Chapter 1
The first day of college was supposed to be like those shiny dream montages in movies-sunlight filtering through tree canopies, students smiling nervously, a hint of awkwardness in the air, and a whole lot of new beginnings. But Aarya's first thought when she entered the campus of Delhi Institute of Technology was, *"Did I walk into a wedding?"*
It was chaos. Banners were everywhere, welcoming the freshers with loud, vibrant colors. Seniors were already camping out in their respective faculty zones, sizing up the new batch. Somewhere in the distance, a guy was playing guitar to impress a group of girls. And somewhere closer, a group of seniors were eyeing people like hawks, hoping to find their next 'volunteer' for a bit of light ragging.
Aarya, dressed in a simple white kurti with blue jeans and jhumkas that jingled with every step, walked with confident swagger. Her energy was sunshine wrapped in sarcasm, with just enough spice to make someone cry if they crossed her the wrong way. She didn't come here to make friends. She came to get the degree, live a few wild memories, and roast anyone who thought they were too cool for reality.
"Excuse me! Freshers this way," called a senior standing on a wooden bench, holding a placard that read 'CSE Dept - Orientation'.
Aarya rolled her eyes and joined the group, where people were already trying to impress each other with fake accents, borrowed confidence, and the occasional overdone hair flip. She was scanning faces when she spotted someone who looked equally unimpressed.
Aarav.
He had that sharp, brooding look that screamed *"I didn't want to be here but I am because the universe owes me nothing."* He wore black jeans and a grey hoodie-classic. His hair was ruffled in that 'I tried but didn't try too hard' way, and he had earphones in one ear while observing everyone like an AI scanning for weak spots.
They made eye contact. Briefly. Aarya raised an eyebrow.
Aarav looked away.
---
Orientation began in the college auditorium. The Dean gave a speech nobody cared about. Everyone was more interested in seeing who'd make the first friend, the first group, or the first TikTok. Aarya found a spot in the middle row and stretched like she owned the place. Aarav ended up next to her by sheer bad luck (his words).
"Don't worry, I don't bite," Aarya said as he hesitated before taking the seat.
"Depends on the type of dog," Aarav replied, sliding in casually.
Aarya smirked. "Oh, so you're the type who barks more than bites?"
He turned, facing her with a blank expression. "No, I'm the type that ignores street noise."
Aarya laughed loudly, drawing stares. "You just called me street noise. I like you already. You're going to be fun to destroy."
Aarav blinked slowly. "I'm flattered."
The program dragged on. There were introductory games. Icebreakers. One of the activities involved randomly pairing people for a "Getting to Know You" challenge. Of course, fate (or the mischievous senior who saw them bickering) paired Aarya and Aarav.
They stood in front of a hundred students. A senior handed them a mic.
"Introduce each other," the senior said. "But... in roast format."
Gasps. Cheers. Laughter. This was going to be fun.
Aarya took the mic first.
"This is Aarav," she said confidently. "He's what happens when boredom meets a hoodie. He's got the personality of a 2008 Nokia-indestructible, outdated, and somehow still refuses to shut up when it matters the least."
The crowd roared. Aarav took the mic like a sniper prepping a headshot.
"This is Aarya. She's basically a human alarm clock. Loud, unavoidable, and leaves you wondering why you even woke up. Her fashion sense says "cultural queen," but her vibe screams "principal's nightmare.""
The auditorium was in splits.
Aarya chuckled, clapping sarcastically. "That was cute. You rehearsed that in the mirror, didn't you?"
Aarav shrugged. "Not all of us have the luxury of living in front of one."
It wasn't just a roast battle. It was war. And everyone loved it.
After the session, random students came up to them.
"You two should start a podcast."
"Couple goals but enemies first?"
"Can you please fight every day? It's better than Netflix."
Aarya rolled her eyes. Aarav just shook his head and walked off, only to realize she was walking in the same direction.
"You're following me now?" he asked.
"No, I just believe in haunting my prey till they surrender."
"Joke's on you. I surrendered to misery years ago."
---
That evening, Aarya found herself in the girls' hostel common room, sipping chai and laughing about the day. A girl named Meenal leaned over.
"That guy Aarav... there's something about him. Are you two like, a thing?"
"A thing?" Aarya laughed. "Yeah, if the thing is irritation, then totally. He's got this weird charm of a grumpy cat mixed with a malfunctioning GPS."
Meenal giggled. "He looked at you when you weren't watching. Twice."
Aarya went quiet for a second. Then shook it off. "Well, if he did, he must be planning another insult. Let him. I'm fully stocked."
Back in the boys' hostel, Aarav tossed his bag on the bed. His roommate Sid looked up.
"Bro, that girl totally cooked you in front of the entire college. Are you okay?"
Aarav looked at the ceiling. "No one told me I was signing up for WWE when I enrolled."
Sid laughed. "But admit it, you enjoyed it. She's not like the usual people."
Aarav didn't reply immediately. Then, almost smiling: "Yeah. She's not."
---
The first day ended with the sky turning shades of orange and pink. New friendships were forming. Alliances were developing. But in one corner of the college campus, under the peepal tree where the Wi-Fi worked best, Aarya and Aarav stood again-accidentally.
"You again," Aarav said.
"Unless you're seeing ghosts, yes," Aarya replied.
They stood in silence for a beat.
Aarav looked up at the sky. "It's... peaceful."
"Don't get used to it," Aarya said. "Now that I'm here, your peace is officially canceled."
He smirked. "Looking forward to it."
And just like that, the story of Aarav and Aarya-fierce, fiery, and full of madness-had begun.
