Next day, At Canteen:

Preeta looked up from the clip she was watching of Anushka when she heard the girls from the next table screaming in excitement and saw Amaira with F4. Amaira gave her a small wave on which she returned a small smile.

"Tum anushka ki interview dekh rhe ho na?" Mahira asked, setting her lunch tray down on the table before settling herself beside Preeta, "She's the bestest, H na?"

"Tum bhi uski fan ho?" Preeta asked.

"Obviously yaar! She inspires me a lot!" Mahira smiled, "Mene iss college mei Anushka ki vajah se hi admission lia"

Preeta smiled back.

"Tumhe kuch hua h kya?" Mahira asked, "Thoda upset lg rhi ho."

Preeta's smile fell.

"Kal ke baare mei soch rhi ho?"

Preeta hummed.

"Mujhe bhi bura lg rha h! Pr hum kya kr skte h!" Mahira looked at her, "But I must thank you and Amaira!! Agar tum dono nhi hote, to na jaane mai konsi musibat mei hoti"

Preeta smiled at her.

Mahira playfully whispered, "let's stay safe and quiet for a bright future, jesa Anushka ne kaha."

They both laughed.

"Acha, ab mujhe jaana hoga." Mahira stood from her seat, took her tray and turned, walking a few steps only to run straight into Karan, dropping her tray on his shoes.

"What the helll?!!!" Karan shouted.

Rohan walked up, followed by Sameer, Rudra and Amaira, watching to see what happens next. Whereas Rohan and Amaira shared a tensed glance.

"Tumhare paas aankhein h? Dekhke chal skti ho I guess." Karan asked, sarcasm in his voice.

"K..Ka..Karan" Mahira stammer, so scared to meet his eyes, "I'm s..sorry, mene jaan buchke nh..nhii kia, mai tumhare shoes ko clean krwa dungi ya naya khareed dungi."

"Naya khareed dogi? Tumhe pta bhi h ki ye kitne expensive h?? Paris ke h!! You just can't afford it" Karan said mockingly.

"Bhaii" Sameer said, "She's cute, itna gussa mt kro."

"Karan please." Mahira pleaded tearfully, "Mai kuch bhi krungi jo tum kahoge, please mujhe maaf krdo." Mahira tried to take his hand but he pulled it away.

"Kuch bhi krogi jo bolunga?" Karan smirked, "Hmm, to kya kraya jaye tumse?"

"She can clean your shoes now or lick them." One student offered.

Karan moved his foot forward making Preeta grit her teeth, "Lick it, shyd mai tumhe maaf kr du"

Preeta banged her hand on table not able to control her anger more. Karan looked at her.

"Bahut ho gya" Preeta shouted causing the other students shut up out of shock.

She moved to Mahira and Karan and stand in front of Mahira pushing Karan away from her.

"Usne maafi mangi na! To tum usse maaf kyun nhi kr dete!" Preeta said, lowering her head.

Karan looked at her amusingly.

"Kya kaha?" Karan asked.

Preeta was still looking down trying to compose herself as she speaks again, "Bahut zyada ho gya! Usne kaha na ki accidentally ho gya to tum usse maaf kyun nhi kr dete?"

"Tum mujhe order de rhi ho?" Karan asked smirkingly.

"Main order nhi de rhi hu! I'm just telling!" Preeta says confidently.

The other students gasped while Karan's expression changed.

"Do you have any idea tum kisse baat kr rhi ho?" Karan said moving closer to Preeta.

"I don't care tum jo bhi ho!" Preeta said while Karan shoot daggers at her.

"Tumhe mujhe respect krna chahiye." Karan said.

"Main respect sirf unhi ko krti hu jo deserve krte h." Preeta tried to keep her confidence which was slowly disappearing by second.

"Ok fine!! Maaf kia as per as your order" Karan said smilingly, "You are lucky to have a friend like her." Karan whispered to Mahira and left after giving a look to Preeta while the F3 looked at Preeta before slowly following Karan.

"Preetaa." Amaira looked at Preeta worriedly while Preeta looked down regretting but

THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY OCCURRED.

•••

After lunch, Preeta went to her locker with her head down. She hesitantly opened her locker and her heart skipped a beat seeing a red card hanging there. Everyone stood around her whispering and taking pictures. Taking a deep breath, she took the card. Suddenly, messages started popping on everyone's phone.

*Omg!! Pehli baar kisi ldki ko red card mila!*

*Ab kya hoga?*

*Ye bach payegi kya?*

Preeta slowly crumbles the red card.

*Mujhe nhi lgta!*

She threw her backpack in her locker and ran to her classroom.

*Arre! Voh bhag rhi h!!*

*Pakdo usse!*

Preeta slams the door of her classroom and said to the teacher, "Excuse me sir!! I'm not feeling well! May I go to the restroom?"

Preeta didn't wait for a response and left after saying "thank you".

*Kaha h voh?*

*Mene shuna restroom gyi h*

After reading that text Preeta heard the door opening and hide behind a cupboard. The boys who came left seeing the room empty. Preeta sighed but again halted seeing the door opening again. Preeta peeped slowly to see the person and sighed seeing Amaira.

"Amyy!!" Preeta whispered.

"Preeta!! Mai tujhe hi dhund rahi thi!! Thik h tu?" Amaira asked worriedly.

Preeta nodded.

"Tu ghar chali jaa! Abhi tu bilkul safe nhi h! Door se mt jaa!! Voh log vahi h! Ek kaam kr!" Amaira took a rope and tied to the window.

"Jaa yaha se! Ye safe h" Amaira said.

Preera thanked and hugged her and went downstairs using the rope.

•••

Preeta looked behind a pillar, heading towards the locker to get her stuffs. Suddenly Mahira appear in the hall.

"Mahira!" Preeta whispered her name, "Are u ok? Tumhe kisine kuch kia to nhi na?"

Mahira looked like she was about to reply but saw some more students coming and quickly ran away but not before shooting a look to Preeta that made her pause.

"Did she.. she looked happy that this was happening to me?" Preeta thought.

Suddenly Amaira came and dragged Preeta to rooftop.

•••

"Kya hua? Tu mujhe yaha kyun layi?" Preeta asked.

"Agar mai tujhe vaha se nhi lati to uss Mahira ki vajah se tu musibat mei padh jati." Amaira said with a straight face.

"Tu aise kyun baat kr rhi? Kya ho gya?" Preeta asked.

"Preeta dekh! Shyd ye shunke tujhe bura lg skta h pr mujhe Mahira kuch sahi nhi lg rhi!! Mene dekha niche jo hua! Mujhe aisa lg rha h ki Mahira khush h ki tujhe red card mila!" Amaira said worriedly.

"I can understand Amy!! Tujhe meri fikr h pr jese tu soch rhi aisa nhi h!! Maybe usne kisiko dekh lia isliye darr ke bhag gyi iska ye mtlb nhi h ki voh mujhe iss halat mei dekhke khush h!" Preeta said shaking her previous thoughts.

"You know what!!" Rudra appeared making Amaira jump into a defense position in front of Preeta, "Tum logon ke yaha aane se pehle ye jagah kaafi shant hua krta tha." He glanced at Preeta then looked at Amaira.

Amaira glared at Rudra before taking Preeta's hand and began to walk away until Rudra grabbed Preeta's other hand and pulled them both behind the wall he was leaning on.

"Kya kr rhe ho? Jaane do hume!" Preeta began but Rudra covered her mouth with his hand. A girl and a boy came there.

"Rudra Sir! Apne kisi ldki ko dekha h green dress pehne hue? Aur yaha sirf akele hi h kya?" The girl asked.

"Nhi! Mene kisi ldki ko nhi dekha! Aur haa mai yaha akela hi hu!" Rudra lied, they gave him a suspicious look, "Whatt? Tum dono mujhe trust nhi krte?"

"Nhi nhi! Hum krte h! Thank u!" They exited the roof.

Rudra removed his hand from Preeta's mouth, "Agar tumhe kahi chupna h to yaha chup jao!! Yaha vese bhi koi nhi aata aur yeh jagah shant bhi h agar tum nhi chillaogi to!" Rudra looked at Amaira, "Mujhe nhi pta tha Karan ne isse Red card dia h!! Don't worry mai dekhta hu!" Rudra stated before leaving.

Preeta looked at Amaira who was deeply thinking something and pulled away the sheet Rudra was holding, seeing a sketch of herself in his sketch book. She stared at it, not really sure what she feeling in her heart.

~~~~~

That's it for today. Hope you all liked it. Do leave your honest review. Stay tuned for the upcoming chapters 🖤