Roneet lies on his bed, staring up at the ceiling fan as it slices the dark. The white blades hum, steady and meaningless — a slow metronome counting the hours since everything fell apart.
Flash: Nikhil's face, close and furious. I will kill you, Roneet.
Flash: Arnav, shrugging, voice like a blade. We did it for no reason — and we'll keep doing it for your whole college life.
Flash: Rohit's punch in the washroom. The hot sting in Roneet's ribs. I'll make sure you never creep out anyone again.
Flash: The stage lights, the microphone squeal, the empty, cruel laughter. Creep. Freak. Loser.
Each memory is a fist that squeezes his chest tighter. He breathes shallow. He reaches for his controller and launches a game — muscle memory, escape. The screen blooms; bullets and blood and pixel noise fill the room. For a while, it works. The simulated world bites at his edges, distracts the hurt.
But then Kabir's words cut through like cold water: "Start by apologizing your own mom and dad."
Roneet freezes mid-game. His fingers tremble on the controller. The line repeats in his head until it becomes a command.
He throws the controller. It cracks against the desk with a clean, ugly snap and clatters to the floor.
Nothing's going to change if I stay like this, he thinks, the thought landing heavier than he expected.
He sits up. The fan keeps turning. His reflection in the dark screen looks smaller than before — and for the first time, he realizes he can move.
A loud crack echoes through the room — the controller lies shattered on the floor.
"Roneet! What happened? What's with all this noise?" his mom's voice calls from the doorway.
Roneet sits frozen, breathing hard, his chest rising and falling as if he's just run a marathon. When he turns, his mother is standing there, worry written all over her face.
He opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out — only a trembling breath. Then, suddenly, tears spill from his eyes, and before he can stop himself, he runs to her and hugs her tightly.
"Roneet?" she says softly, startled. "Did something happen in your college? We talked to your teachers—"
"I'm sorry," Roneet whispers, voice cracking. "I'm so sorry, Mom. I've always caused you and Dad trouble. I wasn't able to get marks you could be proud of. I didn't even try. It's all my fault… please forgive me."
His mom freezes for a moment — then her eyes well up. Her trembling hand rests on his head.
"I'll try my best from now on," Roneet continues, clutching her tighter. "I want you and Dad to be proud of me."
Tears roll down her cheeks. "I'm so glad you're back," she says, her voice breaking.
"I'm so happy today, Roneet. We never wanted anything from you — not marks, not prizes. We just wanted our son back. You don't know how happy your father will be when I tell him this."
Roneet pulls back slightly, wiping his face. "I haven't talked to him for two… maybe three years," he says in guilt. "He doesn't want to talk to me."
His mother gives a soft smile. "You're wrong," she says gently. "He's been waiting all this time — waiting for you to talk first."
Roneet walked slowly to the dining table, where his dad and little sister were already seated.
"Huh? Big brother's eating with us?" his little sister gasped, eyes wide.
"Kitty, hush," their mom said with a gentle scold. "Eat your food."
Roneet's dad glanced at him once — then quietly focused back on his plate. The air was thick with silence.
Roneet sat down. His mom served him food, smiling softly, but his eyes stayed fixed on his father. He wanted to say something — anything — but the words caught in his throat. His chest felt heavy with guilt.
As he took a bite, he could feel his little sister's confused eyes on him.
(Why can't I speak? Why is Dad so quiet? He's always been so scary when he's silent... Should I just say something?)
Finally, his father broke the silence. "So, Roneet… how was your first day?"
The words hit him like a wave. Roneet looked up, trembling — then tears spilled from his eyes.
His father blinked in surprise, lowering his spoon.
"I-I'm sorry, Father…" Roneet stammered, his voice cracking. "I never made you proud. I failed in everything — sports, studies… even as your son. I'm so sorry…"
His father stood up slowly and walked toward him. For a moment, Roneet thought he might be angry — but instead, his father placed a trembling hand on his shoulder and pulled him into a hug.
"I never wanted a perfect son," his father said, his own eyes glistening. "I just wanted you. I told your mother one day you'd say these words… I just didn't know it would take so long."
"I'm sorry, Dad," Roneet whispered, crying into his chest.
His mom stood nearby, tears rolling down her face — proud, relieved, and smiling all at once.
His little sister looked around the table, confused and slightly embarrassed by the emotional chaos. "Umm… are we still eating or…?" she whispered, making everyone laugh softly through their tears.
Next morning, early, Roneet headed toward college again. I don't want to go, he thought, but I'll have to push myself—for Mom and Dad. As he walked he passed the area where Kabir lived; Kabir must be nearby. He kept moving toward the college, then suddenly stopped. What if he really did kill himself? Roneet thought furiously.
Ahead, Kabir was walking. Roneet ran toward him. "Kabirr!" he called.
Kabir looked back, annoyed. "Don't scream my name so loudly."
"Huh—why not? We're friends, aren't we?" said Roneet.
"When did we become friends?" Kabir shot back.
"Stop acting all high and mighty—at least not in front of me. I know how pathetic you are," Roneet snapped.
Kabir scowled. "I'll beat you so hard your family won't recognise you."
"Hahaha, is that so? Your legs were trembling when you were on that pillar, trying to kill yourself," Roneet said.
Kabir paused. They were standing at the college gate. "Come on, we can be friends, can't we? You're just like me—an introvert. You don't have friends. I saw you yesterday," Roneet insisted.
"Hey, idiot," Kabir muttered. "You really think I have no friends?" Girls and boys nearby had noticed them and started whispering. "Is he a model?" one girl asked. "He looks like a hero," another said. The boys looked irritated.
Roneet met Kabir's gaze. "I'm alone because I want to be. You're alone because you can't make friends—there's a difference." The words sounded cocky, and Roneet realised it. He looked down at the ground.
Kabir stepped closer. "Even if I become your friend, will you be able to outshine me?" he taunted.
"No way in hell," Kabir answered for himself. "You'll be crushed into nothing. No one will notice you if I'm around—throughout college and even later. Even if you shine, there will be no one to notice because I'll be shining ten times brighter. Can you handle that?"
Roneet watched him, seeing the difference between them. "I— I may not shine as bright as you," he stammered, "but there will be a moment when I shine brighter than you or anybody else. I promised myself I'd make my mom and dad proud."
Kabir smiled. "Is that so? Okay—friends, then." He added, almost offhand, "In the past, whoever was my friend always ended up feeling empty. They'd hate me out of jealousy because they couldn't match me. Sometimes it was because of girls and crushes—everyone wants me."
Roneet hesitated. "I don't care. I'll beat you one day—fair and square," he said, trying to sound certain.
Kabir's smile widened, half-amused, half-challenged. The college buzzed around them as they pushed through the gate—two very different boys, now tied together by a fragile, competitive truce.
"Then it's done — we're friends from now on," said Kabir. "There will be benefits… and there will be sacrifices too."
"Stop trying to scare me," said Roneet.
"You'll know soon what I mean, my friend," Kabir replied with a faint grin.
Both of them started walking together toward their classroom. Kabir walked confidently, head held high, as he overheard people praising him — his height, his skin, his clothes, his style, his confidence.
Roneet followed a few steps behind, listening too. I'm already starting to feel jealous, he thought.
Kabir kept walking, pride in every step — until something shifted.
"Isn't he the creep?" someone whispered.
Kabir stopped. What did they just say?
"Look at that creep."
"I'm scared of him."
"People like him shouldn't even exist."
Kabir's chest tightened. He started sweating. They're… talking about me?
"No," Roneet said quietly, his voice breaking. "They're talking about me."
Kabir turned to him, confused. "Why are they calling you a creep? You must've done something, right? Think."
Roneet looked down. "That's why I was near the sea," he said softly. "I can handle being bullied… but being falsely accused of something like that—" he paused, voice trembling, "—that broke me."
"What can we do?" Kabir said with a small sigh. "You've ruined your entire college life on your very first day." He paused, then added firmly, "But don't worry — I won't abandon you."
"To be honest, I don't care what people say about me," he continued, walking ahead.
"You just panicked because someone called you a creep," said Roneet, trying to lighten the mood.
Kabir smirked. "They caught me by surprise, that's all."
They walked into the classroom together — and instantly, the room went silent.
"Isn't that the creep from our class?" someone whispered.
At the back, Nikhil and Arnav exchanged grins.
"He's alive," Arnav muttered.
"Not for too long," Nikhil smirked.
The group burst out laughing.
Roneet's eyes met Kiara's for a brief moment. She didn't say anything — just watched him quietly.
Roneet lowered his head, shame washing over him.
Zoya, sitting beside Kiara, whispered, "Isn't that Kabir? He's so handsome… but why's he with that creep?"
Murmurs spread through the class like wildfire.
Kabir glanced sideways at Roneet. "You really didn't do anything, right?"
Roneet didn't answer — he just stared at the floor, his face burning.
"Why is Kabir with him?" someone muttered.
"They must know each other from before," said another.
"He's a creep too, then," someone else added.
"Too bad," a girl whispered, "he's good-looking."
Roneet clenched his fists under the desk. "Because of me… they're calling you a creep too," he said quietly.
Kabir looked at him with a faint, calm smile. "I told you — I don't care. And I won't abandon you."
Roneet looked up at him, surprised.
Kabir leaned back in his chair. "Actually," he said with a smirk, "I think I needed this. My whole life, people only ever praised me. Maybe it's time I see the other side."
He glanced at Roneet. "Let's sit."
Both of them took the first bench — two unlikely friends, sitting together against a room full of whispers.
Simran ma'am entered the class, her heels clicking softly against the floor. The chatter died instantly.
Roneet's stomach dropped. He suddenly remembered — Simran ma'am had told him yesterday to learn how to introduce yourself.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath. "Back-to-back lectures… great."
Kabir glanced at him, amused. "You're scared already?"
Roneet didn't respond, his fingers trembling slightly.
Kabir leaned closer. "Relax. This isn't even level one — this is just the warm-up." He smirked. "Didn't you say you wanted to grow? To be better than me?"
Roneet's eyes widened, panic flickering in them.
"If you can't even handle this," Kabir said quietly, his tone suddenly cold, "then forget about outshining me for even one second."
Roneet felt a chill run down his spine.