Mike was only angered because he knew that Nora hated this attention. Just like Parth he had seen her face, in fact more than anyone in the college, he saw her everyday.
He knows that she just only needs to reveal her face to the world, and the game is finished. He can bet that no girl would have the courage to stand against her even.
However, she didn't want this. She covered herself with a mask, cap, black outfits, with anything which not just hide her from those girl's eyes but also to make her feel comfortable by not being a centre of attention. She never wanted this attention and popularity.
As a matter of fact, she even cares less what or how she might get bullied, as long as they don't intervene in her personal life, she will bear all that.
But now everything about her is online. Everyone will know and judge her every moment.
If Parth had taken his revenge on his own, Nora wouldn't say a word, but now everyone but him is on her.
Her whereabouts are being followed. If it was not about her being vigilant all the time, she would have seen the worst a student could imagine.
Mike himself has seen how Nora's locker was full of trash and how everyone is talking rubbish behind her back. This time Mike was clearly not happy with Parth's way.
While scrolling down to the posts on the forum Parth saw all those videos of Nora being trashed by others. How everyone is planning and plotting against her in class and then making a video of it. But luckily not one prank was successful. Each and everytime Nora avoided it perfectly.
But was that enough for everyone to stop, or to bring peace to Parth? No it wasn't. This is exactly what he wanted but now when it's happening he couldn't look at it. He felt a strange tug in his heart. Unknowingly he remembered all the faces who were messing with Nora, but he forgot to count himself in that list.
***
"I know you know my schedule, but every lunch time?" Nora speechlessly looked at Mike.
Giving a low chuckle, he shook his head and shamelessly denied the fact. "We didn't have yesterday or the day before yesterday."
Nora's brows consciously raised. "What about the last whole week."
After the first time, it became regular for Mike to find her for lunch. And at the same time, Ryan would call her for the same purpose too. For once she thought of saying no to Mike, but he just wouldn't take no to anything.
Unknown to herself, Nora let Mike get close to her. Their lunch time started becoming normal to her, whereas for Mike it is always right to have lunch with Nora.
Pouting a little, Mike looked at her. "I need someone at my lunch time. I can't eat alone."
"You have got your other two friends."
Nora might not be interested in his friendship, but she did her research on him. She never let herself sway away by anything like friendship before. And now when she is getting close to such things, she won't forget to be careful.
"You investigated me a little. Didn't you?"
"I need to watch my back too."
"Well that's a good line girl." Mike smiled proudly.
Nora couldn't help but sighed helplessly. After spending so much time together, she is a lot at ease with his nature. She won't say that he acts only playful around her, when she or he wants silence they both act accordingly that way too.
Once they were done with the lunch, Nora and Mike both passed their card for the contri payment.
"Nora." Mike called her name solemnly.
"Hmm?" Nora saw the change in his mood, but didn't react.
"We are good friends."
"..."
"But I am a close friend of Parth." He stated.
To his words, her eyes squinted naturally. She could see where the conversation was heading to. Staring at that face for a while, she nodded and cleared Mike's doubts herself.
"Your priority is and must be your friends only. I will never ask you to go against him for me. I am no one to ask that even." She said in a nonchalance but also in an understanding way.
Unlike what she wanted, Mike didn't feel relieved after hearing that. Instead he felt sad. He knows her character and knows that except him, there is no one else who wants her as a friend around them.
Even if he says it a number of times that she is his friend, Nora never authenticates it with her words. She does her best to keep her distance away from all the relationship dramas. She not only always stays cautious, but also never forgets to draw a line in every new relationship.
Her words always stay firm and state its ground. Which might hurt someone but Mike is getting all used to it.
Whatever Parth has done to her is wrong, Mike says and believes that. But till now Parth had not crossed his line.
To Mike both Parth and Nora are important. Even though Path is wrong, both of them are mature enough to take care of their matter on their own. Mike didn't want to stand against any of them.
However Nora took his words and intentions wrong again. All he wanted to say was that he won't get into the fight until it's important.
Even if the span of time he spends with her is small, he knows it's worth it. He is glad to meet Nora as his friend. A genuine, with a pure heart person is hard to find.
A character like her is something one can only dream of having her in their life. The time period he had with her was small but enough to state that, with a stamp.
Looking outside the window, he saw a few students from their college. Tapping his fingertips on the table he spoke. "Until you make your place here, this place will be a hell for you."
Nora smirked. She has seen the worst of hell. This is nothing to her. "Don't worry. I am not a pushover."
"I know. And that's why I am sitting here with you. This college is a mess with egoistic, selfish people. I know this is one of the biggest and the number one ranked University in our country. However, it doesn't just take the best studious students like you, but also take the richest students who can afford it. And those people won't take you with them until you show them who you are."
"Why do you want me to fight them?" Nora asked confusedly.
It's not just the first time that he asked her to fight those who bully her, he had asked her the same thing to whoever tried to oppress her. His words are always implying her to either get back those people or either get revenge indirectly.
"I don't want you to be a thug but I also don't want other people to think of you as a feeble opponent. I want you to fight for yourself. Don't give up or lose yourself while fighting them."
"Mike."
"What?"
"I am here to live my peaceful life. I know there is no place in the world where problem free life exists. However, as long as they don't cross me I won't fight them. And as long as they don't cross my bottom line, I won't lose my demure."