“I think we must seek help, Kristen. Walking around this corridor won’t seem to help us in any way,” I ventured when Kristen, my best friend, and I were not able to discover our classroom.

“You know what? I am also thinking the same,” Kristen agreed in no time.

"There you go and ask..." I shoved her towards the group of boys standing near the window.

"What no way...? I am not going. Prisha, you are an expert in socializing with people you go..." she stepped behind me and started to push me.

"Fine, let's go together..." I gripped her wrist and tried to drag her with me.

But she hurriedly shrugged her hand. "No way, you go. My cheeks are already heated red like tomatoes. I don't want to embarrass myself by going in front of them. Please! have mercy on me, my bestie."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, you drama queen always has to start drama in moments like this. You wait here. I am going..."

I paced towards the group, trembling inside. I was sensing my cheeks growing hot with every step I took towards them. When I finally approached them, taking a deep breath I patted the shoulder of a tall guy.

As he turned towards me with a charming smile on his face, I suddenly felt the world coming to halt. Slowly pulling my lips between my teeth, I got lost in his blue almond eyes. God damn! He was handsome like hell.

Fair complexion, high forehead, dark eyebrows, straight nose, thin lips, black hair groomed backward, height unknown but can say taller than me. He was truly a handsome gentleman. The plain white vest with black denim followed by white canvas on him was giving me the vibes of models I have seen on TV.

Never in my life, I had ever scanned any boy from top to bottom. And believe me, I was not feeling ashamed of it. I was just loving to stare at him, even if it was making him uncomfortable.

My heart was at ease and there was a strange feeling inside me. I wished I could have understood that feeling the very second I had seen him.

“Yes, may I help you,” His voice was so melodious and blissful to hear, and was all enough to bring me back to life from that unknown world.

“Um… actually!” I tucked my hair behind my ear feeling shy and continued, “I and my friend are new here. We are not able to find our classroom. Can you help us out, please?”

He flashed his white teeth before speaking out. “Oh! That is the thing. That means you are in great trouble, right? Class may start any minute and you cannot afford to get late on your first day, right?” he shot me with a pile of questions at a time, and lowering my head, I nodded in response to his questions.

“Okay! I am ready to help you out but in one condition,” as he said that all of a sudden, I sensed his melodious voice turning cold and intimated.

I lifted my head and encountered a sinister smile on his face. This is it, don't judge the book by its cover what it is said, right? That was literally going to come true.

I thought he was a gentleman seeing his appearance but no, he wasn’t. He was definitely among those seniors who ragged and bullied new students.

“Are you going to rag us?” I asked in a low whispering tone.

Unexpectedly, he leaned his ear closer to me and said, “I didn’t hear you…”

“Are you planning to rag us? Please don’t give us a tough task,” I whispered in his ear with fright.

“What?” he said out loud and began to laugh. He then turned towards his friends who had been looking at me for a long time. “She thinks I am about to rag her.”

They all laughed out loud together which made me regret talking to them. I cleared my throat feeling embarrassed and they came to halt at once as if they had comprehended that I was not liking their laughs.

“Sorry!” he said in an apologetic tone.

I nodded in response, not meeting his eyes.

Then he added, “no, dear we are definitely not going to rag anyone. We don’t like such activities. Anyway, the condition I was talking about was to have an introduction with you but you took it in another way.”

“Oh!” I breathed in relief, giving a smile of embarrassment. This happens when your mind works too much in unwanted situations.

“So, pretty damsel, let me start, my name is Aster Mellark. They are my friends. Would you like to know their name as well or you are okay if they don’t introduce themselves to you…”

“Aster…” his friends mumbled in unison, giving clear hints that they were annoyed with his words.

Aster chuckled looking at me.

I nodded. “They can introduce themselves.”

“Hi, my name is Denise Brown. Welcome to our school,” said one, stepping forward and waving his hand.

“Hello! There, I am Sam Mendes. Nice meeting you…” said another bowing in front of me.

“Good morning! pretty damsel, you can call me Riddle Salk, because I am Riddle Salk,” said the third in a funny way which made me giggle.

He extended his hand towards me and hesitated. I gave him my hand But the moment he took my hand and kissed it, I was bashful.

Riddle suddenly gave a mischievous smile, letting go of my hand. He glanced at Aster and said, “that look of jealousy is what I wanted to see in your face.”

Denise and Sam laughed out loud but Aster rolled his eyes. “Shut up…”

I didn’t get Riddle what he was saying so I absently stared at him.

“So you haven’t given your introduction?” Aster stated.

I averted my gaze to Aster. “Oh! I am Prisha Everdeen and the girl over there is my best friend Kristen Swift.” I pointed towards Kristen. But she hastily looked away.

“Oh! That means you got yourself a company,” Aster claimed, waving his hand towards Kristen.

“Um, kind of. She and I have been best friends since our fourth grade,” I replied shortly.

“That’s impressive. Let’s walk to your classroom then,” suggested Aster.

“Okay, that’s very kind of you,” I said, gesturing to Kristen to come over.

After introducing them to one another, Aster questioned, “Okay! So which grade are you both in?”

Kristen was gripping my hand tight and when Aster spoke to us in his melodious voice, her grip grew tighter.

“Eleven,’” I replied, darting at Kristen in astonishment.

“We are your seniors,” Aster said in a somewhat annoyed tone.

He then hiked the stairs followed by his friends. Kristen took the chance and leaned closer to my ear whispering, “I think we have landed in heaven, Prisha. There are so many handsome boys all around us. Especially that Aster... Did you see him? He is damn so handsome.”

I rolled my eyes and was about to gesture to her to stop, suddenly someone from behind said in a loud voice, “he is but don't get too excited. He is not the guy to fall for someone like you two.”

Passing a surprising gaze to each other, we turned around in astonishment and saw a girl in short skirt and high heels before us. She was chewing gum and playing with her long hair. She was already so tall, still, she was wearing high heels which I felt so awkward.

“Why not?” asked Kristen, folding her arms.

“Because he never falls for one who falls for him. So, you just can drool on his handsomeness and dream about him,” she replied, knitting her eyebrows.

Seeing her attitude deep inside I had a feeling that we for sure are not going to have a good bond in the upcoming days.