"Words that Hurt"

The next morning, Sarah walked into school, still feeling a bit sheepish about the events of the previous day. She spotted Aarav standing by his locker and made her way over to him.

"Hey," she said, trying to sound casual. "What's up?"

Aarav looked up at her, a hint of a smile on his face. "Not much. Just trying to avoid Mom's wrath for the rest of the day."

Sarah laughed. "Yeah, I can understand that. I'm still feeling a bit guilty about yesterday."

Aarav's expression turned serious. "Hey, it's not your fault. I'm the one who convinced you to skip school."

Sarah shook her head. "No way, Aarav. We're in this together. Besides, I'm the one who had the fever. You were just trying to help me out."

Aarav smiled, looking relieved. "Thanks, Sarah. You're a true friend."

Just then, their teacher, Mrs. Johnson, walked by and overheard their conversation. "Ah, Aarav and Sarah, I see you two are having a nice chat. Well, I hope you're both ready for your detention today."

Aarav and Sarah exchanged a nervous glance. They had forgotten all about their detention.

"Oh, yeah," Aarav said, trying to sound nonchalant. "We're looking forward to it."

Mrs. Johnson raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you are. Well, just remember, detention is not a punishment, it's a chance for you to reflect on your actions and think about how you can make better choices in the future."

Aarav and Sarah nodded, feeling a bit chastened. They knew they had made a mistake, and they were willing to face the consequences.

As Sarah and Aarav walked down the hallway, they noticed a group of boys snickering and pointing at them.

One of the boys, a tall and muscular kid named Jake, stepped forward and sneered at Sarah. "Hey, look at the girl who skipped school yesterday. What's the matter, couldn't handle the work?"

Sarah felt her face heat up with anger and embarrassment. "Shut up, Jake," she said, trying to keep her cool.

But Jake just laughed. "Oh, I'm shaking in my boots. What are you going to do, cry to your mommy?"

Aarav's face darkened with anger. "That's enough, Jake," he said, stepping forward.

Jake sneered at Aarav. "Oh, look at the little hero. What are you going to do, defend your girlfriend?"

Aarav's fists clenched. "She's not my girlfriend, but she's my friend, and I won't let you insult her."

Without warning, Aarav launched himself at Jake, punching him in the face. Jake stumbled backwards, caught off guard.

The other boys in the group jumped into the fight, and soon the hallway was filled with the sound of shouting and punching.

Sarah watched in horror as Aarav fought the other boys. She knew he was doing it to defend her, but she didn't want him to get hurt.

Just as it seemed like the fight was going to escalate further, the school principal, Mr. Smith, appeared out of nowhere and pulled the boys apart.

"What's going on here?" Mr Smith thundered, his face red with anger.

Aarav and the other boys stood panting, their faces bruised and bloody.

Aarav spoke up, his voice shaking with anger. "Jake was insulting Sarah, and I defended her."

Mr. Smith's expression softened slightly. "I see. Well, I appreciate your loyalty to your friend, Aarav, but fighting is not the answer."

Aarav nodded, feeling a twinge of regret.

Mr Smith turned to Jake and the other boys. "As for you, Jake, and your friends, I'm afraid you'll all be serving detention for the next week."

The boys groaned and slunk away, defeated.

Mr. Smith turned to Aarav and Sarah. "And as for you two, I want to see you both in my office after school. We'll discuss this further."

Aarav and Sarah nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over them.

Sarah looked up at Aarav, a hint of hurt in her eyes. "Why did you say I'm your friend back there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aarav shrugged, feeling a bit defensive. "What's wrong with saying you're my friend?"

Sarah's eyes flashed with anger. "Nothing's wrong with it, except that you said it like it was nothing. Like I'm just some casual friend you hang out with sometimes."

Aarav frowned, feeling confused. "Sarah, what are you talking about? Of course, you're my friend."

Sarah shook her head, her voice trembling. "No, Aarav. I'm more than that. Or at least, I thought I was."

Aarav felt a pang of realization. He had been so caught up in the moment, defending Sarah from Jake's insults, that he hadn't stopped to think about how his words might affect her.

"Sarah, I..." he started to say, but she cut him off.

"Forget it, Aarav. Just forget it." And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Aarav feeling confused and frustrated.

To be continued....

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