The Boy I Already Hated
Aadhya’s POV
The gates of Asteria Academy were bigger than I had imagined.
Actually, everything about this place was bigger than I had imagined.
The buildings.
The gardens.
The number of expensive cars parked outside.
And definitely the people.
I stood there with my suitcase beside me, staring at the huge stone building in front of me.
Asteria Academy.
The most expensive boarding academy in the country.
And somehow...
I had made it here.
On a scholarship.
I looked down at my simple black shoes and then at the girls walking past me in perfect uniforms, laughing like they had never worried about money in their lives.
I took a deep breath.
“Okay, Aadhya. You earned this.”
I tightened my grip on my suitcase.
“No matter what happens, don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t belong here.”
That was the plan.
Walk in.
Study.
Keep my head down.
Get through the year.
And leave.
Simple.
Or at least that’s what I thought.
Until I walked into the main hall.
The entire place suddenly became quiet.
Not completely.
But enough for me to notice.
I followed everyone’s gaze.
A group of boys walked down the stairs.
They were laughing and talking among themselves.
Except for one.
He walked in the middle.
Tall.
Messy dark hair.
His uniform wasn’t even properly worn. His tie was loose and the first button of his shirt was undone.
And yet somehow...
Everyone moved out of his way.
A boy beside me whispered,
“That’s Rudra Malhotra.”
I frowned.
“Who?”
The boy looked at me like I had just asked him who the Prime Minister was.
“You’re new, aren’t you?”
“Obviously.”
He lowered his voice.
“Rudra is basically untouchable here.”
I looked back at him.
Rudra Malhotra.
He didn’t look like someone who needed people to move out of his way.
He looked like someone who expected it.
His eyes suddenly lifted.
And met mine.
For a second, neither of us looked away.
Then his eyes travelled down to my suitcase.
Then back to my face.
His expression changed.
Not much.
Just enough.
Like he had already decided something about me.
He walked straight towards me.
I stood there.
Why is he coming here?
He stopped a few feet away.
“You’re blocking the way.”
I looked behind me.
There was an entire empty hallway.
I looked back at him.
“I’m not.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“You are.”
I crossed my arms.
“Then walk around.”
The boys behind him went silent.
Someone actually whispered,
“She’s dead.”
I almost laughed.
Rudra stared at me.
For the first time, I noticed his eyes properly.
Cold.
Annoyingly calm.
And completely unimpressed.
“You must be the scholarship student.”
There it was.
That tone.
I hated it instantly.
“And you must be the boy who thinks the whole school belongs to him.”
One of his friends coughed to hide a laugh.
Rudra’s jaw tightened.
“Careful.”
“Why?”
I tilted my head.
“Will you complain to the principal?”
He took one step closer.
“No.”
His voice dropped.
“I don’t need to.”
Before I could reply, a teacher came rushing towards us.
“Mr. Malhotra!”
Rudra immediately stepped back.
The teacher looked between us.
“Is there a problem?”
“No,” Rudra said.
I answered at the same time.
“Yes.”
He looked at me.
I looked at him.
The teacher sighed.
“Wonderful. It’s your first day and you’re already fighting.”
“I’m not fighting,” I said.
Rudra smirked.
“She started it.”
My mouth fell open.
“Excuse me?”
The teacher rubbed his forehead.
“Both of you. Enough.”
I glared at Rudra.
He looked completely relaxed.
I already hated him.
And I had known him for approximately five minutes.
༺──────────────༻
Later that afternoon, I stood outside the dormitory office holding my room allocation paper.
I read it once.
Then again.
Then a third time.
My heart sank.
ROOM 217 — AADHYA MEHTA & RUDRA MALHOTRA
I stared at the paper.
“No.”
The warden smiled.
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes.”
I held up the paper.
“This has to be wrong.”
She checked the list.
“It isn’t.”
“But—”
“Room 217.”
“With Rudra Malhotra?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
Of all the people in this entire academy...
Him?
The boy I had managed to argue with before even unpacking my suitcase?
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
I dragged my suitcase upstairs.
When I reached Room 217, I pushed the door open.
And froze.
Rudra was already there.
He was sitting on the edge of his bed, scrolling through his phone.
He looked up.
Our eyes met.
His expression immediately changed.
“You.”
I dropped my suitcase.
“Unfortunately.”
He stood up.
“You can’t stay here.”
I laughed.
“Trust me, I don’t want to.”
“Then leave.”
“I would love to.”
I pointed towards the door.
“Go complain to your father and get me another room.”
His face hardened.
“You think I can’t?”
“I think you’re used to getting everything you want.”
Silence.
For the first time, his expression wasn’t amused.
He stepped closer.
“Listen carefully, Aadhya.”
It was the first time he’d said my name.
“Stay out of my way.”
I stared at him.
“Gladly.”
He nodded.
“Good.”
He turned away.
I picked up my suitcase and moved towards the other bed.
Then he spoke again.
“And don’t touch my things.”
I stopped.
Slowly turned around.
“Don’t worry.”
I smiled.
“I have absolutely no interest in touching anything that belongs to you.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Good.”
I smiled wider.
“Good.”
We stared at each other.
Neither of us moved.
Neither of us backed down.
And somewhere between that silence and those angry eyes...
I realized one thing.
This year was going to be a disaster.
Because Rudra Malhotra wasn’t just going to be my roommate.
He was going to be my biggest problem.
And I had a feeling...
I was going to become his too.
༺──────────────༻
END OF CHAPTER ONE
Two strangers. One room. Zero patience.
What happens when the girl who refuses to bow down meets the boy who’s never been told no?
Maybe Asteria Academy isn’t just going to teach Aadhya lessons.
Maybe it’s going to teach her how dangerous it is to hate someone... before you know them.
