"It's easy to bully, but the really cool kids, they don't." - Gisele Bundchen

IT was the next day, Sana walked into college with Julia by her side, her nerves on edge. She knew that the slap wouldn't go unanswered, that Sidharth would retaliate. But she refused to show any fear. She had to stay strong, to face whatever came her way with the same courage she had shown yesterday.

As they walked through the halls, students whispered and pointed, the news of her confrontation with Sidharth spreading like wildfire. Sana held her head high, ignoring the murmurs. She couldn't let them see how much it affected her.

But just as they approached their classroom, Sana noticed something that made her blood run cold. Sidharth was leaning against the wall outside, waiting for her, a sinister smile on his face. His friends were gathered around him, smirking and whispering among themselves.

"Good morning, Baby Girl," Sidharth greeted her, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Sana narrowed her eyes at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "What do you want, Sidharth?"

"I just wanted to see how you were holding up after yesterday," he replied, his tone mocking. "You know, after that little tantrum you threw."

Sana clenched her fists, trying to keep her composure. "It wasn't a tantrum, and you know it. You crossed the line."

"Oh, did I?" Sidharth said, feigning innocence. "I thought it was just a bit of fun. You know, like a little game. But I guess some people can't handle the heat."

Sana felt her anger rising again, but she forced herself to stay calm. "If you're done with your games, Sidharth, I have a class to attend."

But as she moved to walk past him, Sidharth stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Not so fast," he said, his smile widening. "You know, I've been thinking about your little demand since yesterday. The one where you wanted me to apologize by doing sit-ups?"

Sana tensed, unsure of where this was going.

"I've decided to decline your offer," Sidharth continued, his eyes glinting with malice. "But I'm going to give you a chance to take back that ridiculous demand. Otherwise... well, let's just say things could get interesting around here."

Sana stared at him, her heart pounding with both fear and defiance. "I'm not taking anything back, Sidharth. You owe me an apology, and until I get it, I'm not backing down."

Sidharth's smile faded, his expression hardening. "You're making a mistake, Baby Girl."

"No, Sidharth," Sana replied, her voice steady. "You're the one making a mistake if you think you can bully me into submission."

For a moment, they stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. The tension was thick, the air crackling with unspoken threats.

Then, with a final, scornful look, Sidharth stepped aside. "Have it your way," he said coldly. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

Sana brushed past him, walking into the classroom with Julia at her side. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her back, the intensity of his anger pressing down on her. But she refused to give in to the fear. This was far from over, and she knew it.

As she took her seat, she couldn't help but wonder what Sidharth's next move would be. But whatever it was, she was ready for it. She had to be. Because this wasn't just about a Scooty or a slap. This was about standing up for herself, no matter the cost.

As the day wore on, Sana couldn't shake the unease that settled in her stomach. She knew Sidharth was plotting something, and it made her restless. Despite her attempts to focus on her classes, her mind kept drifting back to the confrontation that morning. What would he do next? How far would he go to get back at her?

Julia noticed her friend's distraction and nudged her gently during their lunch break. "Sana, are you okay? You've been quiet all day."

Sana sighed, pushing her food around on her plate. "I'm fine. Just... thinking."

"About Sidharth?" Julia asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," Sana admitted. "I just... I don't know what he's planning, but I can feel it. He's not going to let this go."

Julia frowned. "He's such a jerk. But whatever he's planning, we'll deal with it together. You're not alone in this, Sana."

Sana smiled gratefully at her friend. "Thanks, Julia. I just wish I knew what he was up to."

As if on cue, a group of students entered the cafeteria, chatting loudly. Sana's heart sank when she saw Sidharth among them, his eyes immediately locking onto hers. He smirked, making his way over to her table with his friends in tow.

"Hey, Baby Girl," he greeted, his voice dripping with mockery.

Sana tensed, readying herself for whatever was coming. "What do you want, Sidharth?"

He leaned against the table, ignoring the curious stares of the other students around them. "I just came to see if you've reconsidered my offer."

"Offer?" Julia scoffed. "You mean your threat?"

Sidharth's smile didn't waver. "Call it what you want. But I think Sana here is smart enough to know when she's outmatched."

Sana felt her anger flare up again. "I'm not scared of you, Sidharth. And I'm not backing down."

Sidharth chuckled darkly. "Oh, you will, Baby Girl. Sooner or later, you will."

Before Sana could respond, he straightened up and turned to leave, but not before giving her a final, taunting glance. His friends followed him out, leaving Sana and Julia fuming.

"What the hell was that?" Julia muttered, glaring after them.

"I don't know," Sana said, her voice laced with frustration. "But I'm not going to let him intimidate me. He can try all he wants, but I'm not backing down."

Julia nodded, her expression firm. "That's the spirit. We'll figure this out, Sana. He's not going to get away with this."

As the day drew to a close, Sana couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming. She kept a watchful eye on her surroundings, half-expecting Sidharth to spring some sort of trap. But by the time classes were over, nothing had happened, and she began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, he was bluffing.

But when she and Julia walked out to the parking area at the end of the day, her heart sank at the sight that greeted them.

Her Scooter was gone.

For a moment, Sana just stood there, staring in disbelief. Julia gasped, clutching Sana's arm. "Sana... where is it?"

Sana's eyes scanned the parking area frantically, hoping she had just missed it somehow. But it wasn't there. Her precious Scooty, the one that had belonged to her grandfather, was gone.

"He... he took it," Sana whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. "That... that bastard took my Scooty!"

Julia's eyes widened in shock. "What? Are you sure? How do you know?"

"Who else could it be?" Sana snapped, her emotions boiling over. "He threatened me, Julia! He must have taken it as payback for slapping him!"

Julia looked around helplessly, not knowing what to do. "Should we go to the principal? Call the police?"

Sana clenched her fists, her mind racing. "No... no, I'll handle this myself. I'm not going to let him get away with this."

"Are you sure, Sana?" Julia asked, worried. "This is serious. What if he-"

But before Julia could finish, Sana spotted Sidharth walking toward the parking area with a smug expression on his face, surrounded by his friends. Her anger flared up instantly, and she stormed toward him, not caring about the stares from other students.

"Sidharth!" she shouted, her voice trembling with rage.

He looked up, his smirk widening when he saw her. "Oh, hey, Baby Girl. Looking for something?"

"You know damn well what I'm looking for!" Sana snapped, stopping right in front of him. "Where's my Scooty, Sidharth? What did you do with it?"

Sidharth crossed his arms, feigning innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me!" Sana shouted, her voice echoing across the parking area. "You took it, didn't you? Where is it?"

Sidharth chuckled, clearly enjoying her frustration. "And what if I did? What are you going to do about it?"

Sana's fists clenched at her sides, her body trembling with barely controlled rage. "Give it back. Now."

"Or what?" Sidharth challenged, stepping closer, his voice low and taunting. "What are you going to do, Baby Girl? Slap me again? Go ahead. But remember, you started this war, and I'm just playing along."

Sana's heart raced, her mind spinning with fury and helplessness. She knew he was baiting her, trying to push her into doing something she'd regret. But the thought of her Scooty, the last memory of her grandfather, being in his hands... it was too much to bear.

"Give it back, Sidharth," she repeated, her voice shaky but determined. "Or I swear, you'll regret it."

Sidharth stared at her for a long moment, his smirk slowly fading. For a brief second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes, but it was gone just as quickly as it appeared.

"Sorry, Baby Girl," he said coldly, turning to walk away. "But I think I'll hang onto it for a while. You know, just to teach you a lesson."

Sana's eyes burned with unshed tears as she watched him walk away, his friends laughing and high-fiving each other as they followed him. She felt a mix of anger, sadness, and a sense of loss that she couldn't quite put into words.

Julia came up beside her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sana... I'm so sorry. We'll figure this out, okay? We'll get it back."

But Sana barely heard her. Her mind was spinning, trying to come up with a plan, a way to get her Scooty back and make Sidharth pay for what he'd done.

She wiped her tears away, a new determination hardening in her chest. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. Sidharth Vyas had messed with the wrong girl, and he was about to find out just how far she was willing to go to fight back.

•••

Sana had barely slept last night, her mind racing with anger and determination. She wasn't going to let Sidharth get away with this. As she arrived at college the next morning, she had a plan. A plan that would force him to give back what he stole and humble himself in front of everyone.

Julia met her at the entrance, worry etched on her face. "Sana, are you sure about this? What if he retaliates?"

Sana's eyes were steely. "He started this. Now it's my turn to finish it."

The day passed in a tense haze. Sana and Julia avoided the parking area, not wanting to see the empty spot where her Scooty used to be. Instead, they focused on what had to be done. When lunchtime came around, Sana asked Julia to come with her to the principal's office.

"Are you sure this will work?" Julia whispered as they approached the office.

"Positive," Sana replied, her voice resolute.

They entered the principal's office, and after a brief wait, they were ushered inside. Principal Rao, a stern woman in her late fifties, looked up from her desk as they approached.

"Miss D'Souza, Miss Julia," Principal Rao greeted them. "What brings you both here?"

Sana took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Principal Rao, I need to report a theft."

Principal Rao's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "A theft? What was stolen?"

"My Scooter," Sana said, her voice unwavering. "It was taken from the college parking lot yesterday."

Principal Rao's expression turned serious. "That's a grave matter. Do you have any idea who might have taken it?"

Sana nodded, her voice firm. "I know exactly who took it. It was Sidharth Vyas."

The principal's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward. "Are you sure about this accusation, Miss D'Souza? Do you have any proof?"

Sana nodded again, handing over her phone. "I don't have direct proof, but I have a text from one of his friends boasting about it, and I'm certain it's in his possession. I'd like you to call the police, Principal Rao. If he's hiding it, they'll find it."

Principal Rao studied the text on Sana's phone for a moment before noddingngng. "Very well, Miss D'Souza. I'll contact the authorities. If what you're saying is true, Mr. Vyas will have to face the consequences."

A call was made to the local police, and within the hour, two officers arrived on campus. They spoke briefly with Principal Rao and then with Sana and Julia, gathering all the necessary information. Sidharth was summoned to the office, looking confident as he walked in, but his smirk faltered when he saw the police officers.

"What's going on?" he demanded, glancing between Sana and the principal.

Principal Rao's voice was cold. "Mr. Vyas, Miss D'Souza has accused you of stealing her Scooty. The police are here to investigate the matter."

Sidharth scoffed, crossing his arms. "I didn't take anything. This is ridiculous."

The officers stepped forward. "Mr. Vyas, we'll need to search your property. If you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about."

Sidharth's confident facade wavered for a split second, but he quickly masked it with bravado. "Fine. Search all you want. You won't find anything."

The officers left with Sidharth, and Sana could only wait. It was the longest hour of her life, but eventually, the officers returned. Sidharth was with them, but this time, his expression was one of defeat.

The officer in charge turned to Principal Rao. "We found the Scooty in Mr. Vyas's garage. It's clear he was attempting to hide it."

Principal Rao's face hardened. "Thank you, officers. I will handle Mr. Vyas from here."

Sidharth was left standing in front of Principal Rao and Sana, looking utterly defeated. The principal's voice was ice-cold as she spoke. "Mr. Vyas, this is unacceptable behavior. You've not only broken the law, but you've also broken the trust of this institution. You will return Miss D'Souza's Scooty immediately, and you will apologize to her publicly, as she has requested. If you refuse, you will face suspension and criminal charges."

Sidharth's jaw clenched, his eyes burning with anger, but he knew he was cornered. There was no escaping the situation now.

"Fine," he ground out through gritted teeth.

Sana stood tall, her expression unreadable as Sidharth walked up to her. The students had started gathering around, curious about the commotion. When he was close enough, Sidharth glared at her, his pride clearly wounded.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, the words barely audible.

Sana crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Not good enough. I want you to do what I asked."

Sidharth's fists clenched, but he had no choice. His face flushed with humiliation as he began doing sit-ups, holding his ears as he had been instructed.

"I'm sorry, Sana D'Souza," he said, his voice low but clear enough for everyone to hear.

"One," Sana counted, watching him with a cold gaze.

Sidharth's friends stood in stunned silence, unable to believe what they were witnessing. As he continued, each count feeling like an eternity, Sana felt a strange mixture of satisfaction and sadness. She hadn't wanted things to escalate this far, but Sidharth had left her no choice.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Sidharth completed the hundred sit-ups, his face red with exertion and humiliation. He stood up slowly, avoiding eye contact with anyone, especially Sana.

Principal Rao stepped forward, her voice firm. "Mr. Vyas, you will return Miss D'Souza's Scooter immediately. After that, you will report to my office for further disciplinary action. This behavior will not be tolerated at this institution."

Sidharth nodded stiffly, clearly seething inside but unable to do anything about it. He turned and walked away, heading toward the parking area to retrieve the Scooty, with the entire student body watching in stunned silence.

Sana watched him go, a mix of emotions swirling inside her. She had won, but the victory felt hollow. She had never wanted things to escalate to this point, but Sidharth had pushed her too far.

Julia came up beside her, giving her a supportive smile. "You did it, Sana. You got your Scooter back."

Sana nodded, her eyes still on Sidharth's retreating figure. "Yeah... I did."

As Sidharth returned with her Scooty, handing it over without a word, Sana took a deep breath, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She had fought back, and she had won. But as she looked at Sidharth, who now seemed more human than ever before, she couldn't help but wonder what would come next in this strange, twisted game between them.

✿✿✿

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