The invite

Arjun was about to question Rio further when a sudden punch landed on Gaurav's head. Gaurav staggered, clutching his head in pain. "Ah...!! It hurts," he groaned, wincing visibly.

Manya, her anger palpable, turned sharply toward the assailant. "You shouldn't have done that," she said, her voice trembling with fury.

Nitin, who had delivered the punch, responded defensively, "I didn't do anything wrong. In fact, I did him a favor." His eyes bore into Gaurav with a cold intensity.

Still cradling his head, Gaurav shot back, "But you should learn not to hit so hard."

Gaurav's frustration grew as he noticed Nitin's gaze shifting elsewhere. Feeling further insulted by Nitin's apparent disregard, his anger flared.

As Gaurav prepared to speak, he noticed Manya was about to interject. He felt that her next words might either improve his mood or escalate the situation further.

Manya spoke up, "There's no need for you to act like this. I've been wanting to beat him for a long time."

Gaurav was taken aback by her words. Overwhelmed by frustration, he shouted at both Manya and Nitin, "I'm not your punching bag!"

Without waiting for a response, Gaurav rushed over to Arjun, grabbing both of his hands. "You're my true friend," Gaurav said urgently. "And these two are terrible."

Arjun, bewildered and struggling to grasp the situation, looked at Gaurav with confusion. He was unsure of what was happening.

Nitin and Manya observed the scene with growing irritation, clearly uninterested in engaging further with what they saw as Gaurav's futile drama.

Realizing his plea was falling on deaf ears, Gaurav's desperation grew. He shook Arjun's shoulders and implored, "Aren't you my true friend? Will you not help me?"

Nitin stepped in, wrapping his hand around Gaurav's neck and pulling him slightly away from Arjun. "I think it's best if he's not here," Nitin said, his tone firm. "Otherwise, this idiot will bother you too."

With that, Nitin tightened his grip on Gaurav, beginning to drag him away. "Let's go, Gaurav," he said resolutely.

Arjun was still grappling with the chaos around him when Nitin, noticing something unusual, caught a glimpse of shimmering lights in the corner of his eye. He squinted, trying to make sense of the sight. Frustrated, he muttered to himself, "I don't understand this. What are these bastards doing?"

Determined not to be caught off guard again, Nitin glanced around and thought, "He has recognized me. I need to be a little more careful."

Meanwhile, Rio, observing Nitin's departure, was mentally steeling himself for his next move. "Finally, I will complete the work for which I've come," Rio thought. He added, "It's probably better to ignore that asshole," referring to Nitin's intervention.

Rio's attention shifted back to Abhishek, who was still watching him intently. The two shared a charged look, but Rio quickly refocused on Arjun.

As Arjun prepared to leave, Rio approached him with determination. "I think you'll give us a chance to talk alone," Rio said, his voice firm but calm.

Arjun, still wary, responded, "I don't want to talk to you alone right now. I don't even know you."

Rio, sensing Arjun's hesitation, reassured him, "You don't need to be on guard. I'm not here to cause any trouble. I just want to talk."

Arjun wasn't scared at all. He knew he had a system that would help him navigate situations like this. As he and Rio walked together, Abhishek observed from a distance, wearing his jacket and remaining passive.

Johnny, standing nearby, broke the silence. "Were you really going to fight?" he asked Abhishek, clearly curious.

Abhishek, adjusting his jacket, replied with a serious tone, "For now, I'm letting this go. I don't want to break the rules." His voice carried the weight of someone who understood the serious consequences of rule-breaking.

After a short while, Rio and Arjun found themselves in a quiet café near the school, a place where their conversation would remain private. The café's cozy atmosphere provided a stark contrast to the earlier tension.

Arjun, eager to understand Rio's intentions, asked, "Why do you want to talk to me? Why did you come here? Can you tell me something about yourself?"

Rio settled into his seat, his demeanor calm but focused. "I came here because there are things you need to know, things that are important for both of us".

Arjun leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "What do you mean by saying that it will be beneficial for both of us?"

Rio looked at Arjun with a strange smile. "Last week, I heard about a boy who defeated numerous people in his school."

Arjun immediately understood that Rio was referring to him.

Rio continued, "When I heard about you, I was surprised. After hearing about you, the lonely boy who was in the hospital three months ago…"

Arjun listened intently, his focus entirely on Rio.

"As soon as that boy recovered," Rio went on, "he created such a ruckus within two days that his entire school was scared of him."

Arjun was stunned. The accuracy of Rio's account left him speechless.

Rio leaned in slightly, his expression serious. "I'm Rio, leader of St. Thomas School. I invite you to join an organization where you will find everything you want."

"So, Arjun," Rio concluded, "what do you think about it?"

End of the chapter