### Morning at Singhania Sadan

The morning sun cast a warm glow over Singhania Sadan, highlighting the ornate carvings and lush garden. Inside, the household was already bustling with activity, except for one room where Akshita was still sound asleep.

“Akshita... bachha, wake up. You’ll be late for college again,” Niyati called softly as she gently shook her daughter.

“Mumma, just five more minutes,” Akshita mumbled, burying her face deeper into her pillow.

Niyati sighed, “You’ve been saying that for the last half an hour. It’s time to get up.”

Reluctantly, Akshita opened her eyes and stretched, “Okay, okay... Good morning, Mumma.”

“Good morning, bachha. Now hurry up and get ready, you don’t want to be late,” Niyati said with a smile as she left the room.

Akshita dragged herself out of bed and headed to the washroom. Soon, she was dressed and ready for college. She came downstairs, greeting everyone with a cheerful “Good morning.”

Niyati brought out breakfast, and they all sat down to eat. Akshita quickly finished her meal, ready to leave for college.

“Princess, you have a practical test today, right?” her father, Nitin, asked.

“Yes, Papa,” Akshita replied.

“All the best,” he said with a smile.

“Thank you, Papa,” Akshita responded, and Niyati chimed in, “Best of luck, Akshita.”

“Thank you, Mumma,” Akshita said before grabbing her bag and heading out. The rest of the family went about their own activities.

### Morning at Goenka Villa

Meanwhile, at Goenka Villa, Advik was still lost in his dreams, battling with imaginary foes. His sister, Keerti, was determined to wake him up.

“Advik, get up! How long are you going to sleep? Do you want to be late again today?” she shouted, shaking him.

“Just five more minutes,” Advik groaned, turning over.

Keerti rolled her eyes, “If you want to keep sleeping, then why do you ask me to wake you up every morning?”

“Fine, fine. Stop with the emotional drama, I’m getting up,” Advik grumbled as he sat up.

“Thank you for your immense generosity, oh great one,” Keerti said sarcastically, bowing theatrically.

“You’re welcome, my dear subject,” Advik replied in the same tone, getting out of bed and heading to the washroom.

Keerti smiled and left the room. Advik quickly got ready and tried to sneak out of the house, but his grandmother caught him.

“Kittu, where are you going without having breakfast?” she asked sternly.

“Dadi, I’m late. Please let me go today, or I’ll have to stand outside the classroom,” Advik pleaded.

“No, you are not leaving without eating something,” she insisted.

Advik grabbed two sandwiches, “Okay, I’ll take these and eat on the way. Bye, Dadi!” he called out, running out the door.

“Kittu, this boy is impossible,” Dadi muttered, shaking her head.

### At College

Akshita arrived at college and spotted her best friend, Pallavi, chatting with someone. She walked over and tapped Pallavi on the shoulder. Pallavi turned and, seeing Akshita, immediately hugged her.

“Akshita! I missed you so much!” Pallavi exclaimed.

“I missed you too,” Akshita replied, hugging her back.

“You missed me a little, I missed you a lot,” Pallavi teased.

“Who told you to go to that wedding? You should have stayed. You had all the fun and now you’re telling me you missed me,” Akshita said with a chuckle.

“If it were up to me, I wouldn’t have gone. It was a wedding of some distant relative I barely know. But Mumma and Papa insisted, so I had to go,” Pallavi explained.

“You’re too funny,” Akshita laughed, then noticed Sid, whom Pallavi had been talking to. “Hi Sid.”

“Hi Akshita, how are you?” Sid greeted.

“I’m fine,” Akshita replied.

“Akshita, did you prepare for the test?” Pallavi asked.

“Yes, I did. Let’s see how it goes,” Akshita said, just as Advik walked up behind her.

“No matter how much you prepare, you won’t score more than me this time,” Advik said smugly.

Akshita muttered under her breath, “Here comes the bad luck charm.”

“What did you say?” Advik asked, narrowing his eyes.

“I don’t need to tell you anything, frog,” Akshita shot back.

“Don’t growl at me, tigress. And don’t call me that again,” Advik warned.

“What? What did I call you?” Akshita asked innocently.

“That... frog,” Advik replied.

“I will call you that,” Akshita insisted.

“No, you won’t,” Advik argued.

“Frog, frog, frog... I’ll keep calling you that,” Akshita taunted.

“Ugh... you’re impossible,” Advik groaned.

“Enough, you two,” Pallavi and Sid intervened, pulling them apart.

Akshita scowled, “Why are you telling me to stop? He started it.”

Advik retorted, “Me? Seriously? I started it?”

“See, he’s admitting it,” Akshita said smartly.

“This is getting out of hand. Pallavi, control your bestie,” Advik said.

“Sid, control your best friend, or I’ll break his face,” Akshita threatened.

Sid and Pallavi led Advik and Akshita in opposite directions to calm them down. Once settled, they went to class, each avoiding the other to prevent another fight. Sid asked Akshita to sit in his seat, as he wanted to sit with Pallavi. She agreed and moved to Sid’s seat, only to find Advik already sitting there.

“Excuse me,” a girl said to Advik, who was on the phone.

Advik looked at her, signalling he was on a call. The girl continued, “Can you sit in my seat? I want to sit with my friend.”

Advik glanced at the empty seat she pointed to and agreed, not noticing Akshita sitting there. He moved to the new seat without looking around. Akshita, engrossed in her notes, didn’t notice him at first either.

When they finally turned towards each other, both exclaimed in unison, “You...!”

Akshita hurried into the classroom, hoping to avoid Advik. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw an empty seat at the back. As she settled in, she heard Advik’s voice.

“Why did you come here? Go back to your seat,” she snapped.

Advik shrugged. “Why did you believe that girl’s suggestion? Akshita glared at him. “I came back here so I wouldn’t have to sit next to you, even after Sid insisted. And now you’re here.”

“Well, I didn’t want to sit next to you either,”  retorted. “She asked me to switch seats, so I did. If I had known I’d end up next to you, I wouldn’t have agreed.”

“Now that you know, just leave,” Akshita said coldly.

“Fine, I’m leaving. Who’d want to sit next to an irritating girl like you anyway?”

Just as Advik stood up to leave, the professor walked in. Everyone took their seats, but Advik remained standing, searching for an empty spot. Seeing no available seats, the professor directed him to sit next to Akshita. Reluctantly, he complied.

“Idiot,” Akshita muttered under her breath.

“What did you say?” Advik demanded.

“I said you’re an idiot.”

“You’re the idiot,” Advik shot back. “Half-wit.”

“At least I have half a brain. You have nothing up there.”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying,” Advik groaned.

“I’m not the one being annoying here,” Akshita retorted. “Frog.”

Their bickering caught the professor’s attention. He sternly ordered both of them out of the classroom. With angry glances, they left, their argument continuing in the hallway.

“They must be fighting or have already fought,” Pallavi sighed.

“They’re probably in the library,” Sid guessed, quickening his pace.

At the library, Akshita was calmer and looking for a book. Advik, searching for the same book, reached for it at the same time from opposite sides of the shelf. They both grabbed the book and tugged.

“Let go of this book. I got it first,” Akshita said.

“I saw it first. You let go,” Advik replied.

“I won’t let go. Do whatever you want.”

Before their argument could escalate, Sid and Pallavi arrived. Sid grabbed Advik, causing him to lose his grip, and Akshita took the book.

“This is getting out of hand,” Advik muttered angrily.

“What happened now?” Sid asked, exasperated.

“She started it,” Advik insisted.

“It takes two to fight, Advik,” Sid pointed out.

On the other side, Akshita was fuming. “That idiot! First, he gets us kicked out of class, then he doesn’t let me take the book.”

“You two are always fighting. Don’t you ever feel like just sitting and talking peacefully?” Pallavi asked.

“No, seeing him makes me angry. He never does anything good. He’s always bothering me.”

“He’s not that bad, Akshita. He’s a good guy.”

Meanwhile, Sid tried reasoning with Advik. “She’s a good girl, and she’s pretty too. Don’t you ever feel anything for her?”

“Yeah, I feel something. Anger. She’s like a lioness, always growling.”

“That’s not true. She has a good nature.”

“I know exactly how ‘good’ she is,” Advik replied sarcastically. “She’s never talked nicely to me. Why should I?”

Both Advik and Akshita, in different parts of the college, muttered to themselves, “I just hate him/her.”

The rest of the day passed with them ignoring each other. Their friends kept them busy with various activities, and eventually, they all went home.