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Anant's POV

I was standing by the pillar, adjusting my cuffs and debating whether to finally head over to her table, when the "Storm" hit.

The chaotic girl from class-who got kicked out today-erupted. Before Krithika could even finish her water, she hauled her toward the center of the hall. "Kittu! Chal na, kab se yahan statue bani baithi hai... thoda toh dance kar!" (Kittu, come on! How long will you sit here like a statue... dance a little!)

I stayed in the shadows, just an observer. It was a strange sight. Krithika looked mortified for exactly two seconds before she gave in. A genuine, relaxed smile broke across her face, and her purple lehenga swirled like a galaxy as she followed her sister's lead.

Nearby, I overheard an auntie nudging Prerna didi. "Who are those girls?"

Prerna laughed softly. "Those are the Sharma sisters. Manvi is the storm, and Krithika is the 'Peace' of their house. Truly lovely girls."

Sisters. The Storm and the Peace. I watched the "Peace" of the house spin until she was breathless. But the night didn't last. Their mother, Kumud, walked up with a firm look. "Chalo bacho, bohot der ho gayi hai." (Come on children, it's getting late.) I watched them head for the exit, Krithika never once looking back.

The next few days at school were different. I started noticing that Krithika wasn't just a girl who liked to argue; she was a machine. In every lecture, she was the first to finish. Professor Sharma's praise was constant: "Excellent work, Krithika! It's easy to see why you're our top scholarship student."

Top Student. The word felt like a crack. To me, school was a playground. To her, it was a battlefield.

Then came the first semester finals. For ten straight years, I had been Rank 1. It was as certain as the sun rising. I walked into the hallway on results day, ready to see my name at the top. I reached the board and the air left my lungs.

1. Krithika Sharma - 99.2% 2. Anant Mishra - 98.7%

Second? I stared until the numbers blurred. I had been beaten by 0.5%. By the "Krithika."

"YESSSS! KITTU OYE! MERI BEHEN TOPPER!" Manvi's scream shattered my internal crisis. She was jumping and clapping. "Dekha? Sabko peeche chhod diya meri behen ne!" (See? My sister left everyone behind!)

I felt a surge of pure, unadulterated saltiness. The "Titan" hadn't just been challenged; he'd been dethroned.

Krithika's POV

I was staring at the board, the word 'Rank 1' finally sinking in, when I felt a cold, heavy presence behind me. I didn't even have to turn around to know the "VIP" was standing there, radiating fury.

"Congratulations," Anant's voice dripped with so much sarcasm I'm surprised it didn't stain the floor. "I didn't realize they gave extra marks for scholarship students these days."

I turned slowly, meeting his icy glare. "And I didn't realize that you are such a sore loser. Maybe if you spent less time admiring your own reflection and more time actually opening a book, you wouldn't be staring at my back on the results sheet."

Anant stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "Don't get too comfortable on that throne, Krithika. One fluke win doesn't make you a genius. You probably memorized the entire textbook like a robot. There's no 'merit' in being a parrot."

"Fluke?" I laughed, the sound sharp and dry. "I worked for every single decimal point. While you were busy acting like you own the hallway, I was actually earning my place in it. But I guess a brat like you wouldn't understand the concept of earning anything."

"Earning?" Anant scoffed, his voice rising. "You're just lucky the examiners liked your handwriting. In the real world, no one cares about your one time topper-they care about consistent topper which is me. And you? You're just a girl with a attitude and a loud mouth."

"And you're just a boy with a lot of arrogance and a fragile ego!" I shot back, stepping into his space. "Face it, Anant. For the first time in your life, you are not at the top spot. How does it feel to be second after me?"

"Why you-"

"Whoa, whoa! Back up, both of you!"

Suddenly, Dhruv stepped between us, his hands out to keep Anant back. He looked unusually stressed for someone so quiet. "Anant, back off. It's just a marksheet. Don't make a scene."

On my side, Manvi grabbed my arm, her face unusually serious as she tried to pull me away. "Kittu, bas kar! (Kittu, stop!) He's not worth it. Let's go celebrate!"

"He needs to learn his place, Mannu!" I snapped, still glaring at Anant over Dhruv's shoulder.

"And you need to learn that you're just a temporary glitch in my system!" Anant yelled back, though Dhruv was firmly pushing him toward the exit.

The hallway was silent, everyone watching the fallout of the century. The Peace of the house was gone, and the Titan was in ruins. This wasn't just a rivalry anymore; it was a war.

Whose side are you guys in for the upcoming bookworm war #TeamAnant or #TeamKrithika ?

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