Spells

Chapter 7: First Day

Arul

"You have been awfully quiet all morning. Is everything all right?" Abhimanyu asked.

Arul nodded in response. The nightmare was still imprinted in his brain. "Yeah, just nervous."

"Of this school?" Abhimanyu pointed his thumb at the structure that now stood ahead of them. 

Arul completely understood what he meant. If Kuldhara was a puzzle, this piece of school would fit right into it. Same patches of deaf yellowish grass out front, same broken windows, same fading paint. Only difference would be it wasn't as quiet as the rest of the town. Thankfully.

They found Satya and Tarun plodding towards the school. Both were in shirts tucked neatly into pants, carrying a similar large backpack.

"Aren't you guys scared?" Satya asked them right away. "One way or other, Yuvraj and Varun would exact revenge on you guys. You embarrassed them pretty badly."

" Wow, thanks for making me less nervous. No greetings or buildup either, just get right to the bullies beating me up on the first day of the new school," Arul said sarcastically. Abhimanyu chuckled.

"Sorry, it came to me suddenly, since those guys are standing right there looking mean and smug as always," Satya defended himself, pointing towards the middle of the ground. 

Yuvraj and Varun were busy with what looked like a friendly chat with a kid half their size. The kid was looking down and nodding politely. Yuvraj suddenly pushed him, and the kid fell on his back, tears now visible on his face.

"You guys worry too much. They probably would have forgotten already how badly I kicked their asses. I should go remind them," Abhimanyu said cheerfully, with a big smile pasted on his face. And with that, he started marching towards them.

"Is he crazy?" Tarun asked, alarmed. "He is gonna get himself beaten. "

"Nah, he won't. He is used to fighting with bullies. I think he sees himself as a hero." Arul shrugged, his voice calm and steady.

And he also loves to be popular. The fastest way to do that would be this...

"YO LOSERS!" Abhimanyu yelled out as he approached them.

Yuvraj's eyes widened. Varun's smugness vanished. They looked back startled.

"I don't think you have forgotten your humiliating defeat just yet. I was just coming to announce that I will be taking your position as the basketball team captain, ‘cause ya know, I rule and you suck," Abhimanyu said gleefully.

"Did you get up this morning wanting to die?" Yuvraj asked, his teeth grinding in anger.

"YOU!" Varun roared. "You think you will replace me, you little baby? I will crush you."

Students began to gather around them, all whispering nervously and excitedly.

"That's not how you should talk to your new captain. Don't worry, you can be the team's new waterboy, though... Now that I think about it, you are too slow for even that," Abhimanyu replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

It was enough to make Varun lose his temper fully. He dashed, his large fist rocketing towards Abhimanyu's face. Abhimanyu easily ducked. He jumped back up and punched his opponent's chin with his full strength.

Varun instantly went down, his hands covering his mouth but still releasing a muffled cry.

"Do you want to end up like that too?" Abhimanyu taunted Yuvraj.

"You little shrimp!" Yuvraj screamed and charged like a bull towards Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu sidestepped and used his right foot to trip the much larger guy. Yuvraj didn't get a chance to get back up, the next instant Abhimanyu was punching his back again and again. "Not much fun when you are on the ground, is it?"