Rex had started behaving strangely.
Late at night, he lay on his bed thinking about the girl from the garden. Without even realizing it, he pulled his pillow close and hugged it tightly, smiling to himself. She was actually really cute… He was so lost in imagination that he forgot the door wasn't even closed.
Suddenly, Jasmine walked in to give him his bag.
She froze.
Rex looked up — and his soul practically left his body.
Jasmine's eyes widened. "What… are you doing?"
Before he could explain, she marched toward him and started hitting him with whatever she could grab. Rex panicked. "Didi! You're misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding? I saw you with my own eyes! You're getting spoiled!"
Rex quickly blurted out, "It's about the garden girl!"
Jasmine stopped mid-swing. "What? Garden girl?"
Rex sat up straight. "I met a girl in the garden. Whenever I see her, I feel strange… I don't know why."
Jasmine stared at him for a second… then a slow teasing smile appeared on her face.
"Ohhh… so someone has fallen in love?"
Rex turned red instantly. "It's not like that!"
"Ooy hoyee… I want to see this girl too," Jasmine said dramatically.
"Come tomorrow. I'll show you," Rex replied nervously. "I don't understand this feeling."
Jasmine walked toward the door. "Stop overthinking and sleep. And if I catch you doing weird things again, you're dead."
She closed the door and left.
Rex waited a few seconds… then ignored her warning and hugged the pillow tightly again, smiling like an idiot.
The door suddenly opened.
Jasmine stood there with a wicked smile.
"I knew you'd do it again. That's why I never left."
Rex's heart stopped. He almost started crying. "Didi, please forgive me! I won't do it again!"
Jasmine gave a scary little laugh… and closed the door behind her.
That night, Rex didn't sleep peacefully.
The next morning at breakfast, Uncle noticed the marks on Rex's face.
"What happened to you?"
Rex replied casually, "A wild cat attacked me."
Jasmine's head slowly turned toward him. Her eyes looked murderous.
Rex immediately corrected himself. "I mean… I slipped at night."
Uncle nodded, but Jasmine kept staring at him.
On the way to college, Rex was too scared to even talk to her. After last night, he had developed a new fear — Jasmine.
They reached campus silently.
Koji and Joe dragged Rex to class while Jasmine went to sit with Rika. Rimu was already studying seriously.
"Bro, how much will you study?" Joe complained. "Come play sometimes."
Rimu adjusted his glasses. "Exams are coming. I want to top. You guys should study too."
Rex nodded. "Yeah, I'll study with you."
Joe and Koji looked betrayed. "Not you too!"
Koji suddenly grinned. "Let's go to the mall today. Or gaming parlour?"
Rimu refused at first… but when Rex agreed, he sighed. "Fine."
They continued their usual teasing.
---
After the first lecture, Jasmine went to the washroom.
As she came out, a girl handed her an attendance sheet.
"Please give this to Sir after the third lecture. Room 511."
Jasmine frowned. "But we have four lectures today. Why third?"
The girl just smiled and left.
After the third lecture, Jasmine went to Room 511.
The classroom was empty except for Professor Birjesh, who was checking test papers.
He looked up. "Your marks aren't as good as before."
He stood up and walked toward her.
"You need to work harder," he said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "But I can help you pass with good marks… without much effort."
Jasmine felt uncomfortable and stepped back.
His hand moved lower.
She pushed him and tried to leave — but he grabbed her arm and pulled her back forcefully. Her clothes tore slightly as he tried to overpower her.
"Sir, leave me!" she shouted.
At that exact moment, the classroom door slammed open.
Zack stood there.
He saw everything in one glance.
His expression changed instantly.
Without a word, he walked forward and punched Birjesh so hard that he crashed into a desk. Zack removed his own shirt and handed it to Jasmine.
"Wear this."
She was trembling.
Birjesh tried to run, but Zack grabbed him by the collar.
"Please! It was a mistake! I'll get you suspended!" Birjesh shouted desperately.
Jasmine, crying, said, "Don't let him go. He's tried this before. When I refused… he beat me."
Zack's fists tightened.
He started punching Birjesh again and again. Each hit filled with rage.
Jasmine sat there, shaking. Memories flooded back — the previous harassment, the threats, the day she was beaten so badly her nose bled… the same day Rex had dropped her to college for the first time.
Her fear slowly turned into anger.
She picked up a broken iron rod from near a bench, And struck.
Once.
Twice.
Five times.
Blood splattered. One of Birjesh's eyes was badly damaged. He stopped moving properly.
Zack quickly grabbed Jasmine's hands and pulled her back.
"Stop! He's already at death's door. Don't dirty your hands."
Jasmine was breathing heavily. Slowly… she calmed down.
For a second, she realized how close she was to Zack. That strange feeling stirred in her chest — just like the one Rex described.
Zack stepped back slightly.
"I'll kill this bastard," he growled.
But this time, Jasmine stopped him.
"No. Enough."
Outside the classroom, the same girl who had given Jasmine the attendance sheet had witnessed everything from the corridor.
She screamed and ran down the hallway.
"Someone killed Birjesh Sir! In Room 511!"
And within seconds… chaos began spreading through the entire college.
A crowd quickly gathered outside Classroom 511.
Zack was no ordinary student. There wasn't a single person in the entire college who didn't know his name. Half of the campus stood behind him. Wherever he went, people moved aside.
Then, another presence entered the corridor.
Shankar.
Just as half the college belonged to Zack's gang, the remaining half followed Shankar. The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Zack looked at him coldly. "What are you doing here, you bastard?"
Shankar gave a slow clap, a mocking smile on his face. "Well, well, well… I heard someone beat Birjesh badly. I came to see who had the guts." His eyes narrowed slightly. "And it turns out… it was you. Impressive."
He chuckled. "Anyway, I'll leave. If you're involved, I have no reason to interfere."
There was an unspoken rule between them — a deal. Neither would interfere in the other's matters.
After one last glance, Shankar turned and walked away.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"They were face to face…"
"I heard they're equally strong…"
Meanwhile, teachers and the principal rushed into the classroom. One teacher, horrified at Birjesh's condition, immediately tried to call the police.
"Stop!" the principal snapped. "This will destroy the college's reputation!"
But it was too late.
Someone had already called the police and an ambulance.
Before anyone had entered earlier, Zack had taken the iron rod from Jasmine's hands.
When the police arrived, the first thing they saw was blood — on Zack's hands… and on the rod.
"You're under arrest," an officer said firmly.
Jasmine stepped forward desperately. "He's innocent! He was saving me!"
"You can explain that at the station," the officer replied coldly.
They handcuffed Zack.
At that moment, Rex and his friends arrived. Rex's eyes immediately locked onto Jasmine. Her condition made his chest tighten. Then he saw Birjesh lying half-dead on the floor… and Zack being taken away in handcuffs.
He rushed to Jasmine. "Didi… what happened?"
Her voice trembled, but her eyes were steady. "Zack is innocent. He saved me from that disgusting teacher. None of this is his fault."
Something inside Rex shifted.
His breathing grew heavier.
"If anyone dares touch my sister…" he muttered, "…I'll kill him."
A thin black vein slowly surfaced along his neck.
Only Rex could see it.
No one else.
Just as his anger threatened to take over, Jasmine grabbed his arm tightly.
"Rex. Stop."
The black vein slowly faded.
The ambulance carried Birjesh away. The principal looked pale. Fear wasn't for the injured teacher — it was for the college's reputation.
He immediately summoned Jasmine to his office. Rex went with her.
Principal's Office
The room was filled with suffocating silence.
Jasmine had changed her clothes. Rex stood beside her, fists clenched. The principal sat behind his desk, his face stiff with tension.
"Sit down," he said coldly.
"I'm fine standing," Jasmine replied.
"Fine," he said. "Let's speak clearly. What happened in Room 511 has placed this college in serious crisis."
Rex spoke carefully. "Crisis began when—"
"Silence," the principal cut him off sharply. "I'm speaking to Jasmine."
Rex's jaw tightened, but he stayed quiet.
The principal leaned forward. "I know what happened. Half the college saw it. But if this turns into a police case, things will spiral out of control."
"It's already out of control," Jasmine said calmly.
"No," the principal replied. "It can still be managed. If you state that it was a misunderstanding… and that the fight was personal… we can settle it internally."
Rex's eyes darkened. "Misunderstanding?"
"Students saw only part of the incident," the principal continued. "In court, lawyers twist narratives. Your name will circulate in media. Your character will be questioned."
The air grew heavy.
"I'm saying this for your own safety," he added.
"Or for the college's reputation?" Jasmine asked.
A flicker of irritation crossed his face.
"If the college's reputation falls, your degree loses value. Placements suffer. Sponsors withdraw."
Rex's voice turned low. "So what's your solution?"
"Internal inquiry. Birjesh will be suspended. Zack will receive a disciplinary notice. That's all. The police complaint should be withdrawn."
"And what about what he did before?" Jasmine asked.
Principal "There's no written record of past incidents."
Jasmine "So that means they never happened?"
"I'm being practical," he said. "Emotional decisions destroy futures."
Rex stepped forward slightly. "Futures are destroyed when people stay silent."
The principal looked at him sharply. "Your sister's name is already spreading across campus. Think carefully about what tomorrow will look like."
It was a clear warning.
Jasmine held his gaze. "If I stay silent, tomorrow it will happen to someone else."
Principal "Don't try to be a hero."
Jasmine "I don't want to remain a victim."
Silence.
The principal's expression hardened. "I'll ask once more. Do you wish to pursue the complaint?"
Jasmine glanced at Rex.
He gave a small, firm nod.
She looked back at the principal.
"Yes."
The principal slowly closed the file.
"Then be prepared to face the consequences."