Outside the South Point School, I was ready for my mock test.
I was nervous and excited at the same time.
"All the best!" my mom wished me.
"It's either hell or heaven for me in here! (Sigh!)" I muttered.
I was about to finish this test and then….
"Done sir!" I was done in 2 hours.
"Good, now wait with your parents." The interviewer.
At the principal's office, the tension escalated and I and mom were both nervous.
"(holding Aryan's answer sheet) Miss Sharma your child is extraordinary, he answered these questions very meticulously, he has been admitted or rather promoted to 8th grade instead of 7th." Principal Shukla was appreciating me.
My mom then patted my head and congratulated me.
"I hope the students won't trouble him much, I only want the best for my son." Mom was more worried than I was.
"I assure that he shall get the best academic environment in our prestigious school. I shall see Aryan from the next Monday. Good luck son!" Mr. Shukla giving assurance to my mom.
it was time for the history lesson and the chapter was about the Mughals being defeated by the Ahoms.
History has always been my favorite subject; we get to learn so much in such classes.
"So, children today's chapter is really important so pay attention, especially you two Aryan and Rajiv." Rajat sir was serious about history lessons.
It wasn't my lucky day as I was made to sit with this asshole Rajiv who constantly bullies me and was doing the same right then also.
"Stop it, it's not like I wanted to sit here." I warned him.
"Lucky for me I get to…." I interrupted him.
"Make my day a hell? What's your problem Rajiv?" and then I saw the chalk flying at me.
SFX: -OUCH!
That hurts.
"Oh, it's not a bullet that hit you, now quit your yapping and pay attention, next week I will take a test." Rajat sir mocks me.
"Fuck my life, I guess." I whispered.
Time flew by and I was now all grown up, and now something was manifesting inside me, a gift and curse, I wasn't fully aware of.
Suddenly.
My friend Vijayender saw my eyes glowing blue and then….
"Oye Paa Ji, your eyes, you are freaking me out." He was dead freaked.
"What????" I squirmed.
"Look there!" Aura was pointing her finger towards something.
And then it happened, I went catatonic and had seizures and everything went blurry as I had this weird premonition.
"Oh no, Rajiv." I whispered and rushed in to save him from the fall.
"Oh shit, Rajiv no!" I yelled.
"What the?" Rajiv was jampacked.
Rajiv was losing control and almost bled and then he collapses. And so, I catch him before the fall.
"I told you before too that no ego lifting." I then called up the ambulance.
"You save me, but that doesn't change anything between us." He was still stoic and stubborn.
"God, you just proved to be a bigger asshole than I thought Rajiv." I hated his attitude and now he sees me as a bigger freak in the school even after saving him like a hero I never intended to be.
It was indeed a curse as the whole school now sees me as a freak.
A few months later Rajiv was discharged and was seen in the gym again. I walk in and then….
"The freak walks in, looks like he is gonna save someone today as well, right superhero?" Rajiv never misses a chance to mock me.
"Knock it off, I am here to train chest." I shrugged him off.
"The bench is all yours." He was still being a bigger jerk that he is.
Moments later.
"Come on, one more rep!" the spotter.
"Ahhhh, yeah baby, light weight like Ronnie Coleman!" I was getting into the vibe.
"[Fist bumps] You are getting stronger bro." Harsh was admiring my strength.
"Thanks." And then I moved on to cable curls.
A week later, at the annual Karate event.
I was pitted against Rajiv and I had to play defensive against his offensive attack.
But quickly I too turned offensive since it was a no holds barred game and then I won by K.O.
"Damn it!" Oh, Rajiv was so pissed.
Rajiv was acting like a sore loser; he was planning something.
Rajiv cuts my way and then the bullies' gangs up on me and starts beating me.
"You like winning in everything huh, from studies to sports? How about I break that right arm of yours." He was dead serious.
But then…..
Harsh hit Rajiv with a cricket bat to save me.
"You a'ight?" He asked.
"Never been better, now let's go." I decided to bail outta there.
At home, mom was sad and upset, but Dad on the other hand was relieved that I was able to stand up against the bully like Rajiv.
"I shall talk with the guy and his parents if you want." Dad.
(FROM DAD'S POV INSIDE THE CAR) He looks outside the window at the street where Rajiv hangs out. He then speaks.
"Smoking at this age? Talk about his upbringing, let's have a chat with the kid." And my dad was utterly disgusted.
"Rajiv Kakati, you hit my boy yesterday?" Dad surely knew how to make an entrance.
"Oh look, the superhero brought in his super-dad, yeah, I hit him, what's you gonna do about that uncle?" and that tone was enough to piss my dad off.
"So, you like to beat fellow students as well as disrespect elders, (SLAPS) this is for hitting my boy and (KICKS IN THE RIBS) this is for badmouthing me!" He was having enough of that asshole.
"Big mistake uncle….." Rajiv, like a cliched villain in a South Indian movie.
"You know? In my service in the department, I beat the crap out of petty thieves and criminals as a police officer, but looks like I need to give you a special treatment." Dad then subdued and cuffed him.
At the police station, From behind the bars of the lock-up.
"You can't cage a beast." Rajiv was squirming.
"What's your problem tough guy? Why are you like this? Aren't you worried what you dad might….." and he interrupts dad.
"I don't care about my abusive father." Rajiv revealed a much bigger truth.
"Oh, so, this, "Attitude" is more like a shield to cover up the trauma of an abusive nature of a father…. It seems like you need help." Suddenly dad was feeling sorry for him.
BRAJEN KAKATI WALKS IN.
"Let me guess he got into trouble again." A stoic man who sounded like an asshole, that's Mr. Kakati.
Brajen is a local politician and he barely cares about anything but his political career.
"Your son is free to go; however, I am pressing charges on you for assault and sadistic behaviour against a minor." He then let Rajiv go and put his dad behind the bars instead.
"You serious?" Kakati was juxtaposed.
"I hope that your lawyer is capable enough to save your ass." My dad, with this stoicism.
The case went longer than usual and Brajen Kakati was sent to 12 years imprisonment for child abuse under POCSO act.
"The charges against Brajen Kakati have been proved and the court grants him 12 years of imprisonment and also prescribes treatment against clinical insanity." The judge.