UNIVERSITY ARC
A bitch?
The venom in her voice wasn't just a casual insult—it was personal. Every word that dripped was intentional, aimed at someone she wanted to tear down. I could feel my pulse quicken, my body stiffen. That word—so casually spat out—was a breaking point.
My patience had already been hanging by a thread, and now it snapped.
|"That's enough—you've already said too much."|
My voice was dangerously calm, but inside me, something primal had awakened. Before she could even realize what was happening, my hand moved faster than I thought possible, landing with a force I didn't know I was capable of. The slap echoed like a gunshot in the still air, sharp and deafening. My voice, when it came out again, was darker, heavier—like a storm closing in.
|"Don't you ever mess with her again."|
I warned, my words deliberate, each one dripping with a threat I knew she would never forget.
|"If you do, I swear it will be your last day in this world."|
Her eyes widened in shock. She wasn't used to being challenged, let alone struck. She was the kind of girl who thrived on power, on fear. But now, for the first time, she was on the receiving end of that fear, and it was paralyzing her.
Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. The force of the slap had done more than just bruise her cheek—it shattered the illusion of control she had so carefully built around herself.
For a brief moment, I could see it in her eyes—the sudden awareness that she wasn't as untouchable as she thought. Her body trembled, as if the very foundation she stood on was crumbling beneath her. Then, without warning, her knees trembled, her body collapsed to the ground like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The world seemed to slow down as she fell, blood trickling from her nose, her face ghostly pale.
That blood—it wasn't just a physical injury. It was the mark of humiliation.
The man with the tattoos—the one who always hovered near her like a protector—rushed forward. His movements were clumsy, his eyes wide with panic. In that moment, for all his tattoos and tough-guy attitude, he wasn't a feared thug—he was just a scared man watching the girl he cared about crumple before him.
|"Baby! Baby… are you alright?"|
His voice was shaking. This wasn't part of the script. They were supposed to be the ones in control. He, like her, had built a reputation around fear and intimidation, but now, with her limp body in his arms, he was reduced to nothing more than a helpless bystander. His fingers trembled as he cradled her, his breath quickening as the reality of the situation settled in.
She was still breathing, but unconscious. The slap had taken more out of her than I had intended, but I couldn't bring myself to regret it. She went too far, said too much.
The only reason that had spared her from something worse was her being a woman. But even that had its limits.
Divya, who had been silent beside me, now stood frozen. Her face had turned colourless, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and disbelief. She had seen me angry before, but not like this. Not this side of me. I could see it in her eyes—she was trying to process what had just happened, trying to make sense of the violence that had exploded so suddenly in front of her.
|"What… what just happened?"|
She whispered, her voice barely audible. Her body was trembling, not from cold, but from fear. Fear of what she had witnessed, fear of what was yet to come.
The tattooed man, still holding his girlfriend, slowly stood up. His eyes, once panicked, now burned with rage. His muscles tensed, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He was a man used to getting what he wanted through intimidation, and I had just humiliated him in front of his gang. He wouldn't let that slide.
|"You fool! Do you even know who you've messed with?"|
His voice boomed, filled with anger and a desire for revenge.
|"We are from the Wild Shadows. You're dead."|
His words weren't just a threat—they were a promise. The Wild Shadows? I had never heard of it before.
He took a step toward me, his eyes gleaming with the anticipation of violence. His hand shot forward, grabbing at my collar, but before he could do more, his phone rang. The sound was abrupt, cutting through the tension like a blade. His hand froze, still gripping my shirt, but his eyes flicked down to the screen.
His anger faded slightly, replaced by something else—something that looked suspiciously like fear. He answered and heard a terrific news.
|"Avinash! He... he's alive. We should act immediately and do what we have to do."
His voice was quieter now, more hesitant. Whoever was on the other end of the line had a hold on him, one stronger than that muscle man could have imagined.
|"Who's alive? What are you talking about, Dad?"|
Avinash's voice cracked, the rage from moments earlier now replaced with confusion.
The voice on the other end boomed through the speaker, loud enough that I could hear parts of it. His father, I assumed.
|"Dharma, you idiot! Have you forgotten? It's Dharma."|
At the mention of the name, all colours drained from Avinash's face. The man who had just been ready to tear me apart now stood frozen, fear settling into his bones like a cold wind. His body stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. Dharma. The name alone seemed to possess a power that I couldn't fully understand. But Avinash understood it perfectly. His mind raced with the haunting image of a man covered in blood, eyes dark with fury. Whoever this man was, he was someone to be feared—a name that could bring even someone like Avinash to his knees.
|"Dad… is this real? How can Dharma still be alive?"|
His voice had dropped to a whisper now, as if speaking the name out loud might summon the very man he feared. His father's voice boomed through the phone again, sharp and scolding.
|"Shut up, you fool! Do you want to get us killed? Don't even dare to whisper that name. It's dangerous to speak it out."|
Avinash's hand, still gripping my collar, began to tremble. The man who had stood before me, so full of rage and confidence, was now a shell of himself, consumed by fear. The name Dharma had reduced him to this—a trembling, frightened boy.
Avinash's voice was barely above a whisper, all the strength drained from him.
|"What do we do now?"|
|"Are you stupid? Come home immediately."|
His father barked through the phone.
|"But…dad, I still have things to handle here—"|
|"Avinash! Are you insane? Do you even understand the gravity of the situation? Your life is more important than whatever you're dealing with."|
Avinash's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists. He wanted to argue, to resist, but the fear of Dharma had overpowered everything else. With a deep breath, he finally nodded, though no one was there to see it.
|"Fine, I'm coming."|
As soon as the call ended, he let go of me and slammed his fist into the nearby wall, the force of the punch leaving a deep dent. His knuckles bleed, but he didn't seem to care. The anger was still there, bubbling just beneath the surface.
Without another word, he turned towards the entrance and left, abandoning his girlfriend, his friends, and his threats. The name Dharma had been enough to make him forget everything else.
Something wasn't right here. It gnawed at the edges of my mind like a slow, creeping dread. Avinash wasn't the type to just walk away, not with his pride on the line, not with Neha unconscious beside him. But there was fear—real, raw fear in his eyes when he took that call.
I could tell he wanted to be anywhere but here. Why was he running? What could make a man like him, someone so used to power and control, leave in such a rush? His fear was palpable, and it wasn't the kind of fear you could shake off. Whatever had scared him, it was something beyond the ordinary, something bigger than a simple grudge.
That fear made him forget about Neha completely. He just left her there, her body still limp, her face streaked with blood. A girl he had been so protective of moments ago, now abandoned without a second thought.
I wasn't the only one left in shock. Neha's friends stood a few feet away, their faces pale, mirroring the confusion and fear I felt. They exchanged glances, trying to piece together what had just happened. Eventually, reality settled in, and they realized Avinash wasn't coming back for her. Quietly, without saying a word, they moved toward Neha. Their steps were hesitant, like they weren't sure what to do but knew they couldn't leave her there. They bent down, lifting her by the shoulders, carefully balancing her between them, and carried her away in silence.
As they disappeared into the distance, I turned my attention back to Divya. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with terror. She was shaking, her whole body trembling like a leaf caught in the wind. The moment had rattled her deeply. She wasn't just scared of the scene unfolding—she was scared of me, of what I had just done. Her eyes, full of fear, searched mine for answers.
|"Manoj! Did… did you know what you just did?"|
Her voice was shaky, barely a whisper. Her fear wasn't just about the slap, or even Avinash's reaction—it was probably something like what consequences would follow? What had we gotten ourselves into?
I needed to calm her down before she spiraled deeper into panic. I reached out and gently took her hand in mine, feeling the coldness of her skin.
|"Divya, just cool down. It's fine."|
But it wasn't fine—not for her. She couldn't just brush it off the way I could. Her mind was stuck, replaying the moment when Neha collapsed, the sight of blood on the floor, the anger in Avinash's eyes. I could see it in her face—she was trapped in that moment, her fear growing with every passing second.
Her shaking worsened, her body trembling more violently now. I squeezed her hand a little tighter, pulling her closer, trying to ground her in the present.
|"Hey, Divya. Just calm down. Look into my eyes."|
Slowly, her tear-filled eyes met mine, and I could see how lost she was, how desperate she was for reassurance, that would make sense of the chaos around her. I moved closer, our faces inches apart, trying to steady her.
|"Do you trust me?"|
I asked, my voice soft but firm.
She hesitated, her body still shivering, but after a long pause, she nodded. Her voice, though weak, was laced with sincerity.
|"Yes... I completely trust you with my life."|
That brought a small smile to my face, a sense of relief washing over me. She trusted me, and that was all I needed.
|"Good. Then relax. Everything is in our hands now. You understand?"|
She took a deep breath, and I could see some of the tension leave her body, but her eyes still held fear—fear of what might come next.
|"Manoj! But they are not ordinary people. They won't leave us in peace after this. We need to do something."|
Her words struck a chord in me. She was right, of course. People like them—people with power and influence—they never let things go. But I couldn't let her fear consume her.
My expression hardened.
|"Divya, why are you so scared of them?"|
|"Because, they're from the Wild Shadows."|
She whispered immediately. Just saying the name seemed to fill her with dread.
I furrowed my brow.
|"Yeah, the tattooed guy mentioned that. What is this 'Wild Shadows' thing? Who are they exactly?"|
Her voice dropped lower, and I could see the fear etched even deeper into her face. Whatever this Wild Shadows was, it terrified her to her core.
|"The Wild Shadows... it's the most powerful club near. Their members—they're dangerous, really too dangerous. No one in our class dares to cross Neha because of them. Everyone just stays silent, even if they want to fight back. They know what happens if they don't."|
Ah, I see. So that's how Neha controlled everyone—through fear, through the silent threat of the Wild Shadows. Interesting. I needed to know more about this group. Their reach seemed far, and if Divya was this scared, it meant they were powerful enough to take a warning from me.
Divya's voice cracked again.
|"Manoj, I think I need to move. Her house is too close to mine. I can't stay there anymore. I'm scared."|
I could see her worry increasing, spiraling out of control again. I had to do something to distract her, to stop her from sinking deeper into fear.
|"Where are you planning to move?"|
|"There's a small flat near the university."|
Her voice is shaking but a little more composed now.
|"I checked it out a few days ago. The facilities aren't great, but it's good enough. I think I'll move there."|
I nodded.
|"That's a good idea. We can handle this. You don't need to worry."|
But I knew Neha wouldn't let Divya go so easily. She was unforgivable, and with her connections to the Wild Shadows, there would be consequences.
But for now, I needed to change the subject before Divya's worry turned into full-blown panic.
|"Divya, we need to go to the hospital."|
I can still notice the blood on her shirt.
|"Your stitches have opened, and you're losing too much blood."|
Without wasting any more time, we headed to a clinic. They stitched her back up, and after making sure she was stable, I walked her to her room, ensuring she got reached safely.
Once she was inside, I stepped out into the cool night air, moving a little further down the street beside her room. I needed to make a call.
I dialed the number, and after just one ring, she picked up.
|"Brother! I thought you forgot about me! So, you still remember I exist, huh?"|
I forced a smile to mask my intentions.
|"Raksha, don't talk like that. We see each other every day in class, don't we?"|
She laughed loudly on the other end of the line.
|"We see each other, yes, but you always neglect me! So, I figured you must have forgotten me by now."|
I'm keeping my voice light.
|"I'm really sorry for that. But listen, I need a favour. I need your help with something."|
She teased.
|"Ah, I see. You only call when you need something. Am I right, brother?"|
I laughed quietly.
|"Raksha, stop misunderstanding me. You know, one legend once said, 'Not every true bond needs to talk every day.'"|
She burst out laughing again.
|"Tell me the truth. You just Googled that, didn't you?"|
|"Raksha, believe me. I could never forget you, even for a second."|
|"Alright, fine. I understood. You've got me. What do you need?"|
|"That's my cute sister."|
Then, I told her exactly what I needed from her, masking the seriousness of the situation with humour. After the call, I started my journey back.
The taxi stopped in front of our hostel. Good—all the lights were off, just as I'd hoped. Everyone was asleep. Now, I just had to sneak into my room without waking anyone.
I came near to my bed, barely making a sound. But just as I lay down, someone grabbed me. Hands wrapped around my legs and arms, pinning me down before I could move.
I tried to shout, but they clamped their hands over my mouth, silencing me.
– – –
The next morning, Divya woke up. Her head felt dim, heaviness filled her mind. Her vision still blurred as she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her sight. She reached out for her phone, but her hand met nothing but cold air. Panic gripped her chest. She realised it without a second.
|"Where am I?"|
Her thoughts raced.
|"Am I dreaming?"|
She looked around—no table, no familiar walls. Everything felt wrong, like a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. The silence in the room was thick, almost suffocating.
Then she heard it—**a creaking noise**, slow and deliberate, like someone stepping towards her. Her body went rigid. They were faint, but growing closer. Her pulse quickened, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
The shadows in the room seemed to shift, like something—or someone—was moving in the darkness. Her mind screamed to move, but she couldn't. She was frozen, eyes wide, staring at the door.
The footsteps stopped. The silence that followed was deafening.
Then… **the door creaked open**. A voice floated through the air, sending chills down her spine.
|"You….finally, you're awake."|