Roneet's eyes widened — a boy curled up on the floor of the stall, arms wrapped around his body, completely naked and trembling.
"D-Don't… don't look at me!" the boy cried, shielding his face.
Roneet froze for a second. Someone did this to him.
"What happened? Where are your clothes?" Roneet asked, voice low and gentle.
The boy tried to speak, but all that came out were choked sobs.
Roneet looked around — and then saw it.
His clothes were shoved inside the toilet commode, soaked and ruined.
Roneet clenched his jaw.
"Hey… calm down. I'm gonna help you," he said softly.
The boy kept crying, shaking. He didn't trust anyone anymore.
Roneet swallowed his own panic.
"I'm not going to leave you like this. Just stay here and don't open the door for anyone, okay?"
The boy nodded weakly, covering himself even tighter.
Roneet stepped out of the stall, eyes burning with anger.
Whoever did this didn't just bully him… they destroyed him.
He glanced at the boy again.
"I'll be back. I promise."
Roneet rushed back into the library, breathing hard.
Kiara still had her head down on the bench, completely checked out from the world.
Kabir and Zoya were quietly reading.
Roneet walked straight to Kabir and leaned in, whispering urgently near his ear:
"There's a problem."
Kabir lowered his book instantly and looked at Roneet's face.
The panic in Roneet's eyes told him it wasn't something small.
Without a word, Kabir opened his bag and pulled out a folded set of clothes.
"Those clothes are from that grandma's house," Kabir whispered.
"Yeah. Come with me," Roneet replied, voice shaky.
Kabir stood up. "Tell me what happened?"
"Just—come. I'll explain later," Roneet said, already walking.
"I'll come too," Zoya said, standing up.
"N-no… you shouldn't," Roneet said.
Zoya rolled her eyes harshly.
"I wasn't asking you. I'm talking to Kabir. And I'm not talking to you, fucking creep."
Zoya watched Kiara, her head still buried on the desk.
"You coming?" she asked.
No response.
Kiara didn't even lift her head.
Tch. Zoya clicked her tongue, annoyed.
She noticed Kabir and Roneet practically running out of the library.
"I'll… be back," she muttered, following them.
Meanwhile, Roneet and Kabir reached the washroom.
A small crowd of students was gathered outside the toilet door.
"Open the door, damn it!" one of them shouted, banging his fist on the stall.
Roneet's heart dropped.
If anyone sees the boy like that… he'll be destroyed again.
"Go away!" Roneet snapped. "The toilet isn't working. Just use another one."
"What do you mean?" the guy scoffed. "I hear someone inside! It's been half an hour and the door is still closed! I'm calling the teachers—"
"Don't call!" Roneet said quickly—too quickly.
The guy grabbed Roneet by the collar.
"What the hell is happening, huh?"
Before Roneet could answer, Kabir stepped forward.
"What's going on?"
The guy froze the second he saw Kabir.
His grip loosened. His confidence disappeared instantly.
"We were just—ah—nothing. We'll come later," he mumbled, backing off.
The whole group disappeared down the hallway.
Kabir turned to the few remaining boys.
"Guys, use a different washroom for now."
They nodded and walked off.
Roneet exhaled shakily and leaned against the wall for a second.
Without Kabir showing up at the right moment, this would've exploded.
Kabir looked at him, eyebrows pulled together.
Footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Zoya came running and stopped in front of them, breathing heavily.
"Huff—ugh— you both are just too fast," she complained, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Kabir didn't even look at her.
His eyes stayed locked on Roneet.
"Now can you explain?" Kabir asked, voice low and serious.
"Yeah…" Roneet nodded.
He stepped toward the stall and knocked gently on the door.
"Hey… it's me," Roneet said softly.
"I'm not alone, but no one will hurt you. I brought some clothes."
Silence for a second.
Then the door opened just a little — enough for a hand to reach out.
Roneet immediately placed the folded clothes in his hand.
The door closed again quietly.
Roneet turned back toward Kabir.
His face wavered — anger mixed with guilt, fear, and helplessness.
"He's been beaten badly…" Roneet whispered.
"And his clothes— they flushed them in the toilet. Completely destroyed."
Kabir's jaw tightened. His eyes darkened.
"Fucking bastards," Roneet muttered, fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white.
Zoya froze — the shock finally hitting her.
"W-who… who would do something like that?" she asked, voice trembling a little.
"This is it?" Kabir said.
"Why do you even care?" he added, looking at Roneet.
"W-what do you mean?" Roneet asked, confused.
Kabir leaned back in his chair. "If you had a problem, you could've just used a different washroom. That's it."
Zoya looked at Kabir, surprised. He's being way too cold, she thought.
"I just… I just can't ignore it," Roneet said quietly, eyes dropping to the floor.
Silence filled the room for a moment.
Then the door opened.
The boy came out. He was beaten badly — he could barely walk. His cheeks were red, like someone had slapped him.
"Y-you're from our class," Zoya said.
The guy looked down, embarrassed.
"Come with us," Roneet said.
"Yeah, come," Zoya added.
Kabir sighed but didn't argue.
All of them returned to the library. No one was there — except Kiara, head down on the table, fast asleep.
They all sat on the bench.
Zoya nudged Roneet and whispered, "Look at her… she's asleep."
"Hey Kiara, wake up," Zoya said softly.
Roneet sat on the other side of Kiara, watching her. She must be exhausted because of me, he thought. Then he looked at the boy.
"Uh… what is your name?" Roneet asked.
"A-Ayush," he replied.
"What the hell happened?" Zoya asked immediately.
"Ah— you're too direct," Roneet said.
"A-Arnav," Ayush corrected.
Roneet froze for a moment, remembering what Arnav had said to him.
Arnav… the one who stays with Nikhil.
Kabir sat there, looking completely unbothered.
Ayush continued, "I was just leaving, and suddenly he came behind me with his friends and said, 'Wanna play games with us?' I said sure and asked if my friends could join too."
Ayush paused. "He gave me a weird smile and said, 'Sure… it'll be even more fun.'"
"Then he took us into the men's washroom. I asked, 'W-what are we gonna play here?'
My friend Jayesh laughed and said, 'We are not that, what you're thinking.'
And the second friend, Aman, said, 'Yeah, we are not gay.'"
Arnav's eyes widened in memory. "Don't worry, we're not that either," he said.
"So the rules are simple," Arnav said with a grin. "First you will hit me… then I will hit you."
"W-what? This is not what we want," Ayush said, confused.
One of the guys with Arnav quickly locked the washroom door.
"What the hell—are you crazy?" Aman shouted.
"You shouldn't have agreed," Arnav said, eyes dark. "I've made my mind. I won't let you go without playing."
"You bastard, what do you think you're doing?" Aman yelled.
"Hey Aman, chill. Let's play his game," Jayesh said casually.
Ayush felt something was wrong. His chest tightened.
Jayesh walked straight toward Arnav.
"So what's it going to be?" Jayesh asked.
Arnav smiled. "I will play from my side. If I lose, my teammates will switch. Same goes to your side. Understood?"
"Sure. I'll start," Jayesh said.
"Sur—"
Before Arnav could finish, Jayesh used all his strength and slammed a punch straight into Arnav's stomach.
"Ao—" Arnav flinched, breath knocked out.
"Ohhh that was hard!" Aman laughed loudly. "Hahaha!"
Even Arnav's teammates looked shocked.
"Who's next?" Jayesh smirked, proud.
Then he noticed Arnav smiling back.
"What… what the hell?" Jayesh whispered.
"Now it's my turn," Arnav said.
He slammed an absolutely brutal punch directly into Jayesh's stomach.
Jayesh's face went pale. For a split second nothing happened—
then he vomited and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
Ayush immediately panicked and rushed toward Jayesh.
"Hey—hey! Are you alright?" he asked, shaking him.
"H-he needs medical treatment," Ayush said, voice trembling.
He got up quickly. "I need to call the nurse."
As Ayush hurried toward the door, Arnav stepped in front of him and blocked the way.
"The game hasn't finished yet," Arnav said calmly.
"Yeah, yeah," one of the guys behind Arnav added.
"Please… I'll play your game afterward, just let us go first," Ayush begged.
"I refuse," Arnav said.
"Bastard!" Aman charged at Arnav.
Arnav didn't even flinch—he dodged and side-kicked Aman so hard he crashed to the floor.
"Aman!" Ayush screamed.
"Please, I'm begging you… he will die," Ayush cried, completely terrified now.
Arnav stared at him with a cold, amusement-filled look… and then smiled.
"I have an idea," Arnav said.
He pointed between Aman and Ayush.
"Instead of us… why don't you two play?"
Ayush's heart stopped.
"The one who wins between you two gets to leave with your friend," Arnav continued, voice disturbingly casual. "But remember—"
His smile widened.
"—the loser will be punished. And I will punish the loser."
Aman, still on the floor, looked up weakly… and Ayush completely froze.
"It will be hell for the loser," Arnav whispered.
Aman and Ayush stood right in front of each other — both shaking.
"Start now," one of the guys behind Arnav said.
"Or else your friend really will die."
Aman's eyes widened in panic.
"T-they're psychopaths… they really don't care if a person dies," he whispered. "I want to go home…"
Aman turned to run, but Arnav's friends immediately blocked the exit.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" one barked.
"Aman…" Ayush said quietly, voice breaking. "Let's play… we don't have a choice."
"I—I want to go home…" Aman repeated, breathing heavily, almost hyperventilating.
Arnav smiled like he'd just won something.
"That's what I needed," Arnav said, eyes fixed on Aman. "I really like you like this."
He leaned closer, grin darkening.
"If you want to go home… you have to kill him."
Ayush felt his soul leave his body.
"Or else," Arnav continued casually, "I'll kill you in the worst way possible."
He burst into laughter — a loud, chilling laugh that echoed inside the washroom tiles.
Aman stared at him, horrified.
Kill him?
Kill Ayush?
There was no choice…?
Before Ayush could speak, Aman snapped.
He charged forward and slammed a punch straight into Ayush's face.
Ayush stumbled back, stunned.
"Aman— wait—!" he tried to say, but Aman wasn't listening anymore.
Fear had taken over completely.
Aman attacked like someone trapped in a nightmare — wild, desperate punches, no control, just survival.
Ayush tried to shield himself, but Aman kept hitting, again and again, like a cornered animal.
Ayush fell hard to the floor.
Aman jumped on him instantly, punching him again and again.
"JUST GIVE UP AND LET ME GO!" Aman screamed, each hit more desperate than the last.
Ayush couldn't believe it.
This… this is my friend?
A surge of shock and betrayal rushed through him.
He twisted, kicked Aman's legs mid-charge, and Aman collapsed.
Ayush snapped.
He got on top of Aman and slapped him across the face — once, twice, three times, then more — hands shaking, mind numb.
What am I doing!?
Aman cried while getting hit, tears mixing with sweat and blood.
And behind them —
Arnav and his friends were laughing.
Laughing.
Ayush froze, breath shaking.
He stood up suddenly, screaming:
"WHAT AM I DOING!?"
Something inside him broke loose.
Ayush turned and charged straight at Arnav, fist pulled back, every muscle shaking with rage.
Arnav's smile widened — like he had been waiting for that moment.
Just as Ayush's fist was about to land on Arnav's face, something grabbed his leg.
Aman.
Ayush crashed to the ground.
Arnav laughed even louder.
"Did you see that?" he shouted, pointing at Ayush, and his friends joined in, howling.
Aman climbed on top of Ayush again, punching weakly now — tired, shaking.
"J-just… please let me go…" Aman begged while hitting him.
Ayush stared at Aman's face — exhausted, afraid, ruined.
He looked past him — Jayesh was still on the floor, coughing hard, barely conscious.
Ayush clenched his fists.
Tch…
"I give up," Ayush said quietly.
Silence fell for a moment.