🖤 Author's Note
Hello, beautiful readers!
This is my first story, and honestly, I'm both excited and nervous to share it with you.
I'm still learning as a writer, so there may be mistakes along the way. I hope you'll be patient with me and join me on this journey.
Your votes, comments, and feedback mean a lot and help me improve with every chapter.
Thank you for giving Deadly Pulse a chance.
I hope Kritika and Love's story finds a place in your heart. 🖤
With love,
— Anshika
Medical colleges were dangerous.
Not because students studied too much.
But because sleep deprivation, caffeine, trauma, and attractive people were a deadly combination.
And Kritika Sharma was the perfect example of chaos.
"You're late again," Anisha whispered dramatically as Kritika entered the lecture hall wearing an oversized black hoodie, loose hair, and absolutely zero shame on her face.
Kritika casually dropped into the seat beside her.
"I prefer the term fashionably delayed."
Jyoti snorted from behind.
"You say that every single day."
"Because every single day it's true."
Shaily leaned closer.
"You missed a whole scandal."
Kritika immediately looked interested.
"Pregnancy? Affair? Suspension?"
"New topper."
"...That's disappointing."
The girls laughed softly.
Professor Mehta was busy writing something complicated on the board while students pretended to understand human anatomy at eight in the morning.
Kritika rested her chin on her palm lazily, her black eyes scanning the room with boredom.
That's when she noticed him.
Back row.
Near the window.
Black shirt with folded sleeves.
Messy black hair.
Sharp jawline.
Beard.
Brown skin glowing softly under the sunlight entering through the glass.
And unlike every other guy in class...
He wasn't staring at her.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Kritika slowly straightened in her seat.
"Who's that?" she whispered.
Anisha followed her gaze.
"Oh. That's the new transfer student."
"What's his name?"
"Love Malhotra."
Kritika blinked.
"Love?" she repeated with disbelief.
Jyoti laughed.
"I know."
Kritika smirked slowly.
"That man was bullied by destiny before birth."
The girls tried not to laugh loudly.
But the boy near the window looked up anyway.
Straight at her.
And for one weird second...
The noise in the classroom faded.
His eyes were calm.
Not nervous.
Not impressed.
Not curious.
Just calm.
Like he could already read people too well.
Kritika hated that instantly.
She looked away first.
Annoying.
Professor Mehta suddenly turned around.
"Miss Kritika Sharma. Since you seem free enough to gossip, answer my question."
The class immediately became silent.
Kritika internally sighed.
"What was the question, sir?"
"Branches of external carotid artery."
Easy.
But before she could answer, Professor Mehta folded his arms.
"No cheating from your friends this time."
The class chuckled.
Kritika rolled her eyes dramatically.
"You wound me, sir."
"Answer."
She opened her mouth confidently—
Blank.
Absolute blank.
Damn.
Anisha whispered something but the professor glared at her.
Kritika awkwardly smiled.
Then suddenly a calm male voice spoke from behind.
"Superior thyroid, lingual, facial, ascending pharyngeal, occipital, posterior auricular, maxillary and superficial temporal."
The entire class turned.
Love.
Of course.
Professor Mehta looked impressed.
"Correct."
Kritika slowly turned in her seat to look at him.
He wasn't even trying to show off.
That somehow made it worse.
Professor Mehta smiled slightly.
"Class, this is Love Malhotra. New transfer. State-level topper."
A few students immediately started whispering.
Kritika leaned back lazily.
Topper.
Explains the dead-inside expression.
After class ended, chaos immediately exploded in the lecture hall.
Students rushed outside while others crowded around Love asking unnecessary questions.
Kritika watched from her seat silently.
Then smirked.
Challenge accepted.
She stood up and walked toward him confidently.
The girls behind her exchanged looks.
"Oh no," Shaily muttered.
"She found entertainment."
Love was placing books inside his bag when Kritika stopped directly in front of him.
He looked up calmly.
Close up, he looked even more attractive.
That irritated her further.
"You helped me," she said.
"You looked confused."
"I was distracted."
"By?"
"You."
For the first time, a tiny reaction crossed his face.
Almost invisible.
Kritika noticed anyway.
Got you.
She leaned slightly closer.
"So, Mr. Topper... flirting allowed or strictly against medical ethics?"
A few nearby students immediately became interested in the conversation.
Love zipped his bag slowly before answering.
"You flirt with everyone?"
Kritika smiled sweetly.
"Mostly people worth flirting with."
"Hm."
That's it.
Just hm.
No blush.
No awkward smile.
Nothing.
Kritika narrowed her eyes slightly.
"You're weird."
"And you talk too much."
Nearby students gasped softly.
Anisha almost choked laughing.
Kritika stared at him in disbelief.
Nobody talked to her like that.
Nobody.
But Love simply picked up his bag calmly.
Then looked at her once before saying quietly—
"You try very hard to look untouchable."
Her smirk disappeared slightly.
"And you," she replied slowly, "try very hard to act mysterious."
Love held her gaze for a second too long.
Then walked away.
Just like that.
Without looking back.
Kritika stood there silently.
Confused.
Irritated.
Interested.
Dangerous combination.
Kabir, one of the boys from class, immediately walked over grinning.
"Damn, Sharma. First guy immune to your face?"
Kritika grabbed her notebook and hit him lightly.
"Shut up."
But internally...
Something unfamiliar twisted inside her chest.
Not attraction.
No.
Definitely not.
It was worse.
Curiosity.
And curiosity had always been Kritika Sharma's biggest weakness.
⸻
That evening, the college campus was crowded because of freshers' orientation practice.
Music blasted near the auditorium while students ran around carrying decorations and files.
Kritika sat lazily on a bench near the basketball court sipping cold coffee while Anisha ranted dramatically beside her.
"I'm telling you that man is dangerous."
Kritika looked amused.
"The topper?"
"Yes."
"He literally said three sentences."
"Exactly. Silent boys are either serial killers or heartbreakers."
Jyoti nodded seriously.
"True."
Kritika laughed.
Then her eyes unconsciously searched the campus.
And found him again.
Love stood near the administrative building talking to a professor.
Black shirt sleeves rolled up.
Veins visible on his hands.
Calm posture.
God, even the way he stood looked disciplined.
Disgusting.
As if sensing her stare, Love suddenly looked toward her.
Directly.
Kritika didn't look away this time.
Neither did he.
Something sharp passed silently between them.
Not romance.
Not yet.
Just challenge.
Then unexpectedly—
A girl from junior year approached Love nervously.
She handed him a small folded paper.
Love looked confused.
The boys nearby immediately started teasing loudly.
"Ohooo!"
"Already getting love letters, Love?"
Kritika rolled her eyes dramatically.
Predictable.
The junior girl ran away embarrassed while Love opened the paper quietly.
Kabir suddenly appeared beside Kritika smirking.
"Jealous?"
Kritika laughed instantly.
"Of him? Please."
But her eyes still remained fixed on him.
Love read the note once.
Then calmly crumpled it.
And threw it in the dustbin.
Without expression.
Without interest.
Without hesitation.
Kritika's eyebrows lifted slightly.
Okay.
Now she was definitely interested.
Because boys who chased attention were easy.
But boys who ignored it?
Those were dangerous.
And somewhere deep inside...
Kritika Sharma had always been attracted to dangerous things.
That's it for the first Chapter
I hope you all loved it.Keep loving and supporting
Be kind to this author, she's writing her first heartbeat 💓
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