Brewing Trouble
694 Words
The courtyard was quiet now, but the tension from earlier still lingered in the air. The senior Rudra had humiliated — Raghav — stood near the parking area, his jaw clenched and ego bruised.
“How dare he talk to me like that in front of everyone,” Raghav muttered, punching the bike handle in frustration.
His friend tried to calm him. “Bro, let it go. It’s Rudra Mehra. You don’t mess with him.”
Raghav glared at him. “That’s exactly the problem. Everyone’s scared of him! He walks around like he owns the college.”
He threw his bag onto his bike seat. “He might scare others — not me. I’ll show him what happens when someone crosses me.”
His friend sighed, shaking his head. “You’re gonna regret this.”
Raghav smirked darkly. “Maybe. But so will he.”
☕ The Canteen Corner!!!!
Meanwhile, Rudra and his gang were sitting at their usual table in the college canteen — their unofficial headquarters.
Kabir stirred his chai lazily. “You know, one of these days, your ‘let him go’ attitude is gonna land us in detention again.”
Rudra leaned back, smirking. “Only if they catch us.”
Aman laughed. “They never do. The teachers know it’s us, but they act blind.”
Dev, ever the calm one, looked up from his book. “You should’ve seen Raghav’s face, though. He almost cried.”
Kabir grinned. “He did, I think. Just without tears.”
Rudra chuckled. “I didn’t even touch him. Just told him to back off.”
“Yeah,” Aman said. “That’s the scary part, boss. You don’t even need to raise your hand — your look does the job.”
Rudra shrugged. “People mistake silence for weakness. They should know better.”
The group went quiet for a second — that kind of pause that came whenever Rudra said something that hit deeper than it sounded. Then Kabir broke it with his usual grin.
“Anyway, boss, I heard we’ve got a new girl in class. Pretty one. From Aurangabad.”
Aman leaned in, teasing. “You sure your ‘research’ isn’t turning into stalking?”
Kabir laughed. “Hey, I’m just gathering information. For academic reasons.”
Rudra shook his head with a smile. “You three are hopeless.”
Dev looked at him over his glasses. “And yet you keep us around.”
“Someone has to keep you idiots out of trouble,” Rudra said, sipping his tea.
“Out of trouble?” Kabir asked, pretending to be shocked. “You are the trouble.”
They all burst into laughter — the sound echoing through the canteen. For a moment, Rudra wasn’t the feared name of Silverwood. He was just a guy with his closest friends, laughing at nothing and everything.
🌙 That Evening — Aanya’s Room
By the time Aanya reached home, the scene from the afternoon still replayed in her mind. She tossed her bag on the bed and sat near the window, sketchbook open, pencil tapping against her chin.
She began sketching — the crowd, the bullies, and finally, that one calm figure in the center. Rudra Mehra.
His eyes. His silence. The way everyone just listened to him.
Her mother’s voice called from downstairs, “Dinner’s ready!”
“Coming, Mom!” she replied, still staring at the sketch.
She smiled faintly. “He’s not what I expected.”
There was something about him — something raw but steady, intimidating yet strangely... controlled.
Most people would’ve been scared.
But she wasn’t.
She leaned back on her chair, whispering to herself,
“Rudra Mehra… what’s your story?”
💢 Meanwhile — Somewhere in Devgarh
Under the yellow streetlight, Raghav’s voice echoed.
“Tomorrow, I’ll make sure Rudra learns his place.”
His friend shifted nervously. “You sure about this?”
Raghav smirked. “Absolutely. No one embarrasses me and walks away.”
Little did he know — the one he was planning to mess with… wasn’t just another college guy.
He was Rudra Mehra.
And that mistake… would change everything.
- Writer
