When The Players Falls

Chapter 1: First Glance in Class 4

The fourth-grade classroom buzzed with the hum of early spring. New books, clean uniforms, and the scent of chalk marked the beginning of a fresh school year. Among the sea of energetic faces sat Riyan, a twelve-year-old boy with sharp eyes and a grin that always seemed to know more than it let on.

He was the textbook definition of a childhood charmer — quick with words, smooth with the girls, and always one step ahead of the teachers.

Riyan had a game: to see how many girls he could win over before the term ended. Not with sincerity, but with clever lines, fake compliments, and the thrill of attention. His smooth talk and confident air often left hearts fluttering, only for them to be discarded once he got bored. A playground predator cloaked in a boyish smile.

That was, until Alya walked in.

She was new. Slender, soft-spoken, and draped in the kind of innocence that seemed untouchable. Her big, almond eyes sparkled with wonder; her braid was always neat, her books always tidy, and her answers in class—perfect. She wore a permanent soft smile and blinked often, like she didn’t fully understand when boys tried to flirt.

She was everything Riyan had never met. And he had to have her.

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