The Jerk's Grand Entrance

“Why am I not feeling sleepy?” Shehnaaz exclaimed, sitting up in bed with tears of irritation welling in her eyes. “This has never happened before.”

“What do I do?” she pouted sadly, tapping her cheeks in frustration.

“Idea!” she suddenly smiled broadly and jumped off the bed.

“Boss, are you sleeping?” Vineet asked playfully, noticing Sidharth sitting in his chair with his eyes closed and a faint smile on his face. He couldn’t resist teasing him.

Sidharth slowly opened his eyes, a smirk playing on his handsome face. “If you’ve forgotten, Vineet, we don’t sleep.”

“That I know,” Vineet replied, pulling out a chair to sit. “Are you trying to see her face again?”

“Kind of,” Sidharth replied curtly, turning his attention back to his laptop. He had no intention of disclosing that he had already met her.

“Did you see her?” Vineet asked, his curiosity piqued but his concern for Sidharth evident.

Sidharth narrowed his dark eyes, his anger flaring. “I don’t think I owe you an explanation.”

“Of course, Prince. Forgive me,” Vineet quickly apologized, realizing his mistake. “I was just concerned for you,” he added.

In silence, Sidharth rose from his chair and walked to his personal bar, grabbing a bottle of whiskey. He poured two glasses, took a sip from one, and passed the other to Vineet as he sat back down.

“Don’t make this mistake again,” Sidharth warned coldly before taking another drink.

“Never,” Vineet nodded, fear creeping in at Sidharth’s anger. “Prince—”

“Stop calling me that, Vineet,” Sidharth snapped irritably. “Did you do what I asked?”

“Yes, sir. I did. But I don’t understand why you want to join a college as a lecturer,” Vineet queried, immediately regretting it.

In the blink of an eye, Sidharth was on his feet, his hands wrapped around Vineet’s neck, choking him.

“Didn’t I tell you not to question my decisions?” Sidharth growled.

“Sorry... sir,” Vineet gasped, nodding helplessly.

Sidharth released his grip and sat back down, watching Vineet cough and clutch his neck. “It wasn’t that hard, the way you’re coughing,” he said irritably.

Vineet stopped coughing almost immediately and finished his drink in one go. “Of course,” he muttered lightly.

“Don’t push me, Vineet, unless you want to die young,” Sidharth warned coolly.

“I’m sorry,” Vineet replied softly.

“Now go and prepare for tomorrow,” Sidharth ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, sir,” Vineet responded quickly, getting up to leave the room and escape Sidharth’s wrath.

“Idiot,” Sidharth muttered, irritation evident in his voice.

But then a smile spread across his face as he thought about Shehnaaz. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes to see what she was up to.

Shehnaaz opened her laptop, clicked on Amazon Prime, searched for The Vampire Diaries, and started watching.

“Huh! Miss Little Detective is watching a fictional vampire show,” he smirked, amused by how intently she was watching.

“Damn! Vampires are so good-looking. I want one for myself,” Shehnaaz pouted sadly, staring at Stefan Salvatore on the screen.

“Only if she knew an actual vampire is after her,” Sidharth chuckled, finding her words both funny and naive.

“Hello, Brother!”

“Ah! He’s so hot. I love you, Damon Salvatore!” Shehnaaz mumbled, practically drooling over the character.

Sidharth immediately opened his eyes, irritated by her words. “Seriously, girl?”

Getting up from his chair, he walked to his personal bar for a refill. His mood was officially ruined after hearing her ridiculous love confession.

“Who says ‘I love you’ after seeing someone for the first time?” he muttered to himself before gulping down the whiskey in one swig. “Stupid people.”

A flash of an old memory crossed his mind.

“Sidharth, I know we just met an hour ago, but I want to tell you something,” a young girl said, shyly looking down at her lap, nervously playing with her dress.

“What?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I love you, Sidharth,” she confessed, leaving him speechless.

For a moment, he looked at her, then Sidharth started to laugh at her words. “You’re funny!”

“No. I’m serious,” she pinched her throat. “God, promise.”

The moment he realized she was serious, he stopped laughing. “But... we just met,” he said in disbelief.

“I know,” the girl shrugged. “I’m just telling you how I feel. No pressure on you to accept it,” she added, smiling shyly.

Sidharth shook his head in disbelief. “You’re crazy!”

“I guess, for you,” the girl winked at him before running away.

Sidharth stood there in shock. He blinked once, twice, and then smiled goofily. “I like you too.”

“Definitely stupid people,” Sidharth muttered, his voice laced with both anger and pain.

He refilled his glass, downed it in one swift motion, and left for his penthouse, trying to escape the torment of his memories.

---

Shehnaaz groggily checked the clock on her bedside table and gasped. “Oh no! I’m late!” she exclaimed, jumping out of bed in a rush.

She hurriedly got ready, her thoughts racing. Staying up all night watching The Vampire Diaries had come back to haunt her.

Shehnaaz reached college almost an hour late. Panting as she entered the campus, she noticed something unusual. Staff members were bustling around, decorating the place with “Welcome” banners and flowers. The air buzzed with excitement, and students were chatting animatedly.

“What’s going on?” she muttered to herself, scanning the area. “Is a politician or some celebrity visiting?”

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she noticed the girls especially seemed extra giddy, their faces lit up with excitement.

“Whatever,” she sighed, deciding to ignore the commotion. She hurried toward her classroom, where her friends would be waiting.

As soon as Shehnaaz entered the classroom, a loud voice greeted her.

“Finally! The queen has arrived,” Lakshya teased, smirking at her.

“Shehnaaz! What took you so long?” Dipali asked, concern evident in her tone. “We were about to send a search party!”

“Guys, relax!” Shehnaaz said, putting her bag on the desk. “I overslept. What’s the big deal?”

Vishakha laughed. “Overslept? Must’ve been binge-watching something, right? Was it a drama? Or... a vampire show?”

Shehnaaz froze for a moment. “How do you know?”

“I don’t,” Vishakha said with a mischievous grin. “But now I do!”

“Ugh, you’re impossible,” Shehnaaz muttered, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, what’s with all the decorations and excitement? Who’s coming?”

“Oh, you don’t know?” Dipali asked, her eyes widening. “Your boyfriend is joining our college!”

“Wait, what?” Shehnaaz blinked, utterly confused. “Who?”

“Sidharth Raichand! The multi-billionaire businessman!” Vishakha chimed in, practically bouncing in her seat. “He’s joining as a lecturer in the media and communication department. That’s our department!”

Shehnaaz’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? Why would someone like him... join our college? And as a lecturer?”

Lakshya leaned back in his chair, looking annoyed. “Great. Now all the girls in this college will be fawning over him. Even you, Shehnaaz.”

Shehnaaz frowned. “Excuse me? I’m not one of those girls. He is definitely not my boyfriend,” she added glaring at Vishakha.

“Sure you’re not,” Lakshya muttered, clearly unconvinced.

“I’m serious!” Shehnaaz shot back. “I’m not attracted to him. In fact, I’ll keep my distance. That man’s a total jerk.”

Dipali smirked knowingly. “Not attracted, huh? You don’t think he’s good-looking?”

Shehnaaz hesitated. “I mean, objectively speaking, he’s... okay-looking,” she said, trying to sound indifferent.

“Okay-looking?” Vishakha laughed. “Girl, he looks like a Greek god!”

“Maybe he joined because of you, Shehnaaz,” Dipali teased.

“What?” Shehnaaz’s head whipped around to face her.

“Yeah,” Vishakha chimed in, grinning. “Maybe he likes you and came here just for you!”

“Oh, stop it!” Shehnaaz snapped, her cheeks flushing. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it, though?” Dipali said with a sly smile.

“Yes, it is!” Shehnaaz insisted, though deep down, her heart fluttered at the thought. She quickly pushed the feeling aside.

Lakshya frowned. “I don’t get the hype. He’s just some rich guy.”

“Who happens to be insanely hot,” Vishakha added.

“And smart,” Dipali said.

“And completely unattainable,” Shehnaaz cut in, crossing her arms. “So let’s drop it, okay?”

But as the conversation moved on, Shehnaaz couldn’t help but feel conflicted.

She sighed, leaning back in her chair. “Why does it feel like my life is suddenly turning into one of those dramas I binge-watch?”

Her mind wandered back to her previous encounters with Sidharth. No doubt, the man was attractive. But he’d called her stupid—and she wasn’t about to forget that anytime soon.

Still, a small part of her couldn’t ignore the excitement bubbling beneath the surface. Why had he joined her college? And why was she so... happy about it?

“No, Shehnaaz,” she told herself firmly. “You’re not one of those girls. Keep your distance.”

But deep down, she knew staying away from him would be easier said than done.

The scorching sun beat down on the college grounds, making Shehnaaz squint and shield her eyes. The crowd outside was abuzz with excitement, professors standing formally in their crisply ironed outfits, the principal fidgeting nervously, and students whispering animatedly. Everyone was waiting for him.

Shehnaaz groaned internally. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she muttered under her breath.

Dipali smirked beside her. “What, standing in the heat for a billionaire? Sounds pretty dramatic, doesn’t it?”

“It’s ridiculous!” Shehnaaz huffed. “The guy’s a jerk, and here we are, lined up like fools.”

Vishakha giggled. “Well, he is a handsome jerk.”

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes. “You two are impossible.”

Just then, the unmistakable roar of a sleek car’s engine silenced the chatter. Heads turned as a black Aston Martin pulled up in front of the college gates.

“Speak of the devil,” Dipali whispered.

Shehnaaz’s heart skipped a beat. She watched as the car door opened, and out stepped Sidharth Raichand.

Tall, with a commanding presence, he looked every bit the billionaire he was. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black Armani Exchange suit, polished Louis Vuitton shoes, and a Rolex that gleamed in the sunlight, he exuded power. His expression was unreadable, a dark aura surrounding him.

As if on cue, a chorus of screams erupted.
“Sidharth!”
“Sidharth Raichand!”
“Over here!”

The girls’ shrill cries made Shehnaaz cringe. She crossed her arms, irritated. “Unbelievable. They’re acting like he’s a rock star.”

But as she turned back to look at him, her irritation faltered. His sharp gaze locked onto her, and suddenly, it was as if the entire crowd disappeared.

Her heart raced, butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach. Why is he looking at me? she thought, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Sidharth smirked. He’d noticed her subtle movement, and the way her cheeks warmed under his gaze didn’t escape him either.

“He’s coming this way,” Dipali whispered, her tone tinged with excitement.

“What? No!” Shehnaaz hissed.

“He’s totally into you,” Vishakha added with a sly grin.

“Shut up! He’s not into me. He’s just messing with me!” Shehnaaz retorted, her voice low and urgent.

Yet, her confidence wavered as Sidharth strode purposefully past the screaming crowd, his piercing eyes never leaving hers. The principal stood nearby, looking bewildered, but Sidharth ignored her entirely.

Shehnaaz’s gaze darted around nervously. The envious stares of the other girls bore into her, while boys like Lakshya looked visibly annoyed. Her friends’ teasing grins didn’t help either.

Sidharth stopped right in front of her.

“What a pleasant surprise, Miss Shehnaaz!” he said smoothly, his deep voice carrying just enough amusement to irritate her.

Shehnaaz blinked, momentarily speechless. Her glare returned full force.

“I wasn’t aware you studied here,” he continued, feigning innocence as though he hadn’t already done an extensive background check on her.

Shehnaaz clenched her jaw and mouthed silently, “Jerk, shut up.”

He smirked again, clearly enjoying her reaction. “Anyways,” he said, his tone casual, “it’s good to have a familiar face around. I won’t get bored here.”

She glared at him harder and mouthed, “I’m not here to entertain you!”

He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “We’ll see about that, Sweetheart,” he said, his smirk turning into a wink before he turned and walked toward the principal.

Shehnaaz stood frozen, her blood boiling. Her friends erupted in hushed giggles behind her.

“Told you,” Vishakha teased. “He’s here for you.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Shehnaaz snapped, though her voice faltered. Her cheeks were still burning from their exchange.

Dipali grinned. “Well, he ignored the principal for you, so…”

Lakshya, who had been silent until now, muttered bitterly, “What a show-off.”

Shehnaaz didn’t respond. She couldn’t. Her mind was racing.

Meanwhile, Sidharth greeted the impatient principal with a forced smile. “Thank you for the warm welcome,” he said smoothly. “I look forward to being part of your esteemed institution.”

The principal beamed, oblivious to the billionaire’s earlier detour.

As Sidharth walked toward the building, he glanced over his shoulder at Shehnaaz one last time, smirking at her stunned expression.

Shehnaaz let out a shaky breath. “This is going to be a nightmare,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the strange thrill coursing through her veins. “Why does he have to be so infuriating?”

••

Do vote and comment. Thank you.