Aadhya's POV
"Are you done?" I asked, my voice calm but my patience completely gone. Because honestly, I could tolerate a lot of things… being dragged, insulted, forced to run errands like some unpaid intern of idiots… but this? Standing here and listening to her degrade Section E like we were some kind of trash? No. That hit somewhere personal. Maybe because I was one of them now. Maybe because… for the first time, I didn't like hearing it.
She smiled like she had just delivered the speech of the century. "You know, I don't want to be called a bad person," she said sweetly, like she wasn't just spitting venom a second ago, "so I won't punish you harshly. Just kneel, kiss my ruby shoes, and apologise. Simple." Simple. I stared at her. My brain actually paused for a second. Kneel? Me? Kiss her shoes? Was she okay? Did she fall and hit her head somewhere before coming here? "That's too low of a punishment," one of her pets added. "No, you're so kind," the other one said. I almost laughed. Kind? If this is kindness, then I don't even want to imagine what cruelty looks like in her dictionary.
"I don't want to," I said, straight and clear. No hesitation. Her smile dropped instantly. "What do you mean you don't want to?" she asked, like the concept itself offended her existence. I didn't move. Didn't even blink. "Then maybe you'll suffer properly," she said, smiling again, but this time it was darker. Oh please. I've seen worse expressions in mirrors. My mind was already working. One slap would be satisfying… but wait. No. Better idea. A slow smirk spread across my face. "Okay," I said sweetly, "I'll kneel… kiss your shoes… and apologise." Her face lit up. Hooked. Done. "…but only if you apologise first." Her expression froze. "Apologise? To whom? You?" she laughed loudly. Cute. Really cute. "No," I tilted my head, acting like I was trying to remember, "what was her name again… hmm… Yuvika?" And just like that… silence. Pure silence. Her pets stiffened. Her confidence flickered. Bullseye.
"Why me?" came a soft voice from beside Reyansh. I glanced there. Yuvika. Perfect timing. "Yeah, why her?" Riya said, trying to act innocent now. Too late sweetheart. "Don't remember?" I smiled. "Let me help you. Weren't you the one saying Yuvika flirts with every rich guy here? Calling her a slut?" Gasps. Murmurs. Drama. Exactly what she wanted earlier… now choking on it. Reyansh's face darkened instantly. He grabbed her collar. "Riya, you said that?" Tears filled her eyes instantly. Wow, talent. "NO! SHE'S LYING!" one of her pets screamed. "She didn't even see, she was in the cubicle!" another added. Wait… what? My brain paused. "YEAH, SHE WAS INSIDE!" Riya straightened, confidence crawling back like a snake. "Jiya said it," she declared. My eyes snapped to Jiya. "Huh? I didn't say anything," she said, confused. Exactly. She didn't. I knew that. But before I could even open my mouth—
Everything exploded.
Two boys grabbed Jiya. "What the hell?!" Samar jumped in instantly. And just like that, chaos. Punches flying. Bodies crashing. Shouting echoing. Benches scraping. It turned into a battlefield in seconds. I just stood there for a second trying to process how we jumped from verbal fight to WWE finals. Vivaan stepped forward, eyes dark, jaw tight. Reyansh faced him. "You really like getting involved in fights," Reyansh said coldly. Vivaan smirked. That irritating, confident, dangerous smirk. Neel stepped forward, voice sharp. "We're Section E." Mahi stood beside him, cracking his knuckles. "Section E don't back down fights…" he said. Then added, with that same calm intensity, "…nor lose them." And then, lower but stronger, like a promise carved in stone, "nor abandon our people." Something twisted inside me at that. Before I could even process that feeling—
SLAP.
My head snapped to the side. My cheek burned instantly. I slowly turned. Riya. Of course. "It's all your fault!" she shouted. That was it. No thinking. No planning. Just instinct. I slapped her back. Hard. She fell straight to the ground. Silence. Just for a second. Then chaos doubled.
Suddenly a bucket flew towards me. I saw it. Too close. Too fast. I shut my eyes instinctively. But… nothing hit me. Instead, something warm blocked it. Solid. I opened my eyes slowly. Dheeraj. Standing in front of me. Taking it all. Dirty water, filth, everything dripping from his clothes. "Why did you…" my voice came out softer than I expected. He looked at me, exhausted but calm. "Now we're even," he said quietly. And then… he collapsed. "Dheeraj!" I dropped to my knees beside him. My hands shook as I tried to lift him. His shirt… something was moving. I froze. Worms. My stomach turned. "Help! Someone help!" I shouted. No one listened. Still fighting. Still shouting. Like this was entertainment. "We need to take him to the clinic!" My voice cracked. Panic rising fast. Then suddenly Naman appeared in front of me. "What happened?" he asked quickly. "Clinic," I said, my voice breaking, "we need to go now." He didn't ask anything else. Just lifted Dheeraj immediately. And we ran. Leaving behind the chaos. The noise. The madness. And for the first time… Section E didn't feel like just a messed up class. It felt like something else. Something dangerous… but real.
IN THE CLINIC
Dheeraj was laid on the bed, finally still for once. His shirt was removed, a blanket covering him up to his chest. For someone who looked so strong while fighting… right now he just looked… quiet. Too quiet. I stepped closer and gently placed my hand on his forehead.
Warm.
No—hot.
"He has fever now?" I muttered under my breath. "Damn it… yesterday fights, today this… seriously his luck these days is horrible." I sighed and folded my arms. "He should really start reading his horoscope or something. At least then he'll know when not to fight like a hero and end up like a patient."
Still… I couldn't stop worrying.
I looked at him again. His face had bruises, small cuts here and there… but he still looked calm. Like nothing could shake him even in this state. Idiot.
"Thank you, Naman," I said, turning to him.
He scratched the back of his head, suddenly looking all shy. Oh my god. What is this sudden personality shift? From rich school boy to awkward cinnamon roll?
"Nah… it was nothing," he said, avoiding eye contact.
He looked like he wanted to say something else, but before he could—
The door opened.
Avi walked in.
And my entire focus shifted.
He looked… off.
Tired. Drained. His steps were slow, and he was holding his head like it was about to fall off.
Okay… now what happened to this one.
"Okay then… I'll leave," Naman said quickly, clearly sensing something, and walked out.
I immediately went to Avi.
"What happened to you?" I asked, frowning.
"Nothing… just a little headache," he said, avoiding my eyes.
Oh really?
Little headache?
You think I'm stupid?
I narrowed my eyes at him, squinting like those Korean drama aunties who catch lies in one second.
"You drank, didn't you?"
"What? No—"
"Don't lie," I cut him off. "That's a hangover. Serves you right."
He looked away, guilty.
Ha.
Caught.
"But why do you have a headache?" I continued dramatically. "You were perfectly fine yesterday. Suddenly today—boom—headache? Magic?"
"Nothing…" he muttered again.
I crossed my arms and started my lecture mode.
"That's why you shouldn't drink. You're still young. Your brain hasn't even fully developed yet. You'll damage it and then what? You'll become even more useless than you already are—"
"Aadhya…" he groaned.
"No, let me finish. This is important. Health is wealth. You should drink milk, not alcohol. See your condition now—"
He just sat there quietly, taking it.
Good.
He deserves it.
We sat there for a while after that, bickering like usual. He tried to defend himself, I kept attacking him with logic and unnecessary drama. Honestly, I think even the nurse got irritated. I mean, poor Dheeraj is lying there fighting fever, and here we are conducting a full debate competition.
So yeah… we got kicked out.
Now we were heading back to class.
Avi was unusually quiet.
Maybe I overdid the lecture.
Just a little.
…okay maybe a lot.
We entered the classroom.
And chaos.
Again.
Why is my life surrounded by chaos?
Samar—yes, that same dramatic monkey—was pacing back and forth like someone had stolen his soul.
"She hates me!" he shouted, pulling his hair.
"Bro, calm down," someone said.
"Yeah, sit down first!" another added.
But no.
He was on full heartbreak mode.
Bags were thrown.
Books flying.
Classroom looking like a war zone again.
Amazing.
I tried to quietly sneak to my seat like a responsible citizen who does not want to get involved in unnecessary drama.
But fate said—no.
Big mistake.
Samar saw me.
And in one second—
He was in front of me.
Before I could react, his hand grabbed my collar.
My feet literally lifted off the ground.
Excuse me???
Is this a kidnapping?
"This is all your fault!" he shouted in my face.
His grip tightened.
Okay… breathing… optional now.
"Leave me… ugh—let me go!" I struggled, trying to pry his hands off.
But he didn't move.
"If only you hadn't messed with Riya's group… she wouldn't have… she wouldn't have told me to forget her!" his voice cracked. "She hates me… and all of this is your fault!"
Oh.
Oh no.
His eyes were red.
Tears.
Actual tears.
He let go of me suddenly, like his strength just gave up, and dropped to his knees.
And cried.
Just like that.
The entire class fell silent.
I stood there frozen.
I don't know what it feels like… to cry for someone like that.
But seeing him like this…
It hurt.
Not physically.
Something else.
Guilt?
Maybe.
Others rushed to him, trying to calm him down.
Some looked confused, like they didn't sign up for emotional trauma today.
And then—
Of course.
There had to be one idiot.
"Only gays cry, bro."
…
Silence.
My brain stopped.
Who said that?
Which monkey?
Because I swear—
At this point, I'm ready to commit murder.
Emotionally.
Or physically.
Depends on my mood.