Ajnabi, The Unknown

12- Kabir To The Rescue

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Hardik closed his eyes. 

Sometimes life had an unique way of throwing you down on your knees, even without your fault. Hardik had always been on the other side of the sword, ready to take the hit, for the wars he never started, for the battles he didn't wish to fight, for the battles that weren't even his to fight. But somehow, Hardik felt himself getting dragged in that battle. 

"For the last time, Sir, I didn't smoke. I don't even smoke. You didn't even see me smoking, and yet you are accusing me of smoking inside the college premises." Hardik's temper was flaring. He was get irritated now.

"You are smelling of cigarettes, Hardik. You were caught red-handed with Adhir, you had a cigarette in your hand. Half-smoked cigarette. You're getting suspended for this, Hardik. And not to mention how I am going to call your guardian." The principal said, and Hardik closed his eyes as he felt a headache surfacing. 

He was hungry. 

"He was throwing away the cigarette I was smoking, Mr. Patel." Adhir spoke, for the first time since they walked— they were dragged inside the principal's cabin, and Hardik looked at his friend, only friend, and sighed. 

"You're a bad influence, Adhir. You're definitely getting more than just a suspension. This is fifth time I caught you smoking, and now you even forced your friend to smoke. You should be ashamed of yourself." Mr. Patel said, and Hardik's eyes blazed when he saw Adhir flinching back. 

He wasn't scared. Not even a bit. But when the principal said how Adhir was a bad influence and how he should be ashamed of himself, Adhir couldn't help but smile, in pain. 

"Oh, I am. I am very ashamed of myself, Mr. Patel. But Hardik wasn't smoking. He was helping me, throwing away the cigarette I was smoking. He doesn't deserve the punishment of the crime I committed. I deserve that suspension, not him. He is not at fault. I maybe a bad influence, Sir, but Hardik is too pure to get influenced by me." Adhir said, and Hardik glared at his best-friend. 

"You're not a bad influence, Adhir."

"And you're crossing your limits, Mr. Patel. Just because a person smokes, doesn't mean he is a bad influence. You were talking about mental health last week. You were talking about how one should consider mental health before speaking or putting allegations on someone, only to do the fucking same thing." Hardik said, and Mr. Patel saw red. 

"Do not forget whom you are talking to, Mr. Raheja! I am your principal. You can't talk to me in that tone and certainly not cuss at me!" Mr. Patel said, and Hardik sucked in a breath and leaned closer.

"Well, sorry, Mr. Patel. I mean no disrespect but you're doing a terrible job at running an institute, students dream of taking admission in. And please kindly suspend me, for I am not going to explain myself anymore. You wanted to call my guardian, right? Please do. I have nothing more to add." Hardik said, and Adhir clenched his eyes shut. 

What had Hardik done?

The moment Manthan got to know about the mess, he rushed to meet Hardik, who was sitting silently on a bench, outside the principal's office, while Adhir was trying to explain to him how he shouldn't have said those words. It was Adhir's fault that he was smoking, it wasn't Hardik's fault. Why did he had to play the hero?