Hey readers!

just a head up-this chapter (and a few after that) are set in past. so don't get confused - it's a backstory. I had included bits of past in previous chapter, but I felt it would be better to dedicate a separate chapter to it.

If you are not interested in reading back story, you can skip it and jump straight to chapter 28

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Jayant

 “Hurry up, Aalu! The bus is leaving!” I called out, watching Alisha run toward the bus.
She was always the one who arrived early—how did she get late today? The bus had already started moving slowly, and she was still outside, struggling to catch up.

Without thinking, I stretched out my hand toward her. She hesitated for a moment before finally grabbing it, her fingers barely touching mine. Without wasting a second, I tightened my grip and pulled her up with all my strength.
With one final effort, she stumbled inside, panting heavily.

We were headed to another school for a sports competition. The bus was already packed, making it difficult to find a place to sit.
Thankfully, I had asked Rishi earlier to save us seats. Alisha and I made our way toward him, her hand still in mine as we navigated through the crowded aisle.
When we reached Rishi, I found him comfortably seated, casually eating a banana.

“What is this?” I asked, standing in front of him.

Rishi looked up with an innocent expression. “It’s a banana. Want some?”
I ignored his response and got straight to the point. “Where are the seats?”
Rishi blinked at me, chewing his banana. “What?”
“The seats, Rishi! I told you to save two seats!”
“Yeah, I did,” he replied nonchalantly.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “How many seats did I ask you to save?”
“Two,” he answered immediately.

“Then why did you only save one?” I asked, my patience running thin.

Still chewing on his banana, he pointed at the empty seat next to him. “I did save two. One for you,” then he gestured at himself, “and one for me.”

I took a deep breath, trying not to lose my temper. “And where is Alisha supposed to sit?”
“Oh…” He scratched his head. “You didn’t say three seats. You said two.”

I stared at him in disbelief before snatching the half-eaten banana from his hand and tossing it out the window.
"WHAT THE—" Rishi yelped, watching his banana disappear into the street.

Alisha, who had been watching the whole thing, burst out laughing. "Serves you right, dumbass!" she teased, matching Rishi’s outraged tone.
Rishi, never one to back down, shot back, "Shut up, fatty!"

Alisha gasped dramatically. "Did you just call me FAT?"
“Yeah, I did!” Rishi smirked.
“You—” She hesitated for a second before mumbling, “You’re DASHED!”

Rishi and I exchanged confused looks.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
She quickly looked away. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Oh no, you’re telling us now,” Rishi insisted.

Alisha refused to explain what she meant by "dashed," clearly enjoying the mystery. Before the situation could escalate any further, Miss Anita Kapoor stepped in.

"Enough, you three!" she said firmly. "Alisha, take that empty seat over here. Jayant, go to the long seat at the back and adjust yourself. Now, move!"

But neither Alisha nor Rishi seemed willing to sit together.

"I won’t sit with him," Alisha declared sharply.

Miss Anita sighed and said, "Then go sit at the back."

Everyone knew that adjusting in the back was uncomfortable, and the bus bounced more on the rear seats. Alisha was ready to move, but before she could, I stopped her.

"You’re sitting here. Final."
Before Alisha could protest, Rishi interrupted. "How is that final? Jayant isn’t moving to the back."

Miss Anita glanced at him and replied, "Then you can go instead."

Rishi hesitated for a moment. Alisha, on the other hand, seemed pleased with the idea of him going to the back. She was enjoying this.
After a brief pause, Rishi finally said, "I’m not going."

Alisha turned to him, her eyes narrowing. "Why? Why won’t you go?"
Instead of answering, Rishi countered with a question of his own. "Why are you so desperate to sit next to Jayant, huh?"

He paused for a second, then smirked. "Could it be... that you're in love with him?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, a heavy silence fell over the bus. Even the students, who had been enjoying the drama, suddenly fell quiet.

I glanced at Alisha—her face was turning red. For a moment, I worried she might be offended by Rishi’s words. Breaking the silence, I spoke loudly, “Stop talking nonsense, Rishi! You say anything that comes to your mind.”

Before I could say more, Alisha's voice cut through the tension. “I could say the same thing to you. Are you sure you’re not in love with Jayant?”

A few gasps echoed in the bus, but before the situation could spiral further, Miss Anita stepped in.
"Enough! You two shouldn’t be talking like this."

I looked at my friends—shameless as ever. They had no filter, no sense of place or time. And yet, they were mine.

As punishment, the teacher made Rishi and Alisha sit together but strictly forbade them from speaking a single word. She warned that if they did, she would drop them off in the middle of the road. Their shoulders brushed slightly, but neither looked at the other. Instead, they turned their faces in opposite directions, pretending to be uninterested.

I sighed and found a seat at the back, watching the two of them in amusement.

~~

As soon as we stepped off the bus at Bright Future High School, Rishi walked up to me, casually resting his hand on my shoulder. Leaning in slightly, he whispered, "I think Alisha likes you."

I immediately shrugged his hand off. "Have you lost your mind?" I shot back.
But Rishi wasn’t one to back down easily. He stepped closer, a teasing grin on his face. "Just think about it for a second. She’s always after you. Why?"
I rolled my eyes. "You're talking nonsense. She’s just my friend."

Rishi gave me a knowing look. "So, you don’t like her, huh?" he asked, his tone almost challenging.

I took a deep breath, then placed my hand on his shoulder. "Rishi, listen carefully. I'll tell you exactly why she’s acting this way. Pay attention—and from now on, don’t say things like this again, okay?"

He nodded eagerly. "Alright, I’m listening."
Rishi kept pinching me. “Tell me… tell me!”

“Just wait, man! I’ll tell you,” I said, irritated.

By now, all the students had gathered on the ground, and the games had already begun. Alisha was participating in the relay race, standing at the last position, ready to take the final lap.

Rishi, growing impatient, nudged me again. “You can’t leave a story halfway. Come on, tell me!”

My eyes were fixed on Alisha as she stretched, preparing for her turn. The whistle blew, and the race began.
Without looking at him, I finally spoke. “Alisha used to be a lonely girl.”
Rishi interrupted. “What do you mean?”
I sighed. “Will you let me finish first?”
His silence gave me the signal to continue. My eyes remained on Alisha as I spoke.

“Her mom passed away a year and a half ago. When I first met her, it hadn’t been long since her loss. In Section A, she didn’t have any true friends, and after her mom’s death, she even stopped talking to the few casual friends she had. She had forgotten how to smile. She once told me that I was the one who taught her to smile again—by becoming her friend. I’ve even met her father, and he wants me to stay in her life as a friend. That’s what she needs, Rishi—friends, not love. In this whole crowd, I’m the only one she truly considers her friend. Do you understand now?”

Rishi, for once, had no response. He just nodded, absorbing everything I had said.
Meanwhile, the race was reaching its climax. The flag had just been passed to Alisha, and I immediately jumped into action, cheering loudly. “Alisha! Alisha! Come on, come on!”

And just like that, she crossed the finish line—first place.

Now it was my turn—the final stage of the relay race.

The whistle blew, and the race began. I stood at my position, waiting for my turn, my focus sharp.
But before I could even get the flag, Alisha started cheering loudly. "Jayant, come on! You can do this!"
This girl—at least let my turn come first! Her shouting was distracting me. Irritated, I yelled, "Alisha, stop it!" But she either didn’t hear me or chose to ignore it.

Finally, my turn arrived. I grabbed the flag and took off at full speed, my eyes locked on the finish line. I was fully focused—until I noticed something unusual.

Someone was running alongside me. Not on the track, but outside it.
It was Alisha.

She was running beside me, cheering at the top of her voice. "Go, Jayant! Faster!"
Her enthusiasm, instead of motivating me, threw me off. My focus wavered for just a moment, but it was enough. My speed dropped slightly, and I crossed the finish line—in second place.

Disappointment settled in instantly. I should have won. Alisha ran up to me, smiling, ready to congratulate me. But I didn’t say a word. Without looking at her, I walked away.

Somewhere deep inside, I was blaming her for not coming first.

Stepping away from the crowd, I sipped my water, trying to cool down. But before I could regain my composure, Alisha appeared beside me.
"What happened? Are you okay?" she asked.

I didn’t bother looking at her. But she stepped in front of me, blocking my view. Extending a bottle toward me, she said softly, "It’s an energy drink. Do you want some?"

I slapped her hand away, frustration bubbling over. "What was the need to do that?" My voice carried the angered I felt.
She looked confused. "Do what?" she asked in an almost hesitant tone.

I didn’t hold back. "Running alongside me! You distracted me. I could’ve come first!" With every word, my voice grew louder.

Then, without thinking, I snapped, "This is exactly why no one wants to be your friend. You doesn't know how to support friends!"
Silence followed.

Alisha said nothing. She simply lowered her gaze, staring at the bottle she was still holding.

I didn’t wait for her to respond. I turned and walked back toward the crowd, waiting for the next game to start.

One by one, all the games came to an end. Now, it was time for the prize distribution.
They called the runners up boys relay team.
Reluctantly, I stepped forward and accepted the second-place medal, the weight of disappointment heavier than the metal itself.

The winners of the girls' relay race were announced, and all the team members went up to collect their prize—except Alisha.

I frowned and turned to Miss Anita. "Ma'am, have you seen Alisha?"
Even she seemed surprised. "No, I haven’t. I thought she was with you all."

A strange unease settled in my chest. I started scanning the entire ground for her. When I couldn’t find her, I quickly informed Rishi. "Help me look for Alisha. She’s missing."
While searching, I instinctively moved toward the school classrooms. As I walked down the corridor, I heard voices—rough, mocking voices.
Then I saw her.

A group of senior boys had cornered Alisha, taunting her. She looked terrified, shrinking into herself.

I stepped in between them without thinking. "Bhaiya, let her go."
One of the taller guys scoffed. "And who the hell are you?"

Keeping my voice firm, I replied, "we’re guests in your school. Harassing someone here doesn’t suit you."

Someone from the group sneered. "Oh? And who are you to tell us what suits us and what doesn’t?"

Slowly, I moved closer to Alisha, keeping my eyes on them. "If needed, I’ll make sure you understand."
The tall guy smirked. "What now? You think you’re some kind of hero?"
I shook my head. "Not a hero—just a friend."

His eyes narrowed. "Whose friend?"
I glanced at Alisha, standing behind me with teary eyes, fear evident on her face. Somewhere deep inside, I knew—I was the reason she was in this mess.
"Her friend," I said firmly. "She’s a very good friend of mine."

One of the guys laughed. "Friendship makes you weak. If you want to be a hero, ditch your friend."
The tall guy lunged forward, reaching for Alisha.

Before he could touch her, I shoved him hard. He stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

Without wasting a second, I grabbed Alisha’s hand and ran.
We sprinted through the school corridors, desperately looking for a safe place. Spotting an old storeroom, I pulled her inside and shut the door behind us.
Alisha remained silent. Her breathing was uneven, but she wasn’t saying a word.

I hesitated before speaking. "Alisha… are you okay? Say something."
She simply nodded, still avoiding my gaze.
"I’m sorry," I whispered. "For everything I said on the ground."

Raising my hands to my ears, I added, "Forgive me, please?"

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, I heard footsteps approaching.

Without thinking, I covered her mouth, silencing her.

It had been quite a while, and those guys were still lingering outside. Going out was risky—there were at least five or six of them, and I couldn’t put Alisha in danger.

She sat on the floor, waiting for them to leave. But we couldn’t wait too long. If the bus left without us, we’d be stuck here.

That’s when an idea struck me.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a lighter. Moving toward the fire detector, I flicked it on.

The moment Alisha saw what I was doing, she gasped. "You smoke?!"

I quickly covered her mouth. "Do you want to get us caught?" I whispered.

Realizing her mistake, she looked down, avoiding my gaze. Then, in a softer voice, she asked again, "Do you smoke?"

Ignoring her question, I focused on my plan. "Just because I have a lighter doesn’t mean I have cigarettes."
She frowned. "I don’t like people who smoke."

I didn’t respond. I didn’t tell her that I do smoke sometimes—rarely, but still.
A few moments later, the fire alarm blared.

Suddenly, the water sprinklers activated, sending a shower of water down on us. Within seconds, we were drenched.
I grabbed Alisha’s hand and pulled her toward the door, waiting for the right moment.

The sound of students running filled the hallways as everyone rushed to evacuate.

As soon as the corridor became crowded, we slipped out unnoticed, merging into the sea of students heading toward the ground.

But just as we thought we were safe, I glanced back—those guys were chasing us.

🫶
Thank you for reading.