Sixth Grade

Avantika's POV

"You look beautiful today."

It was him, standing behind me.

“Thank you,” I said, realizing I was blushing.

“So... is there some beef between you two? Seemed like something happened back in school,” he asked, looking concerned.

“Nothing very interesting. She was just my bully when we were in sixth grade. It was childish, but the memory still hasn’t vanished from my mind.”

“What did she do?”

I hesitated. It was years ago, and it didn’t matter now—but I’d always wanted to tell someone.

My best friend knew everything about me except this. She transferred to our school in seventh grade, and I never mentioned it to her. If I had, she would’ve literally beaten the crap out of Sam.

“I used to score the highest marks in English, and Sam loved the subject too. But she always scored one or two marks below me. She hated that.”

“And then?” he asked calmly.

“One day, I went to the washroom, and Sam, Lia, and Ananya came in and locked the door. Sam yelled at me, saying I shouldn’t cheat and should score at my ‘actual level.’ I never cheated, though—she just couldn’t accept that I was better. I don’t want to sound like a ‘pick me,’ but I really was better, and I can say that confidently."

“I like your confidence. Go on,” he said with a smile.

“After that, she tore my uniform while Lia and Ananya held my hair and hands. She pushed me under the sink, and I hit my head. Instead of being concerned, she laughed.”

“I don’t know why, but this is seriously pissing me off. Makes me want to slap her,” he said, clearly irritated.

“Then she tied a cloth around my head that covered my mouth, and also tied my hands and legs. After that, she and her minions locked the door from the outside. They made sure no one would find me—even if someone came into the washroom—because I was locked inside one of the stalls.”

“But you never tried kicking or freeing yourself?” he asked, confused.

“I didn’t get the chance. When I hit my head, I was dizzy—I passed out for a while.”

“Oh... now I see.”

“Yes. After a few hours, school was over and most students had gone home. But the cleaning lady came in and found me.”

“I’m sorry, love.”

“It’s fine. I just hoped she’d get what she deserved. But her father’s a businessman. He covered it all up by bribing the principal after my family and I complained.”

“That’s so fucking unfair,” he said, frustrated.

“I know. I can’t do anything about it now.”

“But where the hell was I? I was your classmate too, and I had no idea this happened.”

How could I tell him that I was too embarrassed to share it with anyone in class? I looked so weak in that story.

“Because no one knows about this,” I said nervously.

“What? I’m the first person you’ve told?”

His eyes softened.

“Yes.”

“Let’s go. She’s about to face the consequences—because I saw something today with my own eyes that no one else knows.”

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