Two Worlds Apart
760 Words
The morning sun slipped through the half-open curtains of the Mehra house, lighting up the trophies and medals lined neatly on Rudra’s shelf — academic awards, sports wins, and a few that no one dared to ask how he got.
From the kitchen came the familiar voice of his mother.
“Rudra! If you’re awake, you better be downstairs in five minutes! And don’t you dare skip breakfast again!”
Rudra, still sprawled on his bed, groaned softly. “Five minutes, Ma…”
“Five minutes means now, Rudra Mehra!”
He chuckled, stretching lazily. The same boy who could silence an entire college with a single glare looked like the most harmless kid in the world when he was home. His hair was messy, his T-shirt wrinkled, and his eyes half-asleep — the feared “gangster” of Silverwood looked like a sleepy teenager being scolded by his mom.
Downstairs, his mother, Meera Mehra, stood with her hands on her hips, glaring playfully. His father, Rajesh Mehra, a retired army officer, sat reading the newspaper, pretending not to smile at the scene.
“Good morning, Dad,” Rudra said, trying to slip past.
“Sit,” Rajesh said without looking up. “Your mother made breakfast. You’re not escaping today.”
Rudra sighed but sat obediently.
Meera smiled victoriously. “That’s better. Toughest boy in Devgarh, but scared of his mom.”
Rudra smirked. “You’re scarier than half the city, Ma.”
She laughed, flicking his forehead lightly. “Keep talking like that and I’ll show you how scary I can be.”
Kabir’s message popped up on Rudra’s phone:
> “Oye, boss. We’re meeting at the ground in an hour. Don’t be late.”
Rudra grinned. “I’ll be there.”
His mother noticed the smirk. “That’s your ‘planning trouble’ face. What are you boys up to this time?”
“Nothing illegal,” Rudra replied innocently.
“Which means slightly illegal,” Rajesh said dryly from behind his newspaper.
Rudra burst out laughing. For a moment, the air filled with the sound of his real self — carefree, mischievous, warm. The Rudra that few people ever got to see.
---
☀️ Across the City — The Kapoor Residence
At the same time, on the other side of Devgarh, Aanya Kapoor was already up, sitting at the dining table with her sketchbook open and a plate of toast half-eaten beside her.
Her father, Vikram Kapoor, scrolled through his tablet, occasionally glancing at her. “Aanya, are you even listening? I asked if you’ve planned your next week properly.”
“I have, Papa,” she replied without looking up, shading the outline of a street corner she’d drawn.
Vikram sighed. “Your definition of planning and mine are very different.”
Her mother, Neha Kapoor, entered the kitchen, humming as she poured coffee. “Let her breathe, Vikram. It’s her first year in Devgarh. She’ll find her way.”
“I just don’t want her to waste time,” he said.
Aanya smiled softly. “Don’t worry, Papa. I’m not wasting it. I’m just… observing.”
“Observing?”
She shrugged. “People. Places. Stories. There’s something interesting about this city. Feels like everyone’s hiding a little mystery.”
Neha smiled knowingly. “That’s your artist’s instinct talking again.”
Aanya grinned. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the people here. Some of them… seem worth knowing.”
Vikram raised an eyebrow. “People? Which people?”
“Relax, Papa,” she teased. “I’m not running off with a gangster or anything.”
Neha laughed, but Aanya’s words lingered — ironic, foreshadowing the very thing that destiny was quietly arranging.
Aanya finished her toast, closed her sketchbook, and looked out the window at the bustling streets of Devgarh. She loved the city’s energy — unpredictable, bold, alive. The kind of place where anything could happen.
---
☕ Back to the Mehra House
Rudra stood outside, helmet in hand, ready to leave. His mom called out from the door, “Drive safe!”
“Always do,” he shouted back, grinning.
As he started his bike, Kabir’s voice echoed in his head from last night — “Bro, you’re like the hero and villain in one person.”
Maybe that was true.
He wasn’t sure which side people loved more… or feared more.
But deep down, he knew — both sides were him.
And somewhere in the city, a girl he hadn’t met yet was about to flip his perfectly balanced world upside down.
- Writer
