CH 23 - "BULLIED NO MORE "
Chapter 23
"Who the hell are you, motherf***er?" the bulky man shouted at Rudhir.
Rudhir still ignored him, looking at Roshni. Then, after a few seconds, he sighed heavily and looked at the bulky man. "Who am I?" he said. "Well, that depends on you."
The bulky man was taken aback by Rudhir's calm and mysterious response. "What do you mean, 'it depends on you'?" he asked, his voice slightly softer than before.
Rudhir smiled enigmatically. "I mean that you have the power to define who I am. You can choose to see me as a victim, a target for your bullying. Or you can see me as a person, with my own strengths and weaknesses. The choice is yours."
The bulky man snorted. "You're just a nerd, who's asking for my beating, And you'll always be a nerd." Rudhir's smile never wavered. "That may be how you see me, but it's not how everyone sees me." He glanced at Roshni, who was watching the exchange with interest. "And it's not how I see myself."
The bulky man charged at Rudhir, fists clenched, but Rudhir was ready. With a swift dodge, he avoided the first punch and countered with a quick jab to the bully's jaw. The bulky man stumbled back, surprised by Rudhir's sudden display of skill.
"You think you can take me down, nerd?" the bulky man sneered, charging again. Rudhir smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm not even breaking a sweat," he said, sidestepping another clumsy punch.
The bulky man snarled, swinging wildly, but Rudhir was a master of evasion. He dodged and weaved, landing quick, precise blows that left the bulky man stumbling. "You're just making this too easy," Rudhir said, feinting a punch and watching as the bulky man flinched.
The bulky man's face was red with rage and embarrassment. "You're going down, nerd!" he bellowed, launching himself at Rudhir. Rudhir sighed, almost bored. "You're so predictable," he said, catching the bulky man's wrist and twisting it into a painful lock.
The bulky man yelped, trying to struggle free, but Rudhir held him firm. "You see, I've been waiting for this moment," Rudhir said, his voice low and menacing. "I've been waiting for you to realize that you're not the toughest kid in college."
The bulky man's eyes widened as Rudhir's grip tightened. "You're...you're not even fighting back," he stammered. Rudhir chuckled. "Oh, I'm not fighting back. I'm just playing with you. You're like a little puppet on strings, and I'm the one pulling the marionette."
The bulky man's face contorted in rage and humiliation as Rudhir continued to toy with him. He was trapped, unable to escape the expertly applied holds and locks. Finally, Rudhir released the bully boy, who collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
"You're done," Rudhir said, standing over him. "You're finished bullying anyone in this college."
The bulky man glared up at Rudhir, his eyes filled with hatred, but also a hint of respect. "Fine, you win. I am sorry," he muttered. "I am not one who wants your sorry," Rudhir said, then pointed his finger at Roshni. "Ask forgiveness from that girl over there."
The bulky man gritted his teeth, turned to face Roshni, and said, "I am very sorry. I will not bully anyone again." Roshni just nodded. Rudhir listened, accepted his fault, sighed, and left the canteen, leaving everyone in shock.