The next day, Ram arrived at college earlier than usual. As he approached the gate, he saw Ali surrounded by a group of notorious bullies, who were causing trouble and mocking each other. Before he could approach, Geeta called out to him from behind.
"Hello, Ram. You're here early today," she said with a friendly smile.
"My aunt had some errands to run, so she dropped me off earlier than usual," Ram replied.
"Let's head to the classroom," Geeta suggested.
As they walked towards their classroom, Ram noticed that Ali seemed to be unharmed, and decided to continue on. On their way, a girl approached Geeta with a message from Professor Ashok, requesting her presence.
"Go on ahead to the classroom," Geeta instructed Ram. "I'll catch up after I speak with Professor Ashok."
Ram waited in the classroom for Geeta's return, but she didn't appear. Instead, a group of bullies entered, laughing and mocking a girl. Ram recognized them as the same boys who had been with Rahul during their previous encounter. The boys noticed Ram and gestured rudely, showing him the middle finger before bursting into laughter.
Suspicious and concerned, Ram tried calling Geeta, but his calls went unanswered. He attempted several times but received no response. Growing anxious, he decided to visit Professor Ashok's office.
When Ram arrived, Professor Ashok was seated at his desk, absorbed in a book.
"Hello, Professor. Have you seen Geeta?" Ram asked.
Professor Ashok looked up, puzzled. "No, I haven't. Why do you ask?"
"She said you wanted to see her," Ram explained.
The professor shook his head. "I didn't ask her to come. I don't know where she could be."
Feeling a surge of worry, Ram hurried back to the classroom. He confronted the bullies who had been mocking the girl. One of them sneered, "What's up with this jerk?"
Ram, maintaining his composure, demanded, "Where is Geeta?"
The bullies taunted him. "Ooooh, looks like our hero is angry. What's he gonna do about it?"
Another boy threatened, "Get lost, or we'll show you what happens when you mess with us."
The bullies mentioned that Rahul was teaching Geeta a lesson for "forgetting her place." Ram's anger flared. "Where is she?" he demanded again.
One of the boys, intimidated by Ram's fierce demeanor, attempted to punch him. Ram deftly dodged and countered with a powerful uppercut. Another boy lunged at him but was met with an elbow strike. The third boy tried to grab a pen, but Ram grabbed his arm and slammed him against the wall, demanding once more, "Where is she?"
Terrified, the bully quickly revealed that Geeta was at the basketball court. Ram asked for directions, released the bully, and raced towards the basketball section.
The Basketball Court
At the basketball court, Rahul and his gang were bullying Geeta. They threw basketballs at her, and though she tried to catch them, she was repeatedly hit and injured. Rahul taunted her, "Catch the ball just once, and we'll let you go. Why can't you do that?"
Geeta, battered and in pain, fell to the ground after one of them throw the ball at his leg and the ball struck her leg. Rahul, showing no mercy, threw a ball directly at her face. As the ball sped towards her, Ram intervened, hurling another ball to intercept it. The ball veered off course, saving Geeta from injury.
Geeta, initially closing her eyes in fear, opened them to see the ball veer off course. Shocked, she noticed that Ram was now standing in the doorway, a formidable figure.
Ram walked confidently towards Geeta. As he bent to offer his hand, a basketball was hurled at him, which he deflected with a deft swing.
Rahul, scowling, said, "Hey punk, don't you know we're playing with Geeta? How dare you interfere?"
Rahul turned to Geeta and demanded, "Tell this guy that you're just playing, and he should leave."
Geeta, though frightened, replied, "I'm just playing. You don't need to interfere."
Ram, understanding the situation, calmly said, "I'll join your game."
Rahul sneered, "Look at this loser trying to be a hero. Alright, here's the rule: we'll throw the ball at you, and if you catch it, you win."
Ram nodded in agreement.
Geeta warned Ram, "You don't have to do this. What if you get hurt?"
Ram smiled at her reassuringly and then focused on the group of bullies. Their laughter echoed as Rahul threw the ball at Ram with full force. Ram remained still, and in the blink of an eye, the ball vanished and struck one of the bullies who had injured Geeta.
The crowd was stunned. No one could see how the ball had changed direction, but it was evident that Ram's reflexes were extraordinary. The bully, clutching his leg in pain, cried out.
Furious, the other bullies began to throw basketballs at Ram simultaneously. With remarkable speed and precision, Ram deflected each ball, sending them crashing into the bullies and leaving them in agony. Rahul stood frozen, paralyzed with fear.
Geeta watched in awe, unable to speak as Ram's display of skill unfolded. Ram approached Rahul, who was now trembling and retreating. Rahul stumbled and fell to the ground.
Ram, his voice cold and unwavering, warned, "Stay away from Geeta from now on. Next time, I won't be so lenient."
With that, Ram lifted Geeta into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, feeling the strength in his muscles as he carried her to the infirmary for first aid.
Rahul, seething with a mix of fear and anger, vowed to seek revenge with the help of senior students.
Aftermath
Ram's intervention not only protected Geeta but also set a powerful precedent against the bullies. As he and Geeta made their way to the infirmary, the college witnessed a dramatic shift in the balance of power, leaving both students and bullies to reflect on the events that had unfolded.