The classroom was unusually noisy that morning.
Some students laughed near the back benches while others hurried to complete unfinished homework before the first lecture.
New session.
New subjects.
New teachers.
The same old chaos.
Anaya sat quietly on the third girls' bench near the side window, a notebook lying open in front of her.
Around her, conversations flowed continuously.
A few students discussed marks.
Some worried about practical files.
Others were already trying to guess which teachers would be strict this year.
Anaya paid little attention.
First days never interested her much.
Everything felt temporary anyway.
A few benches ahead, Naina Verma sat with a neatly arranged notebook already open on her desk.
As usual.
Organized.
Prepared.
Calm.
Near Anaya, Ritu looked completely lost while searching through her bag.
"I know I wrote that homework somewhere."
"You said that yesterday too," another girl laughed.
Ritu groaned dramatically.
The classroom continued buzzing with noise.
Then suddenly—
it stopped.
Not slowly.
Instantly.
Several students looked toward the door.
Anaya looked up as well.
A man entered the classroom carrying a few books in one hand.
White shirt.
Black watch.
Calm expression.
Without greeting anyone, he placed the books on the desk and turned toward the board.
The chalk moved across the black surface.
AARAV MEHRA
Whispers immediately started.
"Young teacher."
"Mathematics?"
"He looks strict."
"Definitely strict."
The comments spread for a few seconds before disappearing again.
Aarav placed the chalk down.
"I expect discipline in my class."
His voice wasn't loud.
Yet the room became completely silent.
"No unnecessary talking."
A brief pause followed.
"No carelessness."
Several students straightened automatically.
Introductions began soon afterward.
One by one, students stood and spoke.
Names.
Previous marks.
Subject preferences.
Future plans.
Some sounded confident.
Most sounded nervous.
Aarav listened with the same calm expression throughout.
When Anaya's turn arrived, she stood quietly.
"Anaya Sharma."
"Previous marks?"
"Seventy point six percent."
Aarav nodded once and made a small note in the register.
Nothing more.
The next student stood immediately afterward.
Introductions continued.
Soon, the lecture began.
Mathematics formulas slowly filled the board.
Students hurriedly copied notes before the next line appeared.
Anaya focused on writing.
At least until one step suddenly stopped making sense.
She frowned slightly at the notebook.
The explanation had moved ahead before she fully understood the previous part.
After hesitating for a moment, she spoke.
"Sir..."
Aarav continued writing.
Maybe he didn't hear.
The lecture moved forward.
Anaya lowered her eyes back to the notebook.
She would figure it out herself later.
A few minutes later, another student asked a question.
Aarav paused and explained the concept before continuing the lecture.
The class moved on.
So did Anaya.
By the end of the period, formulas covered several pages.
Homework was assigned.
A collective sigh spread through the room.
Without reacting, Aarav closed the register.
"Submit it tomorrow."
Several students immediately looked unhappy.
Aarav didn't seem concerned.
He picked up the books and walked out.
The classroom instantly returned to noise.
Discussions restarted.
Complaints began.
Predictions about future assignments followed.
Near the front row, students debated whether the new mathematics teacher would be difficult.
Ritu looked at her unfinished notes and sighed.
"We're finished."
A few students laughed.
Anaya packed her notebook into her bag quietly.
For her, it had been a normal first class.
Nothing unusual.
Just another teacher.
Just another lecture.
That evening, she sat at her study table trying to solve one of the questions from class.
The same step kept going wrong.
Again.
And again.
After several attempts, she finally found the missing part herself.
"Oh."
The answer appeared almost immediately afterward.
Anaya completed the solution, closed the notebook, and moved on to the next subject.
Outside, evening slowly settled over the city.
Inside, the first day ended like every other school day.
By the next morning, she had already stopped thinking about it.