I went to the main office, curiously and sure enough there was a guy waiting. He was tall and was carrying three big bags.

"You're the err..new student in 11 B?"

"Yeah. Reyansh Malhotra" he said.

"Riya. Riya Dixit". He was holding way too many things so I couldn't shake his hand.

"I have got my locker keys"

"What's the number?"

"523"

"What? Really?" I asked "Mine is 524! This is crazy!"

He smiled for the first time. He was kind of hot. No, very hot. Even in our boring cyan and white uniform. I couldn't wait for Zoya and Mishti to see him!

"Where were you before you came here?" I asked.

"Kilare Academy. You might not know it. It's in Pune."

"Pune? You're from Pune?"

"Yes, you see my parents are divorced and I stayed with my dad in Pune. He has his business there. Mom came here after she remarried. My step father has a daughter too."

I pricked up my ears. His parents were divorced? Okay, why was I so interested in that? Because my parents were going to get divorced too. Almost. My parents tried not to show it but I knew it was going to happen one of these days - soon. My bratty little brother realised it too.

Zoya's parents were divorced too and she always insisted that it had never ruined her in any way. But I couldn't look at it like that.

"So..um...why did you come to Mumbai?" I finally asked him.

"Err.." he suddenly sounded awkward. That's when I realised I had asked him too much.

I'd known him only for a few minutes. Shit!

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me" and then I felt extremely stupid.

"Uh no. Well..You see, I was expelled from my old school. Mom thought dad wasn't taking enough care of me so she asked me to come and live here".

I was taken aback. The guy had been expelled?! And he was saying it so normally?! But he looked so decent! What could he have done? I didn't feel like asking him. He seemed to read my mind.

"I know you wouldn't probably ask me why. But I think I'll tell you anyway. I got involved with a drug dealer" he said calmly as though this was a very usual thing.

I almost took a step away from him. "You do drugs?" I asked.

"No. Tried to get into the business. That too with a friend. At least I thought he was a friend. He was the dealer's son. I was too stupid. When someone alerted the school authorities, he just absconded. And I was expelled."

I was transfixed. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even know what to think.

"They shouldn't have expelled you for that", I said finally. He laughed.

And then I asked a very stupid question.

"So they won't take you back in the academy?".

But he didn't seem to find it stupid, in fact he seemed thoughtful. "Actually they might. Maybe if I got a great report from this school, I might be able to go back next year. Mom told me she'd send me back if she felt I was being good enough. But that's a fat chance. I am not the kind of guy who plays hero at school", he retorted sadly.

"How did you get an admission here if you had an expulsion record?" I asked immediately and then felt like I could kick myself.

I had touched a nerve. Again.

"Um. Mom's business is larger than dad's. So you know, all the connections. I really feel embarrassed sometimes. But you know the circumstances.." he said.

I hadn't heard a weirder story in my life! And very curiously, Reyansh had told me everything so quickly even though I was a stranger.

We reached his locker. It was right next to mine. He jammed all his things into the locker and shut it.

I didn't want to ask more questions but I couldn't stop myself, "How did you share everything so quickly with me?" I blurted out.

My mouth is probably larger than Reyansh's mom's business.

Reyansh smiled for the first time. "Well, you can't really move on, if you are having secrets. And I really want to put myself out there. You don't seem like a drug dealer anyway." I smiled dryly. "Wanna be my new best friend?" he held out his hand which was empty now.

Wanna be my new best friend?! Who asks a thing like that within minutes of meeting? It was difficult to hate Reyansh but the expulsion tag was still at the back of my head. Nevertheless I took his outstretched hand.

"You should meet my BFF'S Zoya and Mishti", I said as we turned away from the lockers.

"I'd love to. Ah who is that?" he asked as I waved to Omkara and Lisa who were passing by the corridor.

"He's the head boy, Omkara Singh and his girlfriend Lisa Millican. They're both like my siblings. And I don't know if I told you", I said though I knew perfectly well, I hadn't, "But I am the Fine Arts Secretary of this school".

He smiled "Looks like you're everybody's favourite".

I said nothing to that.

A/N : Hey guys! I hope you like Reyansh. This whole chapter was just him. And there's so much more of him coming up.

If you liked this chapter, please do consider giving your vote. Do continue the story :) Lots of love!