MaNan ff - L@nd of $weeties

3. Ping Pong

A tall boy with a lean, muscular body and broad shoulders sprinted towards the auditorium, his face a mixture of panic and determination. His blazer was half on, and his short, messy hair was blowing in the wind as he ran. In his hand was a ping-pong ball, a cherished gift from someone special, which he carried everywhere.

Panting heavily, he finally stopped just outside the auditorium. One hand braced on the wall, the other on his waist, he caught his breath, looking as though he'd just completed an Olympic sprint. He peered inside and immediately spotted his friends standing near the door... all spaced out, clearly in trouble.

He raised an eyebrow. "Punishment? Without me? That's low, even for them." He grinned mischievously.

Inside the Auditorium:

Mukti, tapping her foot impatiently, muttered under her breath, "Where is that idiot? If he doesn't show up soon, I swear I'm going to—"

Alya, half-hysterical, interrupted, "Guys! It's too sunny out there! I can feel my skin drying up just thinking about it. Do you know what UV rays do? I'll look like a raisin before lunchtime!"

Nandini, ever the science buff, nodded in agreement. "Actually, Alya's not wrong. The sun's UV rays cause irreversible skin damage, and with the ozone layer—"

"Oh my god, Nandu!" Abhi groaned, holding up a hand to stop her. "Please save your science lesson for after we survive this day without detention. Your fun facts can wait."

Nandini pouted but nodded, and the rest of the group sighed in relief.

Navya, ever practical, chimed in. "Look, Manik's probably out there right now. If we're smart, we can cover for him and sneak him in. Better than leaving him to roast in the sun, right?"

Cabir, with his trademark smirk, winked at her. "Navya, babe, beauty and brains? You're a dangerous combo."

Navya rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. "If you keep flirting, I'm going to stomp on your other foot. Don't test me, Bandar."

Cabir backed off but couldn't resist a playful grin. "Come on, Navya, flirting's healthy! Increases blood circulation."

Abhi, ever the curious one, leaned in. "Wait... whose blood?"

Everyone exchanged a look, already regretting the direction of this conversation.

Cabir raised an eyebrow, totally serious. "The girls', duh! Haven't you seen how their cheeks turn all red? Like tomatoes. Even Navya's—though hers is from pure rage."

Navya, unable to resist, quipped, "Keep pushing, Cabir, and I'll show you just how red you can turn."

Mukti, shaking her head in disbelief, groaned, "Can we focus, please? Alya's stressing over her skin, and I'd rather not deal with a bunch of sunburned zombies today."

Alya, still holding up her phone and eyeing her reflection in horror, mumbled, "I feel like I'm burning already."

Nandini threw an arm around Alya's shoulders, nodding sympathetically. "Same, Alya. Sunburns are no joke."

Abhi rolled his eyes, leaning back. "Are we seriously having a skincare crisis in the middle of a punishment? Priorities, people!"

Outside the auditorium, Manik was still hiding behind the wall. He caught Nandini's eye as she peeked over. Her eyes widened, and she signaled for him to wait, mouthing, "Hold on."

Nandini turned to the group and whispered, "Guys, it's time for Operation Sneak Manik In."

Cabir glanced out, spotting Manik's messy figure lurking outside. With a dramatic eye roll, he muttered, "Of course, the king of disasters has arrived."

He signaled to the group, and they all shifted slightly, creating a makeshift human wall near the door. Cabir casually stepped out and waved at Manik. Manik grinned back, giving Cabir a thumbs-up. Cabir, always one for dramatics, returned the gesture with a sarcastic smirk, muttering under his breath, "Let the circus begin."

Manik, sneaking closer, ducked behind Cabir, then quickly darted behind Abhi as the group shuffled to keep him hidden. Abhi, sensing something behind him, whispered, "Manik, if you step on my foot, I swear I'll throw you to the lions."

"Relax, dude," Manik whispered back, grinning. "You're my hero right now."

"Yeah, yeah, just keep moving."

They managed to get him behind the large statue of a royal soldier holding a shield and sword—Saint Teresa's classic decor. Manik crouched behind the statue, breathing a sigh of relief.

But, in classic Manik fashion, the peace didn't last.

Just as he was about to celebrate his successful sneaking mission, his bag strap got tangled around the statue's sword. With a loud clank, the statue tipped over, and Manik tumbled forward. His cherished ping-pong ball shot out of his hand and bounced across the room like it had a vendetta.

Boing!—the ball hit a framed certificate on the wall, shattering the glass. It ricocheted to the other side—crash!—smashing through a display of well-polished medals.

All around, students and teachers ducked like they were under attack. Cabir and Abhi dove behind the statue's fallen shield, while Navya slid under a bench. Mukti and Alya shielded themselves with their school bags, while Nandini just stood there, hands covering her mouth, in pure shock.

For what felt like an eternity, the ping-pong ball wreaked havoc, bouncing wildly off walls, desks, and even the ceiling. It finally came to rest in a potted plant, as if deciding it had had enough.

The room was dead silent.

Students cautiously peeked out from behind their covers, surveying the damage. The walls, once adorned with beautifully framed certificates and medals, were now a disaster zone. The statue lay crumpled on the floor, and in the middle of it all... was Manik.

Principal Rao, visibly shaking with rage, marched to the microphone. His voice, barely holding back fury, echoed through the room: "MANIK MALHOTRA."

All eyes turned to Manik, who was still sprawled on the floor, his bag hilariously tangled with the fallen soldier's sword, the statue's shield resting on his head like some sort of absurd helmet. He slowly lifted the shield off, gave a sheepish grin, and, in the most unconvincing tone ever, stretched out the words, "Good morning... sir?"

His friends, trying to stifle their laughter, palmed their faces in embarrassment.

Mukti muttered under her breath, "Of course, only Manik could turn a simple punishment into a full-on disaster movie."

Nandini giggled, whispering to Navya, "You have to admit, he's consistent."

Cabir, grinning widely, nudged Abhi. "See? I told you flirting increases blood circulation. Look at Rao's face—he's about to pop a vein."

Abhi smirked. "Too bad the only blood rushing is from rage. You might want to rethink your strategy, Casanova."

They all snickered as Manik stood up, brushing himself off, clearly trying to salvage whatever dignity he had left. He glanced at his friends with a sheepish grin, mouthing, "Help me?"

Navya, ever the practical one, just shook her head. "You're on your own this time, buddy."

The others laughed, fully aware that Manik's charm wouldn't save him this time—but they'd definitely enjoy watching him try.