Just A Friend?

Chapter Two

Prabhas and Sweety were well-known figures on campus. They were known for their playful rivalry that often escalated into full-blown banter yet anyone who dared intervene would swiftly regret it.

Their bond was unbreakable as it was forged in the fires of childhood and tempered by years of shared mischief.

They zoomed into the college grounds. They had barely parked the scooty when Sweety suddenly remembered something important.

"Pabsu!" she called out with an exaggerated urgency. "Books are kinda crucial for, you know, studying. And guess who left theirs on my scooty?" She waved his textbook in front of him with a smirk playing on her lips.

Prabhas groaned internally. "Oops! Thanks, Butterball," he muttered, knowing full well the nickname would set her off.

And it did. Sweety's face scrunched up in mock anger as she snapped back, "Shut up, Pabsu! I'm not that fat!"

Prabhas was about to retort when a third voice interrupted. "Yeah, right. She's not fat... she's an elephant!" The taunt came from Aiswin, one of the so-called 'gangsters' of the college and followed by his cronies snickering beside him. Their grins appeal as venomous as their leader's.

The second those words hung in the air, Prabhas's expression darkened. His hands clenching into fists that trembled with barely contained fury. "Who the hell do you think you are, running your mouth about my Sweety?" he growled while stepping forward with the intention of wiping that smug grin right off Aiswin's face.

But Aiswin didn't flinch. Instead his laughter rang out dripping with malice. "I'm just saying what everyone's thinking! I mean, come on, look at her! That poor scooty must be screaming in agony every time she gets on it!"

Prabhas's rage surged. He was mere moments from swinging a fist when a small but firm hand gripped his arm, halting him in his tracks.

Startled, he looked down to see Sweety holding him back with a calm expression on her face which looks almost eerie.

"Let me handle this, Pabsu," she said quietly but her voice was steady. There was a quiet power in her tone that made Prabhas step aside.His anger giving way to curiosity as he watched her take control.

With a slow and deliberate stride, Sweety walked toward Aiswin. Her gaze fixed on him with an intensity that made the air around them feel electric.

She crossed her arms, standing tall Infront him. "So, you think I'm an elephant, huh?" Her tone was casual, almost conversational, but there was an underlying steel that couldn't be ignored.

Feeling bolstered by the laughter of his lackeys, Aiswin took the bait. "Absolutely! And honestly, I feel bad for that scooty. It's probably crying for help every time you ride it. Pathetic, really."

Sweety paused as she let his words hang in the air. Then in a swift, she delivered a slap that echoed through the corridor like a thunderclap which took everyone by surprise.

Aiswin's smirk disintegrated as his head snapped to the side with his hand instinctively flying to his reddening cheek. The shock leaving him momentarily speechless.

The entire hallway went deathly quiet. The mocking laughter of Aiswin's crew abruptly silenced as they stared in disbelief.

Sweety took a step closer, her voice cold yet impossibly calm. "You know," she started, "people often mistake size for strength. But I hope now you've realized just how powerful this 'elephant' can be." Her gaze locked onto Aiswin's as her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "Next time, think twice before you open your mouth. I might not be as forgiving."

The humiliation on Aiswin's face was unmistakable. His bravado shattered as he and his friends stumbled backward, looking too shaken to offer any sort of retort. They slowly slunk away.