to be intimidating. 

Saanvi and Aarav exchanged nervous glances. This man was not normal. 

But me? Backing down wasn’t in my personality. 

I stepped forward, arms crossed. “And can you let me know the reason?” 

That got his attention. The mysterious teacher finally turned his head—his gaze piercing straight into mine.

If glares could kill, I would have been a corpse by now. 

His eyes held no patience, no mercy—just pure authority. 

His voice, low and lethal, cut through the silence. 

“Because you are exactly 36 minutes and 15 seconds late. Move out of the class. Now.”

The way he said it made my skin prickle. Who even counts seconds like that?! 

I huffed. "Sir, we were just finding our class! It’s not our fault!"

I expected him to at least consider my argument, maybe let us off with a warning. 

Instead, his jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened further 

Oh no. This man was trouble.

I sighed, looking around. This was going absolutely nowhere. 

Saanvi, still hopeful, clasped her hands together like she was praying to the gods. “Sir, we won’t repeat it. Let us in this once. It’s our first day!” 

She sounded so sincere that even I thought he might reconsider. 

But the teacher didn’t even blink. His expression remained cold, unimpressed. “No. Out. Don’t waste my class time.” 

His voice was sharp, like a blade cutting through the heavy silence. The classroom remained eerily quiet, as if no one even dared to breathe in his presence. 

Aarav, ever the opportunist, decided to try his luck next. He straightened his shoulders, putting on what I could only describe as his gentleman act. “It’s okay, sir. I’ll stand outside, but let the girls in. It doesn’t look good, girls standing out.” 

I rolled my eyes internally. Classic Aarav.

The teacher finally turned his head slightly, his cold, piercing gaze landing on Aarav. 

"Then the girls should have come on time, like everyone else." 

His words were final, no room for argument. His voice carried a kind of authority that did not invite defiance—it demanded obedience. 

Saanvi and Aarav fell silent, completely out of words. 

I sighed again, shaking my head. “Forget it. Let’s just go to the canteen. We’ll come back after this period.” 

But Saanvi wasn’t giving up. She took a deep breath and, in the most desperate voice I had ever heard her use, pleaded, “Sir, please. I’m really sorry. I won’t repeat it.” 

For a second, I thought he was going to ignore her completely. 

Then, finally, with what seemed like an impatient sigh, he said, “Fine. Last warning. Get back to your seats.” 

Without wasting a second, we rushed into the class before he could change his mind. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding and immediately made my way toward the back benches, my safe haven. 

Just as I was about to sit— 

“You. Miss Ponytail. Come forward.” 

Silence. 

The whole class collectively stopped breathing. 

I blinked. Did I hear that right? 

I turned slowly. "Me?" 

His gaze was sharp, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Yes, you. First bench.” 

Oh, no. 

No way. 

“Sir, please,” I tried again, forcing a polite smile. “I don’t sit there.” 

His expression didn’t change, his authority looming over me like a storm cloud.

“Either sit here, or get out.” 

His voice was low but firm, a quiet threat that somehow carried more weight than if he had yelled. 

I looked at Saanvi and Aarav for help, but they only gave me pity faces Useless.

I clenched my jaw. No one had ever spoken to me like this before. And now, on the first day, this new, mysterious teacher had decided to make an example out of me? 

Fine. If he wanted to push, I would push back. 

I grabbed my bag and, without another word, walked straight out of the class.

Gasps echoed behind me. 

Whispers started immediately. Did she just walk out?Is she crazy?No one has ever done that

I kept my head high, refusing to give this man the satisfaction of seeing me waver. 

His voice cut through the air like a whip. “Silence, everyone.” 

And then, his next words sent a shiver down my spine. 

"And you, Miss Ponytail. Meet me in my office after lunch. Out." 

I froze for just a second before forcing my feet to keep moving. 

I knew without turning around that every single pair of eyes in that room was watching me. 

Great. Just great.

Detention on the first day. 

This man? 

He was officially my worst enemy.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hello butterflies. 🦋

This is a new and first chapter of this book. Do like and comment on this. And let me know your view. What do you think about rhea?.

And I am not giving targets since it the starting of book!.

Hope you loved it.