"S-sure," said Roneet, cheeks turning a little red. "I… I forgive you."
Kiara, who wasn't even looking at him moments ago, suddenly lit up.
"Really?" she said, almost jumping.
"Ahh… yes," Roneet replied softly.
"Thank goodness!" Kiara exhaled dramatically. Then she grabbed both his hands tightly.
"Now we have only one goal — to present the BEST in the class."
I'll make sure that bitch Kabir takes his words back, she thought, eyes narrowing.
Roneet blinked.
"B-best?"
He swallowed. I never thought of being the best… I just don't want to get humiliated, he thought nervously.
"Yes, BEST," Kiara repeated.
She leaned forward. "And we start working from today. Because of you."
Roneet looked down, uncomfortable.
Kiara watched him with suspicion. He's making that pathetic face again. Ugh, he's such a bitch, she thought irritably.
"Roneet," she said loudly.
He stiffened immediately.
"I… I will give my best," he said quickly.
"Good. Now gimme your phone."
"Um… why?" Roneet asked.
"I want to type my number," Kiara said bluntly.
He handed her the phone. She typed her number rapidly and shoved it back into his hand.
Roneet stared at the screen, confused.
Suddenly she said,
"Fifteen minutes."
Roneet looked up, surprised.
"Fifteen minutes??"
"I will give you fifteen minutes every day until the presentation," Kiara said firmly.
"If you still fail… then it will actually hurt me."
A wave of pressure shot through Roneet's chest, sending chills down his spine.
Kiara turned away, waving her hand dismissively.
"See you tomorrow… maybe. Bye."
"Bye…" Roneet said slowly, almost whispering.
Why does she always chase problems?
What's wrong with being average? Roneet thought, a little annoyed.
Then he suddenly smiled to himself.
"I… I have her number," he whispered shyly.
Before he could enjoy the moment, a hand suddenly closed around his neck from behind.
Someone yanked him backwards.
"Hey, bastard," a voice growled in his ear.
"You look very happy right now."
Roneet gasped.
"A-aghh!"
Nikhil tightened his grip and dragged Roneet toward a corner where no one was around.
He pushed him hard against the wall, pinning him.
Then, with a violent shove, he slammed Roneet's face against the metal shutter.
Not hard enough to injure him seriously—
but enough to scare him, humiliate him, and make his eyes sting.
Nikhil pressed his forearm against the back of Roneet's head, forcing his cheek against the cold surface.
"What's so funny, huh?" Nikhil hissed in his ear.
He rubbed Roneet's face roughly against the shutter—not tearing skin, but painful enough to burn.
"Why were you smiling?" he yelled.
"Answer me, pathetic loser!"
Roneet trembled, breath shaking, his heartbeat hammering in his ears.
Nikhil stopped mid-slap, gripping Roneet's collar.
"You think you're special?" he hissed.
"Just because she grabbed your hand that day?"
Roneet's breath caught, eyes narrowing despite the fear.
Nikhil scoffed.
"That girl isn't choosing you. She's using you to get back at me."
A cold smirk spread across his face.
"I know people like her… always acting tough. But trust me, that attitude won't last forever."
Roneet's jaw tightened. Something flickered across his eyes—anger.
Nikhil saw it instantly.
He leaned closer, mocking:
"Oh? You're getting angry?"
He laughed cruelly.
"Don't tell me you're in love with her."
Roneet froze, his face burning.
Nikhil didn't stop.
"Pathetic," he said.
"You think you'll ever have a chance with her?"
Roneet's head slowly lowered.
Tears slid down one cheek—half from pain, half from humiliation.
Nikhil kept going, voice venomous:
"You're poor. You're plain. Everyone in college whispers about you."
He leaned even closer.
"You know what they call you, right? A creep. A weirdo."
Roneet squeezed his eyes shut.
Nikhil loosened his grip just a little.
"Look, I don't even care about you," he said coldly.
"Just stay away from her. Do that, and I won't bother you."
Roneet stood there silently, staring at the ground as if trying to sink into it.
Nikhil straightened up.
"Live your life, man," he said with a shrug.
"Some people are meant to be average… maybe even below average."
He gave a final tap to Roneet's cheek—almost gentle, but dripping with insult.
Nikhil tilted Roneet's chin up with two fingers, forcing him to look.
"Just look at me," he said proudly.
"Better face. Better height. Better body. Money. Everything. I'm perfect for her."
Roneet's throat tightened. He didn't move.
Suddenly, Nikhil pulled him into a brief, fake hug—like a brother comforting someone he just broke.
"I won't bother you ever again, Roneet," he murmured.
"I never had a problem with you."
For one moment, Roneet almost believed him.
Then Nikhil leaned close to his ear… his voice dropping to a poisonous whisper.
"Don't worry," he breathed softly,
"I'll send you clips when she sings my name."
Roneet's eyes widened—then burned.
His fists clenched.
Nikhil pulled back a little, smirking.
"Chill, yaar. I'm just saying she'll be—"
CRACK!
A fist smashed into Nikhil's face before he could finish.
Nikhil stumbled back, touching his lip as blood smeared across his thumb.
"My face—MY FACE—!" he shouted.
"You bastard!"
Roneet stood trembling… but not with fear.
With fury.
"You think you can talk like that?" he said, voice shaking.
"Treat her like an object? Like a trophy?"
He stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"This isn't even about Kiara anymore."
Nikhil's expression shifted—surprised at the fire in someone he thought was harmless.
Roneet's voice cracked with raw anger:
"People like you shouldn't exist."
Silence.
Then—
"I don't care what happens to me," he growled.
"But today, I swear—I will end you."
Nikhil wiped the blood from his lip, furious.
"You think you can beat ME?" he shouted.
"You pathetic loser!"
He tightened his fists, stepping forward.
"I'll teach you what happens when someone touches my face!"
The tension snapped.
Both boys charged at the same time—
—ready to kill each other.
Roneet charged forward, but Nikhil moved faster.
He grabbed Roneet's face and slammed him against the shutter, metal ringing loudly.
"Today I'm going to hospitalize you," Nikhil laughed, breath hot with cruelty.
"Don't worry, I'll even pay your hospital bill—when your mother comes begging."
Roneet's blood boiled.
He swung blindly, landing wild punches on Nikhil's arms, shoulders—anywhere he could reach.
"Hey—HEY! Stop hitting my face!" Nikhil snapped, blocking the blows with one arm while still pinning Roneet to the shutter with the other.
Then Nikhil switched tactics—
He started smacking the side of Roneet's head, fast and hard, trying to rattle him.
Roneet grit his teeth. He waited.
He tanked the hits.
And the moment Nikhil raised his arm again—
THUD!
Roneet drove a full-force punch straight into Nikhil's chest.
Nikhil's eyes widened.
His mouth dropped open as a sharp gasp tore out of him.
Because Nikhil was a heavy smoker…
the hit landed deeper than expected.
"Haa—ghhh—AHH!" Nikhil staggered back, clutching his chest.
"W-wait—stop— I'm hurt—!"
But Roneet didn't care.
He rushed him, landing punch after punch, fueled by anger he didn't even know he had.
Nikhil's panic rose.
This guy has gone insane— he thought, stumbling backward.
He turned and sprinted.
But Roneet chased him, breath ragged, eyes blazing.
Nikhil spotted a wooden stick near the corner.
He grabbed it—
CRACK!
The stick slammed across Roneet's shoulder.
Roneet cried out and hit the ground hard.
Nikhil raised the stick again, furious.
"You want to ruin my face? JEALOUS BASTARD— I'll end you!"
He lifted the stick—
And then—
WHAM!
A knee drove into Nikhil's back from behind.
He collapsed forward, hitting the floor with a groan.
"AHHH—my back—!" Nikhil screamed, rolling over in pain.
Someone stood behind him, breathing hard—
the sudden savior who stopped the fight.
Kabir stepped forward, brushing dust from his shirt, completely unaware of the fight he just interrupted.
"Hey, Roneet… I just wanted the address of your grandma's house," Kabir said casually.
"We need to return the clothes we borrowed from them."
Roneet blinked, confused and still breathing hard from the fight.
Nikhil looked up from the ground, eyes widening.
"You—? Kabir?!"
His back was throbbing in pain from the knee strike.
He gritted his teeth and hissed, "It hurts… my back…"
But then he spotted the stick lying beside him.
Nikhil grabbed it and charged at Kabir with pure rage—
Kabir moved instantly.
He dodged the swing, stepped in, and landed a clean punch straight across Nikhil's face.
THUD.
Nikhil hit the ground hard, stunned.
"W–what… I can't see…" he muttered, blinking rapidly.
His vision blurred and sharpened again, shapes swirling.
Then his sight finally cleared—
—and he froze.
Roneet was walking toward him…
…holding a large stone, fury radiating off him like heat.
"I'll kill you today," Roneet growled, voice trembling with anger he had never felt before.
Nikhil's eyes widened in real fear.
"H-HEY—HEY! Have you gone crazy?!" Nikhil screamed, scrambling back.
Kabir moved instantly.
He grabbed Roneet's arm from behind and pushed the stone aside with force.
"Roneet! What are you doing?" Kabir shouted.
He held Roneet by the shoulders, trying to steady him.
Roneet was panting, shaking with rage.
"Let me go," he snarled.
"I'll kill him."
"Calm. Down." Kabir's voice turned sharp.
For a second, just one second, Roneet hesitated.
And Nikhil didn't waste a moment.
He staggered to his feet, turned around—
—and ran, limping but desperate to escape.
Within seconds, he disappeared around the corner.
Roneet clenched his fists, still shaking.
Kabir looked at him, stunned by the fire in someone usually so quiet.
"Roneet… what happened?"
"It's nothing," Roneet forced out, wiping his face roughly, trying to hide it.