🔥 PALTANS – Episode 2: THE MATCH FIXING
The day ended with unnecessary school fights.
Around 6 in the evening, I — Jay — was sitting on my bed, trying to plan tournament strategies… but my mind was completely stuck.
Frustrated, I stood up.
Jay: "Mom, I'm going to Rishab bro's place."
I picked up my cycle and rode into the lane.
The lane was quiet, but even that silence felt tense.
On the footpath, 2–3 guys from the Absent Brothers were intimidating a small kid.
I looked at them for a second… then pedaled faster.
Messing with goons meant a free hospital package.
I parked my cycle below Rishab bro's building.
Jay: "Rishab bro!!"
A reply came from the balcony.
Rishab bro: "Coming, bro!"
I had just turned around when a football came flying toward me at turbo speed.
I shut my eyes—
THAP!
When I opened them, the ball was in Rishab bro's hands.
Rishab bro:
"If that had hit you, half your face would've had a completely different shape, bro lol."
Jay:
"Bro, you just saved my face from getting completely f*cked up."
We both laughed and headed toward the ground.
On the way, I told Rishab bro the whole story about the school fights and about my close friend Rishab Sharma.
Rishab bro:
"What's your school timetable like?
Monday – Fight,
Tuesday – Fight,
Wednesday – Big Fight?"
We laughed again, practiced, and the night passed normally.
---
The next day in class, my paltan — Rohan, Rudra, Atharva, Eashan — were in full comedy mode.
Rohan:
"Yesterday Sameer was stuck to the locker like a newly pasted sticker."
Rudra:
"The anger of the Absent Brothers is their cardio."
Eashan:
"This class has way too many different types of idiots."
Atharva:
"I don't even know if we're humans or just background characters, damn it."
After two periods, an announcement came —
VOLLEYBALL TEAM SELECTION.
The PT hall was packed.
PT Sir:
"Performance speaks. Nothing else. Be perfect, boys."
We all played a decent game.
Then suddenly, an entry —
Aarav, the leader of The Scholars.
He spoke calmly.
Aarav:
"Jay… if you want to join the Scholars, you're welcome."
My paltan was shocked.
Jay:
"Sorry, friend. We'll make our own team."
Aarav smiled slightly.
Aarav:
"Alright. Let's see in the tournament."
Later, Alpha Crew, Mad Wolves, Absent Brothers — everyone tried to pull us to their side.
The situation got too messy, so we canceled the form.
PT Sir:
"Why did you cancel?"
Jay:
"Sir, things got complicated."
PT Sir:
"Fine. Become volunteers, or run rounds of the ground."
We agreed to be volunteers.
---
Tournament week arrived.
The whole school was hyped.
Teams disturbed each other during practice.
People stole strategies.
The entire ground was filled with tension.
Tournament day came.
The Scholars easily won the first round.
But the second match…
SHOCK.
The Absent Brothers made an unbelievable comeback and won.
The whole school was confused.
Rohan:
"Damn… this is NOT normal."
Atharva:
"Since when did Absent Brothers become so smooth?"
Eashan:
"Something's wrong. Something is seriously off."
The Scholars were having an emergency meeting in a corner.
Aarav (serious):
"This match wasn't clean. Something's off."
Then he called me and my paltan.
---
We stood among the Scholars.
Two of their teammates stood quietly on the side — pale faces, eyes down.
Scholar 3 (angry):
"How did your performance drop so badly? Everyone knows you betrayed us!"
Both stayed silent.
Aarav took out his phone and played a video.
On the screen —
The Absent Brothers' gang leader was threatening those two in a corner:
> "Tomorrow's match will be fixed by you.
One serve missed, one weak pass.
You'll get ₹1,000 and safety…
otherwise… you'll both get beaten badly, you sisterf*ckers."
The video ended.
(CCTV proof by Jay's friend Atharva)
My paltan was shocked.
Rohan:
"MATCH FIXING?!"
Rudra:
"They sold out the Scholars! They deserve to get their asses destroyed!"
Both teammates finally broke down crying.
Teammate 1:
"We were helpless!"
Teammate 2:
"They threatened us… what were we supposed to do?"
Aarav's anger crossed the limit.
---
Suddenly, two guys from the Absent Brothers entered the hall.
Gang Leader (smirking):
"So, Scholars… you finally understood the truth?"
Aarav:
"Will you accept your mistake?
Or should we go to the sir?"
And then the fight started — everyone began abusing each other.
In no time, a crowd gathered.
PT Sir:
"STOP!! STOP RIGHT NOW!!"
Finally, the sir arrived and separated everyone.
---
In the office, the investigation began.
Video, witnesses, statements — everything was submitted.
PT Sir's final decision:
✔ Absent Brothers Gang — 1 month SUSPENSION and DISQUALIFIED from the tournament
✔ Two guilty Scholars teammates — 1 week suspension and 3-month sports ban
The entire school system was shaken.
---
After everything settled, Aarav took us into the corridor.
He pulled out badges from his pocket:
"THE SCHOLARS – SPECIAL CREW"
Aarav placed the badges in our hands.
Aarav:
"Jay… you guys helped us a lot. Thank you."
---
[In the canteen]
Rohan:
"Bro, Absent Brothers were total bastards!"
Atharva:
"Yeah, now PT sir will deal with all their nonsense properly!"
Rudra:
"No team will dare to mess with us now."
Eashan:
"The entire school's balance got disturbed because of a few idiots."
I looked at the badge…
because now we were also members of THE SCHOLARS.
But just then—
Someone snatched the badge from my hand
and grabbed me by the collar.
TO BE CONTINUED… 🔥