There's been a lot of days with me waking up early reviewing my notebook and doing what I need to do and then going back to sleep before anyone else wakes up
But today was a bit too risky because Grandpa woke up and came to the kitchen when I was taking something to eat I had to make a run by just grabbing a pack of biscuits, so I just ate the biscuits and went back to sleep
But that was a bad move, now I have a really bad stomachache it seems like those biscuits weren't fresh
And now I am lying in my bed and wasn't allowed to go to school, then again it shouldn't be big enough, it's just a day of leave from school
"Ashwin your friends are here to meet you," Mom told me from outside the gate
"Ok Mom," I said and opened the gate, to let my friends in "Thank you for coming," I said after they all sat down wherever they saw fit
"Are you feeling okay now boss"
"Yes, I am feeling much better"
We are still like a gang, and they still call me boss, I made sure to be like this because I think, this is a major thing and should be kept the same
"Ashwin I brought the notes for today's school" Aditi handed me a notebook, "Thank you Aditi" I took the book and put it aside on the table
We all chatted for a little while before they all left, I guess they only wanted to see how I was doing, they really are good kids, I was stupid to think that they all looked down on me, I was really stupid
Now that I got another chance, I won't repeat that same mistake again
after this nothing of note happened so it should be fine to not worry about this little change
"Vice-captain can you help me with today's homework"
"Fine" To be honest I don't really want to I am too tired myself after writing notes for Ashwin and also my own notes, but even if I refused them they won't stop asking for help
Others also joined us and we all walked to my friend's home
"So how are you planning to apologize now kids" The older boy was laughing with his friends
We were minding our own business but one boy in our group bumped into an older boy, and now they are surrounding us asking us to apologize, this is what people call bullying, we didn't do anything wrong and we already apologized before, but they want us to do more
"What do you want us to do" I asked
"Nothing much, you see that friend of yours, hit my friend and even his apology is not real, he is just faking it"
"That's not true it was by mistake and he already apologized, you are lying" They are lying, and trying to make us the bad kids here
"What did you say, I am lying, look at my friend, how much he is hurt, how badly that brat hit my friend" They started pushing us back into each other
"Stop this" I shouted at them but they also pushed me back and grabbed my head
"This brat" Angrily, he started shaking my head
I am scared, I am not strong enough to fight back
He pushed me to the ground
The figure of the boy towering above, looking down at me in anger
I want to run away, but I can't leave my friends behind
What would Ashwin do in this situation, will he try to fight, he would probably win if he fought them, he is strong, but I can't fight them what can I do, wait, my friend's home is nearby, I can shout for help
"Help us!!" The boy was startled by my sudden shouting, following me my friends did the same, soon people started coming out of their houses to see what was going on, my friend's parents also came out and seeing us they rushed towards us, seeing them the older boys ran away
"Are you okay my son" My friend's mother hugged him as soon as she got there and the uncle chased away the older boys and got back to us, asking if we were hurt anywhere, and we all got to our friend's home and called our parents telling them about what happened
I was scared but I am glad we weren't injured in any serious way
I was too weak and too scared and wasn't able to do anything except calling for help, I have to get stronger to protect my friends, I have to be as strong as Ashwin
"What!! You got bullied by some older kids" but why, nothing like this happened in the previous life, is this because they came to visit me yesterday
"Boss why are you getting worked up, we are okay vice captain called for help and those boys ran away when adults showed up"
He is right I should calm down even with something like this unexpected they weren't harmed or anything so it wasn't too big of a change, but I should be more careful from now on
"Yes boss Vice-captain looked really cool that time she even told them they were lying"
"It was nothing, if it was Ashwin he would have won against them, I was too weak and could only shout for help"
Aditi looked really troubled, looking down, speaking to herself
"Ashwin!"
She suddenly called my name
"What? Aditi"
"I want to get stronger, how can I get stronger" she said with a resolute voice
"Why, you are already strong enough"
"NO! I want to get stronger"
"But why" I hope she doesn't want to fight those kids again
"I want to win against those boys"
I knew it, "Aditi, you can't win against older kids, they are physically far stronger than you, forget it" It's better to be strict with her, I don't want her to do anything stupid, and make a mess of my plans
"Fine then, I will do it myself" She went back to her seat without saying anything more
I just hope she doesn't do anything stupid
Aditi didn't come to school today, what happened, what did she do now,
Even yesterday she went home as soon as the bell rang instead of going together with us, and after she said she would do it herself, just what did she do, did she even go back home in the first place
I have to go check up on her after school
Ding dong
The school ended and the kids started leaving, I grouped up with my friends and we all went to Aditi's home
Aditi's mother opened the door, she looked troubled
"Aunty is Aditi at home"
"Kids she is at home, but" she hesitated "can you come later"
"Is she okay Aunty?" I asked
"She is okay don't worry, but she said she can't meet her friends right now, she seems to be busy with something"
That's weird, her words don't match her troubled face when talking about Aditi
"Okay Aunty, here are today's class notes" Handing the notes to her, we all went back to our home
After a few hours, I went back to Aditi's house but her mother said the same thing, so I went around the neighborhood to ask about Aditi
Some said they saw a girl in my school uniform walking through this area, she looked to be injured and had trouble walking
Just what happened, I went asking around for more information
"Where is that girl home"
"She seems to be living in that area"
"To think you lose to a little girl, how shameful"
"She only took me by surprise, I wouldn't have lost to her otherwise"
I saw some kids talking in the distance, talking about fighting a girl, and the area they were going toward, is where Aditi's home is.
"Hey you kids" I called them, but my voice was heavier than I intended, is this the frustration of things changing, catching up to me
"What? Who are you" The leader-looking guy came forward
"Tell me where are you all going" I asked
"I asked who are you" He didn't seem like he wanted to answer
"Then so be it, whatever you are planning to do with her, you have to go through me first"
It's these kids who started changing things first I won't let them do anything anymore