Outside the hostel walls
The students were preparing for their daily training, unaware of the chaos taking place inside the hostel. Most of the kids, both girls and boys, were gathered on the football field, lined up according to their class order, talking and chatting, making noise. They all were wearing similar clothing: orange T-shirts and blue track pants.
Rahul shouted loudly, "Attention, everyone!" The chatting and giggling of all students stopped instantly. "Our wardens will be here soon; by then, let's get our equipment ready for training."
Kiaan, standing beside Rahul, spoke in a calm, confident tone. "Arjun Sena helpers, follow me. Shivaji Sena helpers, with Rahul." Ten kids, a mix of boys and girls, stepped forward.
"What about us, sir?" a girl from the crowd asked.
Kiaan sighed. "Don't worry, I'll send your leaders." He frowned, and the group moved away, leaving the junior students. The students started chatting and giggling again.
The Ashok Chakra hostel had a well-defined layout. The girls' hostel with the canteen, accessible through the ground floor, was separated from the boys' by a wall. Opposite the girls' hostel stood the Vivekananda block, where seniors attended classes. In front of it, the football field was situated, where currently most of the students were. On the other side of the hostel was the Tagore block for junior classes. Between these two buildings, a sprawling training ground hosted basketball, badminton, and volleyball courts as well.
Beside the Vivekananda block, a brand new building named the Premchand block was situated. It had training rooms for various weapons and martial arts, but due to the lack of cameras, the higher-ups of the academy deemed it unsafe for regular training, though the equipment was kept there.
However, its secluded nature made it a popular spot for secret lovers among students.
Kiaan handed his key to a girl with a sigh. "You guys go ahead," he said. "I'll grab Jai and Kabir."
Rahul, knowing Kiaan's intention, offered, "I'll come with you." Kiaan shot him a grateful look. "Thanks, man."
Together, they all entered the Premchand block, but then the students went right, and both Rahul and Kiaan headed left.
After taking a few steps, they found some juniors who were in groups of three or two, standing holding hands or maintaining distances. As Kiaan and Rahul spotted the kids, they bowed a little to greet them.
"Go stand in line, all of you," Rahul instructed gently.
Kiaan's eyes scanned the crowd as they slowly left the area, landing on a figure he didn't expect – his sister, Jerry, standing with her friend Jhanvi and her boyfriend. "What are you doing here?" he asked Jerry, surprised.
Jhanvi, a skinny girl with a nervous giggle, said, "She's here because I asked her, sir."
Kiaan raised an eyebrow. "Well, all three of you head back to the line. This isn't the place for hanging out." He thought to himself, "As if you were just hanging out here."
While some students flinched and left due to Kiaan and Rahul's orders, others stayed there, being the senior-most class of the academy.
Across the hallway, Kabir was approaching Maya for a date (again).
"How many times do I have to tell you, Kabir? I'm not interested," Maya yelled in frustration and annoyance. She then looked at Sarah, who had dragged her here saying she needed company. "Sarah, if you drag me near this guy again, I'll burn you to a crisp," Maya threatened with a fierce look.
Maya turned to leave, but Kabir tried one more time to pursue her. "But why won't you give me a chance?" he pleaded.
"Ugh! Because…. you're Kabir," Maya said, stomping her foot. Annoyance could be heard in her voice. "Just looking at you gives me a headache, and hearing you speak…" She sighed before continuing, "forget it."
With that, she stormed off, leaving Kabir unattended and Sarah caught in an awkward situation.
"The more she acts like this, the more I get attracted to her," Kabir said, sounding amused.
Sarah scoffed. "You're a weird one, you know that?" Sarah was holding hands with Jai, and they were standing near a wall, taking its support.
Kabir smirked. "Well, at least I'm not like your Kiaan, who has feelings for you and still lacks the courage to say it," he said, annoyed by Sarah's comment.
Jai, who had a smile on his face, now turned into a frown. "Wait, Kiaan has feelings for Sarah?"
Sarah and Kiaan had been childhood friends, and Sarah had been living with Kiaan's family since her parents died three years ago.
"There's nothing like that," Sarah insisted to Jai. "We're just friends. If there was anything more, I would have never dated you."
To Jai, it sounded like Sarah would choose Kiaan over him if Kiaan had feelings for her. But before he could respond, Rahul and Kiaan's arrival interrupted their conversation.
Sarah's eyes met Kiaan's, and she instantly dropped Jai's hand. Jai noticed this reaction and was shocked, not knowing how to react.
"I… I should go and check on Maya," Sarah muttered nervously as she left.
Kiaan's eyes followed Sarah until she left, further unsettling Jai.
Jai's anger took over him, and he said, "You know, Fatso, she's mine, right?" He stared dead into Kiaan's eyes, controlling his urge to start a fight.
Kabir taunted Kiaan with a chuckle. "Like he would ever have a chance with her."
Kiaan knew they were purposely teasing him, but he faked a smile and said, "Let's focus on our tasks," trying to diffuse the situation.
But Jai wouldn't back down. "How about I give you a new task, hippo?" he snarled, moving closer to Kiaan.
Jai's steps towards Kiaan halted as Rahul stepped in front of him, his voice calm and firm. "Look, the Wardens could show up any minute, and you two are still missing your gears." He gestured towards the Premchand block exit, where other kids were leaving with boxes of guns and trolleys full of melee weapons.
Kabir nudged Jai, panicked. "Let's go, Jai. No point in wasting time." Jai glared at Kiaan, a smirk playing on his lips. "I'll deflate this football," he muttered, before turning and leaving with Kabir.
As they walked, Jai confided in his friend, "Kiaan definitely has feelings for Sarah." Kabir remained silent, worried about what would happen if Viren found out he was wasting time on a girl.
Reaching the training ground, Jai's eyes locked onto Sarah standing in line behind Maya, trying to talk to her, as Maya nudged her hand away.
"Helpers of our groups, sorry for the delay! Follow us!" Kabir shouted, his voice heard loud through the chatter.