The classroom was unusually noisy that morning.
Some students laughed near the back benches while others rushed to complete unfinished homework before the first lecture.
Anaya sat quietly near the window,
half listening to the conversations around her.
First days never interested her much.
New teachers.
New rules.
New introductions.
Everything felt temporary anyway.
She rested her cheek against her hand lazily while staring outside the classroom window.
Then suddenly,
the room became silent.
Not slowly.
Instantly.
Anaya looked up.
A man had entered the classroom calmly,
holding a few books in one hand.
White shirt.
Black watch.
Cold expression.
Without greeting anyone,
he placed the books on the desk and wrote his name on the board.
AARAV MEHRA.
The girls near the front benches immediately started whispering.
"He's young…"
"He looks strict."
"He's handsome."
Anaya looked away before the whispers could continue.
She had already lost interest.
"I expect discipline in my class."
His voice was calm,
but sharp enough to silence the room completely.
"No unnecessary talking.
No carelessness."
A few students straightened immediately.
Anaya quietly opened her notebook.
Khadoos.
That was her first thought.
Introductions started one by one.
Students spoke nervously about marks,
subjects,
future goals.
Aarav listened with the same unreadable expression throughout.
No reaction.
No interest.
When Anaya's turn came,
she stood up quietly.
"Anaya Sharma."
"Previous marks?"
"Seventy five percent."
Aarav simply nodded once and looked toward the next student.
Nothing more.
And strangely,
that expressionless reaction irritated her slightly.
The lecture began.
Formulas covered the board quickly while students struggled to keep up.
Anaya copied notes silently for several minutes before realizing she had missed one important step.
She frowned at the notebook.
Then after hesitating briefly—
"Sir…"
Aarav continued writing.
Maybe he did not hear.
She decided not to repeat herself.
It was not important anyway.
A few minutes later,
another student asked the same doubt.
This time Aarav explained it calmly without issue.
Anaya looked down at her notebook again.
Fine.
She would understand it herself later.
The class continued normally after that.
Or at least,
normally for everyone else.
Because for some reason,
Anaya kept feeling irritated throughout the lecture.
Maybe because of his tone.
Maybe because of the unnecessary strictness.
Or maybe because everyone already seemed impressed by him for no reason.
Near the end of class,
Aarav suddenly stopped explaining.
"Homework will be submitted tomorrow."
A collective sigh filled the room.
Without reacting,
he picked up the books and walked toward the door.
Then paused briefly.
"Those who are not serious about studies should not waste my time."
And with that,
he left.
The classroom instantly exploded into noise again.
"He's terrifying."
"But smart."
"So strict for no reason."
Alisha leaned toward Anaya dramatically.
"I already hate this subject."
Anaya closed her notebook calmly.
"I hate the teacher."
Both girls laughed quietly before leaving class.
That evening,
Anaya sat at her study table trying to solve the unfinished mathematics question from class.
But no matter how many times she tried,
the answer kept turning wrong.
Frustrated,
she pushed the notebook away.
"Khadoos…"
The word escaped under her breath again.
Yet strangely,
the classroom scene from earlier replayed inside her mind for a brief second.
The cold voice.
The silence.
The sharp discipline.
Anaya frowned immediately.
Why was she even thinking about him again?
Irritated with herself,
she reopened the notebook and forced her attention back toward studies.
But somewhere deep inside,
a strange restlessness had already begun quietly.
Even if she did not understand it yet.