November 20th, 2016
It had been over a month after Dhruv was suspended from the school. Everything in the school had been awfully silent after his suspension. The four bullies of the class didn't bother anyone for that whole month. But things weren't really as silent as they looked. After what Shreyash did to Dhruv, Raj couldn't stand his friends anymore. And after everything that happened, Yash really didn't have anything left in him to bully others. That day when he saw Shreyash assaulting Dhruv with a cricket bat, Yash was deeply shaken. He didn't stop Shreyash that day and almost enjoyed watching Dhruv suffer, and he felt like a monster for that. He was unable to understand how he could like something so inhumane. Both Yash and Raj started to ignore Shreyash, every time he would come to talk or even tried to sit beside them, they would get up and walk away. The friendship was slowly crumbling. And so was everyone. First, murder and then sexual harassment. It was just too much for everyone. And it was hardest on Raj and Yash. Vikram tried to get everyone together and get everything sorted, but it was just a turn to the worst!
He called everyone home. Surprisingly everyone was on time. Vikram tried to get the tense situation to lighten up, joking around and offering snacks, but no one was having any of the bullshit. "Come to the point," they asked him. And he knew this was going to be hard! He started with questions, how did everything get so bad? Why isn't anyone talking to each other anymore? Why don't we just talk it out? And the cycle continued, but no one uttered a word. . The room smelled of growing tension. Even though no one apart from Vikram was talking; the boiling tempers and their steams were clearly visible. Vikram stopped as he saw no one was ready to solve the issues. The disappointed Vikram in his head down said, "If y'all don't want to solve this, you can leave"
His word was enough; Yash and Raj stood up and started walking towards the door. By this point, Shreyash was clearly annoyed. He stood up from his chair. Kicking it across the room and shocking everyone, he stormed towards both guys. He holds Raj by his collar and said,
Shreyash: What is all this about, huh? Is this about that Kung Fu panda?
Raj: He has a name!
Shreyash: I don't care about his fucking name! What I care about is this friendship!
Raj: What kind of friendship? I am not your friend, not anymore!
Vikram: Guys, stop this! We can talk this out, okay?
Yash: No, we can't! WE ARE NOT TALKING THIS OUT!
Raj: He is right! There won't be any more talks. This ends here!
Vikram: Please guys! We have gone through worse! This is nothing compared to that! Let's just talk this out, please!... Shreyash! Let go of Raj's collar. Let's just talk ok!
Shreyash let go of Raj's collar. He took his steps back and sat on the couch with his palms covering his face. As he was going back, Raj gave him a death stare, enough to get anyone agitated. Vikram asked Raj and Yash to take back their seats, but they refused. With that, Vikram stood in the center of the room doing his best to keep the friendship intact.
Vikram: Raj, Yash, guys let go of it! Man, we are friends. No matter what happens, we stay by each other we help each other apart. This is a stupid reason to fight over!
Raj: STUPID? Do you think what we did to that boy is something you rule out as stupid?
Vikram: That was nothing! Shreyash just lost his temper. Shit happens!
Raj: Don't you dare try to justify it! It's not a sort of 'shit' that just happens. He raped him!
Shreyash: Woah Woah Woah! Those are some big words you are using right there!
Yash: But isn't that the truth my DEAR FRIEND? Didn't you shove that bat up Dhruv's ass?
Vikram: You guys call that rape? Come on! It's not a big deal! You guys are just exaggerating it.
Raj: Are you high or what? Do you seriously think that's an exaggeration? This guy could have just killed that boy that day! We are lucky that he is still alive. And if he had gone to the police, then all of us would have been in jail today!
Shreyash: Be happy then! It's because of what I did that he didn't go to the police. He is scared! He wouldn't even try to come near us from now on. And isn't that what we all wanted?
Yash: We wanted him to stay away from us because we couldn't take it. The plan was to beat him up and scare him off! Committing a rape was never in the plan!
Shreyash: Cool off buddy, or...
Yash: Or what? Are you gonna shove a bat in me too?
Shreyash: Maybe I will!
Vikram: Both of you stop! Yash we committed a murder dude, this is peanuts in front of it!
Yash: YOU committed murder! I stood there with no objection. But that was because we had no other choice. It was something that needed to be done. Otherwise, all of us would have been deep shit! BUT THIS! That was just pure evil! I can't forgive myself for being part of all of this.
Vikram: You are taking it too far now.
Yash: Am I Vikram? I can't sleep anymore. Every night I close my eyes, I see Dhruv's dad lying under that car, covered in blood, asking me to… not kill him. I see him begging, and I go close to him to help…. but the next thing I see is you hitting him with that spanner. I…I..am covered in blood. His blood! I try to stop you but am not able to because I am holding on to Raj suddenly. I cry out...STOP, you can't hear me. You wouldn't stop… you just wouldn't stop! And you know what, Vikram? I see this every night! It's horrifying! Not the dream, but the fact that with every passing day, I get used to it. I no more shout 'STOP'… Now, does the fact that I don't feel like stopping you anymore make me a monster? Does that make me a bad person?...
Vikram: Dude…
Yash: Don't sweat it! Your words are no consolation to me. I regret being part of this group.
Shreyash: Come on! Don't say that!
Raj: Shut up asshole! You don't get to speak! If Vikram killed the father, you raped the son! Do you have at least a little bit of remorse for whatever you did? You were laughing, enjoying seeing him suffer. What kind of a psychopath are you?.... Yash isn't wrong! THIS FRIENDSHIP WAS A MISTAKE!
Shreyash: You all had fun eating the sweet fruits but when it came to bitter ones, you say you aren't hungry!
Raj: What the fuck is he talking about?
Vikram: He is just making analogies. He means you were happy when you were benefited from this friendship but now that bad times hit, you are running away. Shreyash, shut up man! You are just making things worst.
Raj: Benefited? Benefited what exactly? Is it joy from bullying others? Or is it drug addiction? Or is it murder and rape?
Shreyash: I am going to kill this motherfucker right here, right now!
The situation had gone out of hand a long time ago, but it was very late still Vikram realized that. Shreyash jumped from the couch onto Raj and started fitting him. Both got into a serious fight, punches and kicks were flying from both sides. Vikram was trying his best to stop them but to no effect. Both Raj and Shreyash were fighting each other as if it would end with a dead body. As the fight continued, Yash slowly opened the door and started walking out.
He was not running from the fight or scared. He was exhausted. He could not stand them anymore. Looking at those three faces made me feel the same guilt that Dhruv's face once did. But this time, it felt heavier, as the baggage of his deeds had been increased. Everything that happened was too much, even for an absolute pain in the ass like him. What started with saving himself now ended with completely losing himself! Tears rolled his eyes as he took his steps. He did not even try to wipe them. He just wanted to cry. It was unbearable; he felt broken. He was in pain. Vikram did catch a glimpse of Yash leaving, but he did not try to stop him, not just because he was stuck between Shreyash and Raj but also because he knew it was too late,
As soon as the other two figured out that Yash was not in the room anymore, they slowed a bit. It did not take them long to understand that he had left. Raj took his step back from Shreyash and stopped the fight right there. Both of them were exhausted. Trying to catch his breath, Shreyash almost collapsed on the wall behind him. Raj cleared his clothes and started walking towards the door. Seeing him leave Shreyash yelled,
Shreyash: WHERE DO YOU…(coughs) THINK YOU ARE GOING? YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! COME HERE…(coughs again) I HAVEN'T FINISHED YET!
Raj: You are wrong! We are finished here!
Shreyash: DON'T YOU DARE RUN AWAY FROM ME, YOU FILTHY ASS PIG, I'LL WREAK YO-
Vikram: DON'T! Let him go! There's nothing left to be fixed anymore
That day, years of friendship were finally obliterated!