The Bully’s Secret Admirer

[1] The girl who is running is Sofi, a little monster. Yes, everyone calls her a little monster. And it's me, not her, the one who's running in front of her. You're thinking, why is she chasing me? I'll tell you. Because recently, I accidentally found out she has a crush on Ronit — the bully of our school. "I am going to tell everyone that she has a crush on Ronit!" "Stop, stop, please!" Sofi said. "I'll give you a treat." "Really?" Aman stopped. "Promise?" Sofi said, "Yes, but you have to promise me you won't tell anyone that I have a crush on Ronit." Aman replied, "Okay, but treat first." Aman said, "Let's go to the canteen." Sofi replied, "i***t, we're going to be late for class." Aman said, "Okay, then at lunchtime you'll buy food for me." Sofi whispered, "Shh, idiot..." Sofi and Aman entered the class, fighting. A boy was looking at them. Sofi sat in her seat. Aman gave the boy a friendly punch on the back and asked him, "How are you, bro?" He ignored him and started doing his own work. Aman said, "Oh, come on, bro. Today someone's giving us a treat." Sofi tapped his head and said, "The treat is only for you, stupid." Aman replied, "Oh, really? I'm that special to you?" Sofi smiled and whispered, "I want to kill you, stupid..." She added, "Okay, only you two..." Alina came and asked, "What was happening?" Sofi replied, "Nothing, I'm just going to kill Aman." Alina said, "Oh, really? I'm so excited." Sofi put her hand on her head, thinking, _All the stupid and idiotic people are my friends.* The bell rang and the teacher came into the class. The whole class said, "Good morning, sir." The teacher replied, "Good morning, children." After class, during break time, Aman came up to Sofi and said, "Hey, little monster, ready to give me my treat? I can't wait any longer." Sofi replied angrily, "I am ready." Aman said, "Nope. Say 'Yes, sir, I am ready.'" Sofi made a fist and said, "What if I don't say that?" Aman replied, "Listen everyone, I have big news to share with you..." Sofi stopped him and said, "Yes, sir, I am ready." Alina asked, "Are you both keeping something secret from us?" Charan said, "Yes, I also want to know the secret." Sofi interrupted, "Let's go, guys. Don't waste time." In the canteen, they were all enjoying the food while Sofi was calculating the bill. Suddenly, an injured boy came into the canteen. His leg was hurt and he could barely walk. Then a tall, handsome boy with four others walked in, laughing. The injured boy fell to the floor, crying and apologizing, but the bully, Ronit, told him to shout at his friend again. Ronit's friend Akhil kicked the boy and told him to lick the floor. Ronit's other friend, Sumit, told Ronit and Akhil to stop. Ronit said, "Fine, anyway, that was not that fun." He walked to the table with his friends. There was a silence. Suddenly, Aman took the money from Sofi's hand and ran. Sofi shouted and followed him. Her feet slipped, and she fell onto Ronit's leg.The whole canteen went quiet. The clatter of steel plates stopped. Chairs scraped against the floor as students turned to look. Someone near the samosa counter actually gasped. Ronit looked down at Sofi like she was something stuck to his shoe. "Did you pay for this floor, little monster? Because you're on it." His voice wasn't loud. He didn't need it to be. The canteen was already his. Akhil burst out laughing and shoved his phone in Sofi's face. The camera light blinked red. "Bro, she's gonna be famous," he said to Rishabh. Rishabh leaned back in his chair, grinning like this was better than lunch. "Look at her, man. She's shaking. Hey, little monster, you gonna cry?" Sumit didn't laugh. His cold drink was sweating in his hand, forgotten. He just stared at Sofi, his jaw tight. Something flickered in his eyes — shock, maybe guilt. Sofi's palms were scraped raw from the floor. Her face burned. The smell of spilled dal and Ronit's cologne mixed together and made her stomach turn. "I— I'm sorry, I slipped—" Her voice came out thin, nothing like her own. Ronit took a step closer. His shadow fell over her. He opened his mouth, and Sofi flinched — But his phone rang. It was some sharp, electronic tone that didn't belong in a school canteen. Ronit pulled it from his blazer pocket, checked the screen, and his whole expression changed. The cruelty melted into a smirk. "Lucky you," he said to Sofi. He stood up, adjusting his cuffs like nothing happened. He walked out of the canteen without looking back. Akhil and Rishabh scrambled after him. Sumit was the last to move. He glanced at Sofi once more before following. The noise rushed back into the canteen all at once. Whispers. Someone laughed, nervously. Alina, Aman, and Charan pushed through the crowd to Sofi. "Sofi!" Aman got there first. He dropped to his knees right there on the dirty floor and grabbed her arm to steady her. His voice was tight, angry at someone else. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Talk to me." Charan was already checking her hands and legs for cuts. "Her palms are scraped," he muttered to Alina. "We need water." Alina didn't wait. She yanked off her school coat and wrapped it around Sofi's shoulders, hiding her torn uniform and shaking hands. "I've got you," she whispered. "You're okay." But Sofi wasn't listening. She just stared at the canteen door where Ronit left, her chest rising and falling too fast. The whole thing had taken less than a minute, but it felt like an hour. Alina crouched down and lowered her voice so only their group could hear. "Sumit's actually kind-hearted, you know. Last week he stopped Ronit and Akhil from hurting that injured boy. The one everyone calls 'double battered'." Sofi blinked. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. Her head was spinning. She could still feel Ronit's shadow. Little monster. The words echoed. Aman stepped between her and the door, blocking it with his body like Ronit might walk back in. His hand stayed firm on her shoulder over Alina's coat. "Hey. Sofi, look at me. Not at that door. At me. Breathe." He waited until her eyes focused on him. "Ronit's not a good person. I don't care what his phone call was. Stay away from him, okay? Promise me." His thumb pressed into her shoulder — not hard, just grounding. "We need to get you out of here. Now." They were going to class. The walk from the canteen to 11-B felt ten times longer, every step heavy. Sofi kept Alina's coat pulled tight around her shoulders. In the corridor, whispers followed them. Everyone was talking about the incident. Charan checked his phone and froze. His eyes went wide. The video Akhil filmed had gone viral. He showed it to them without a word. Sofi's face burned. She stared at the floor, embarrassed. Alina and Aman immediately headed to Ronit's group, but Ronit wasn't there. Just his friends, avoiding their eyes. In 11-B, Aman put his hand on Akhil's desk and said, "Delete the video." Akhil smiled and replied, "Look who's here — a child giving orders. No, I can't." Alina said, "You're going to delete the video, or I'm going to delete you from this school, Mr." Sammer pushed Aman and said, "Hey, we're not the kids who are afraid of you." The room was tense. Suddenly, the teacher came in and said, "Stop playing. I'm here. Go back to your seats." Everyone sat down, the chairs scraping. Sofi still had Alina's coat on her shoulders, her fingers clutching the sleeves. The teacher was writing on the board, chalk tapping. A folded chit slid onto Sofi's desk. She unfolded it slowly. "You still have the coat. Take it off. You are safe now. We are here for you." Sofi stared at the note. She couldn't come out of that moment. Her cheeks burned, embarrassed. From the back, Alina caught her eye and gave her a small, warm smile. The kind that said, "Don't be embarrassed. You are strong, little monster." Sofi's grip on the coat loosened, just a little. Charan quietly slid a water bottle across the desk to Sofi. She took it without looking up, hands still shaky. The teacher turned from the board and called out, "Alina. Stand up. Tell me what I was teaching." Alina stood slowly. "Sorry, sir. I didn't listen." Her voice was steady, but she wouldn't meet his eyes. The teacher opened his mouth, about to scold her — but the bell rang, sharp and loud. The whole class exhaled. Aman, Charan, and Alina huddled around Sofi after the bell. The classroom emptied around them, but they didn't move. Sofi finally looked up, eyes red but dry. "I don't care," she said, voice low. "I am strong." Aman's grin was fierce. "Damn right. That's my girl." She shoved his shoulder, hard enough to make him stumble. "I am not your girl, stupid." The laugh that broke out wasn't soft. It was loud, reckless — the kind that says we survived. Charan didn't laugh. He just smiled, quiet and sure. Then he stood up and walked to the window, phone already at his ear. "Hey, it's me," he said, voice low. "Yeah. I need that favor. The video from the canteen. Akhil's account." He listened, pacing once. "No, all of it. Every repost, every mirror. Kill the links too." Sofi watched him. He wasn't joking or showing off. His jaw was tight. "Thanks, man. Owe you one." Charan hung up and turned back to them. He dropped into his seat and slid the phone across to Sofi. "Try now." Sofi typed her name. Hit enter. She scrolled. Refreshed. Scrolled again. Fan edits. School memes. A video of the principal slipping last year. Nothing from today. Nothing from the canteen. Nothing from Akhil. Her breath caught. The knot in her chest loosened. "It's gone," Charan said. "He's good at this." For the first time that day, Sofi actually smiled. Not the tight, polite one. A real one. "Little monster wins," Alina whispered. To be continue.....