Days turned into weeks, and Aniket Roy's bullying became a constant shadow in my life. It didn't matter where I went-lecture halls, the art studio, or even the cafeteria-he always found a way to target me, his cutting words echoing in my mind long after they were spoken.
I tried my best to ignore him. I kept my head down, focused on my studies, and leaned on Aisha's encouragement. But at night, when the dorm room was silent, the weight of his taunts became unbearable. Alone in the darkness, I let myself cry, my pillow absorbing the tears I refused to show anyone.
Staring into the mirror one evening, I whispered to my reflection, "You don't get to break me, Aniket. Not now. Not ever." My voice trembled, but there was a flicker of defiance in my eyes.
---
The lecture on Renaissance Art was supposed to offer some respite. I buried myself in my notes, hoping to avoid attention, but it didn't take long for Aniket to strike.
"Miss Scholarship seems a little lost," he said, his voice loud enough to turn every head in the room toward me.
I gripped my pen tighter, forcing myself to keep writing, but my cheeks burned under the weight of their laughter.
"Maybe we should take up a collection and buy her a tutor," Aniket added, leaning back in his chair with that smug grin.
Before I could react, Aisha's voice rang out, sharp and unwavering.
"Maybe you should spend less time trying to humiliate others and more time working on your lack of character," she snapped, her eyes narrowing at him.
The laughter died instantly, the tension in the room so thick it was hard to breathe. Professor Sharma cleared his throat, resuming the lecture, though his disapproving glare lingered on Aniket for a moment.
Aisha leaned over to me, her tone softer now. "Don't let him see he's getting to you. People like him thrive on reactions. Deny him that, and he'll eventually move on."
I nodded, grateful but unsure if I believed her.
---
The bullying didn't stop, though. It followed me from the lecture halls to the cafeteria and even into the library. One afternoon, during an economics class, my group was presenting a project I had spent countless hours perfecting. I stood at the front, explaining our analysis, when Aniket's voice cut through my concentration.
"Let's see if the charity case can teach us something," he muttered, just loud enough for the room to hear.
My hands trembled, and my heart pounded, but I refused to falter. I kept going, my voice steady even as every cell in my body screamed at me to run.
When the professor praised our work, a tiny spark of pride warmed me. But as I returned to my seat, Aniket leaned in, his voice a low whisper meant only for me.
"Enjoy the pity applause while it lasts," he said, his smirk cutting deeper than any shout ever could.
I stopped and looked at him, my voice quiet but firm. "If tearing others down is what makes you feel important, I pity you."
For the briefest moment, his smirk faltered. The look in his eyes-surprise, maybe even guilt-was fleeting, but I saw it.
---
In the cafeteria, Aisha found me staring at my untouched plate of food.
"Hey," she said, sitting across from me, her voice full of concern. "You need to eat. Don't let him win like this."
I shook my head, my voice barely audible. "It's like he's everywhere, Aisha. No matter how hard I try, he's always there, waiting to make me feel small."
She reached across the table, her hand warm on mine. "You're not small. You're stronger than you think, and that's what scares him. He sees something in you that he can't stand-your resilience. Don't let him take that from you."
"I don't feel resilient," I admitted, blinking back tears. "Sometimes, I just want to disappear."
"Don't you dare," she said fiercely, her grip on my hand tightening. "You belong here. You're not just surviving; you're thriving, no matter how hard he tries to convince you otherwise."
---
The breaking point came one afternoon outside the lecture hall. I was walking to class when I saw him standing in the hallway, surrounded by a group of students.
"Well, if it isn't the campus charity case," he said, his voice ringing out as the others laughed.
My steps faltered, but I forced myself to keep moving.
"Still pretending you can keep up with the rest of us?" he continued, stepping into my path. "Why don't you just quit while you're ahead? Go back to wherever you came from."
His words hit like a physical blow, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. The whispers and laughter around me seemed to grow louder, wrapping around me like a suffocating fog.
But then I caught sight of Aisha standing in the distance, her eyes filled with silent encouragement. Something inside me stirred-a spark of defiance that refused to be extinguished.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward.
"Enough," I said, my voice loud and clear.
The hallway went silent, every eye now on me.
Aniket raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard.
"I said enough," I repeated, my voice trembling slightly but steady enough to carry. I stepped closer, meeting his gaze head-on. "If bullying me is what makes you feel powerful, then I pity you. It must be exhausting, pretending to be untouchable all the time."
The words hung in the air like a challenge. For the first time, his cocky smirk slipped. He stared at me, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes I hadn't seen before-hesitation, maybe even regret.
I didn't wait for his response. I turned and walked away, and my head held high. My chest ached, and tears welled in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall until I was far from his sight.
Behind me, the laughter of his group faded into an uneasy silence. I could feel his gaze following me, heavy with something I couldn't quite define.
As she disappeared into the hallway, Aniket remained standing where she had left him, the jeers and laughter of his group fading into the background. His chest tightened as he replayed her words in his mind.
And for the first time in years, ANIKET felt something he couldn't name-a crack in the wall he had built around himself.
Author's Note:
Did you catch it? That fleeting moment when Aniket's smirk faltered, his perfect mask slipping ever so slightly? Was it guilt, a pang of regret, or something even he doesn't fully understand? But don't let your guard down just yet, dear readers-this is far from over.
Nina's defiance may have sparked something in him, but sparks can start fires... or ignite hell. What's brewing in Aniket's mind now? Redemption? Obsession? Or an even crueler game?
This is where the shadows grow darker, where emotions twist into something raw, dangerous, and intoxicating. Welcome to the dark romance-where love and torment dance a fine, seductive line, and nothing is ever as it seems.
Hold on tight because from here, there's no turning back. This is just the beginning.
^--------^
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"When Hate Softens" (18+)
Romantizm-- Nina Mehra, a small-town girl with big dreams, joins India's most prestigious university on a scholarship. Despite her struggles with body image, Nina is confident, grounded, and ambitious. She crosses paths with Aniket Roy, the college heartthro...
