When I Met Him Again

As Aryan gave Aanya a sly smile across the breakfast table, she instantly looked away, her cheeks warming in embarrassment.

His mother furrowed her brows. "Do you have any idea about this, Aryan?"

He glanced at Aanya, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. She panicked internally.

Just as she opened her mouth, Aryan spoke first. "I ate it."

Aanya's eyes widened. What?

His mother turned to him. "Aryan, you ate again last night?"

Aryan nodded with a small smirk. "Yes. I was hungry."

Prerna raised an eyebrow. "But, Brother… you never eat late night."

Aanya turned to Aryan, equally stunned.

Aryan shrugged. "I felt hungry last night. What could I do?"

Aanya smiled quietly to herself, touched by his lie.

Prerna narrowed her eyes. "Wait a second... you said you ate. Then why were there two spoons?"

Aanya froze again.

Aryan hesitated for a beat, then replied smoothly. "Actually, one spoon fell down, so I had to take another one. That's why there were two spoons."

Prerna tilted her head. "Really? Hmm."

Aryan grinned. "Prerna, stop interrogating me like I'm a criminal. I'm getting late."

His mom nodded. "Beta, you work hard. It's okay to get hungry. I'm glad you ate."

Prerna huffed. "I was just asking."

Aanya bit her lip, barely holding back her laugh. She was impressed… and touched.

Then Aryan's mom turned to her. "Aanya, eat well today. You skipped dinner last night."

Aryan suddenly coughed. Aanya looked at him sharply.

His mom handed him a glass of water. "Aryan? Are you okay?"

He sipped water quickly, then peeked at Aanya, who caught his glance and smirked knowingly.

Later, in the car

Aanya asked, "Mr. Aryan, I don't understand how aunty remembered every single thing she put in the fridge."

Aryan chuckled. "She's sharp. But I told her I ate it. That's all."

She turned to him, grinning. "Really? Mr. Aryan, you're terrible at lying."

"What? I said I ate, and they believed it."

"Oh, please."Did you not see how Prerna questioned you? You never eat at night, and yet you claimed you did."

Aryan said. "By the way, I did eat… with you. So it wasn't a complete lie."

Aanya smiled. "I'm sorry, Mr. Aryan. I didn't know you usually don't eat late. I asked you to eat with me."

He glanced at her. "Don't be. I was hungry."

Aanya's heart fluttered at his soft tone. She turned away, smiling shyly.

"And one more thing…" she asked, hesitantly. "Why did you cough when Aunty told me to eat more?"

Aryan cleared his throat. "It wasn't because of you. Something got stuck in my throat."

She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

He gave her a guilty look.

At the College - Principal's Office

Inside, the room was tense. Aryan sat, Aanya, Rhea, and her two friends stood before the principal.

"Rhea," the principal said sternly, "do you realize how serious this is? Ragging is strictly prohibited. And you thought locking a student in a classroom was funny?"

Rhea lowered her gaze. Her friends stood in awkward silence.

The principal turned to Aryan. "Mr. Mehra, I deeply apologize. We have no idea Aanya was your relative."

Aryan's voice was calm but firm. "You don't have to apologize to me, sir. This didn't happen to me—it happened to her."

He looked at Aanya.

The principal turned to her. "Aanya, I'm sorry. I didn't expect this kind of behavior from them.

He faced the three girls again. "All of you are suspended immediately. Bring your parents."

Rhea gasped. Aanya too was stunned.

"Sir, please!" Rhea begged. "Give us one chance. We won't repeat this."

Rhea looked at Aanya with teary eyes. "You always said everyone deserves a second chance. Please… please say something Aanya."

Aanya hesitated. Her heart tugged.

Then she softly said, "Sir… please don't suspend them. Just give one chance."

Aryan turned sharply to her. Their eyes met.

The room fell silent.

At home, the storm had calmed—but something had shifted in the silence.

End of Chapter 11