##8 The R-A-J gang

Ananya.

"Prashanth is quitting college."

It was the hottest news of the day.

Prashanth was one of the members in Aryan-Jay-Rahul team until the tournament.

Rumour says that he worked with the other team and tried to double-cross his own team.

It was hard for him to continue in our college as everyone was targeting him directly or indirectly, making it difficult for him to stay, but he still hangs on and didn't give up.

So it's a surprise why he suddenly wanted to quit today.

"He made the worst mistake by offending Aryan and Jay." Amit told me as we walked to the gathering that was already formed in front of the main building. "I heard that he was in need of money," he added.

Prashanth was standing in the centre while Jaydev, Aryan, Rahul and the two other guys from their gang were collecting cash from the surrounding people.

A board with the sign; "Donate for a good cause; help others in need." was there and a bucket was placed underneath to collect the coins.

They really know how to insult a person. Instead of letting him leave quietly, they had decided to make a scene.

Prashanth tried to walk away but the two guys from Aryan-Jay-Rahul team moved in front of him, blocking his way.

"How can we just send you back empty-handed when we have been good brothers all this time?" Jaydev said and turned to the crowd, "Prashanth is in need of money, we have to help him,"

"Prashanth is transferring today; this is our last chance to help him and his family. I want everyone to contribute for this," Rahul supported.

Aryan moved forward, took a bundle of cash out of his wallet and threw it in the basket.

I fisted my hands and gritted my teeth. The way they were insulting him was really unbearable to watch.

I don't want to argue with the stupid "RAJ gang" as they call them and make my life miserable, but I can definitely slip away and inform the department.

I started to move, but Amit touched my hand.

"Not now," he said. "I will take care of this," He nodded and walked forward.

"Aryan... Jay," Amit said pleasantly. "It will not be good if the professors get involved," He said. "You are campaigning in front of the main building,"

"Amit, we are doing a social service here." Aryan walked to him and placed his hand on Amit's shoulder. "You see, we are really trying to help Prashanth who's facing trouble and is in need of help," he said. "Surely the student president knows how important it is?" He asked pleasantly, but I didn't miss the slight underlying warning beneath.

"Aryan," Amit turned to him. "As a student body representative of this college, I really don't want to lose our championship trophy this last year," he said. "This is a sensitive time, don't do anything that will put you and Jay in trouble," he added.

Wow... Amit has the ability to say the right thing, No wonder he is the president.

"Whoa, rightly said," Jay said. "He has a point, Aryan." Jay smirked.

"So what we will do about this fund rising?" Rahul asked them.

"You know what? We will just contribute everything we have," Aryan said and started to remove his watch and Jay followed his lead.

Both of them deposited their watches in the bucket and turned to Rahul who looked troubled.

"This... This is a gift from Veen-"

He was stopped midway as both Aryan and Jay moved him aside, apparently trying to shut him up.

"You should contact us if you need any more help," Aryan looked at Prashanth.

"That's right, we were brothers for the last few years," Jay said.

"Enough."

"What did you say? I didn't hear you," Aryan said.

"I said enough is enough!" Prashanth shouted now.

"Looks like he is not happy with the amount," Rahul shook his head. "But Prashanth, it's better than the bloody money you were rewarded for betraying your own team."

"You..." Prashanth looked at him. "You simply use your family to get everything." he looked murderous as he turned to face Aryan, Jaydev and Rahul.

"Money..." his eyes landed on Aryan, and then moved to Jaydev, "fame," and he looked at Rahul, "power," he added. "You think it's all that matters, you don't value people's feelings and discriminate based on those criteria. You will not even think what is right or wrong, you only think about winning and feeding your egos," he said. "There will come a day when you will regret this," he said. "You will learn your lesson when the people you value the most turn their backs to you," he stopped.

"Look who's teaching us about right and wrong!" Jay laughed aloud. "Tell me Prashanth," he turned to him, looking angry suddenly. "What did you do to your team? Where was your sense of "honesty" then?"

"You stabbed us in the back and now you are preaching about right and wrong!" Rahul said. "You really are something!"

Aryan looked at him in disgust. "Let me tell you one thing, there is no right or wrong, Prashanth, the person who wins at the end is right and the person who loses is wrong," he said. "That's how this world works,"

"You!" Prashanth swung his fist and brought it towards Aryan, who missed it.

This seemed to enrage Prashanth and he turned monstrous and throw another punch at Jay, who missed it too.

The crowd around them looked in shock as Prashanth was doing his everything to hurt Jay or Aryan while they were expertly moving away or missing his punches.

Prashanth looked even more ridiculous as he not only failed to place at least one punch but also was not attacked back by either of them.

"Whoa... whoa... buddy," Rahul said from the side. "This is not how you repay the kindness you received," he said.

"Prashanth," Amit interfered again. "It's time for you to go back," he said. "Your ride is already here,"

Prashanth took a deep breath and looked at Rahul, Jay, and Aryan in pure hatred for a moment before walking back.

"Bring this to him," Jay pointed to the bucket and told the two other guys. "Make sure that he takes it with him," He added.

"He had the nerve to raise his voice against us, should we do anything else?" The other guy asked.

"Let him go," Aryan said. "He just ruined his career," Aryan said. "That's enough." He added and walked away with Jay and Rahul.

And everyone started to disperse.

I knew that Jay and Aryan are untouchables, but I never thought them to be this ruthless.

How can a person do something like this to another person! Prashanth already paid the price by quitting the college...they didn't have to go this far.

I was still fuming when I spotted someone still standing in the side.

"Preethi," I walked to her. I didn't know she was there.

She looked shocked and hurt.

She was worshipping Aryan before; I think this incident has shocked her.

"Preethi?" I called again.

"Ananya," She said slowly. "I will see you at home." She takes a step back and started to run.

"Hey-"

But she was already gone.

What the heck happened just now!?

I stand there, looking at her retreating figure that was moving out of sight.

*

When I reached back at the two-bedroom apartment building that I share with Preethi, she was nowhere to be seen.

I tried to call her a few times, but it just didn't connect.

Where is this girl! She is starting to get me worried!

I got my phone again and my phone beeped.

I opened the phone and saw the message from Jessie, Felix Francis's secretary.

"He doesn't want to work with you anymore, please don't make it difficult for both of us."

I read and sighed.

I guess this is the answer to the tons of messages I left with them. Jessie and I got along well in the past; she must have felt sorry for me to send me this message. I had been troubling her a lot to get me an appointment with her boss.

I put the phone down and took a deep breath.

I need to find some other way.

The door opened and Preethi walked inside.

"Preethi!" I shouted. "Why didn't you pick up my calls? It's late!" I said. "You are not a teenager!"

She winced slightly.

"What's that you got? I looked at her and she rose up the beer bottle.

"Care for a drink with me?" she asked me.

I sighed again.

I didn't know that her obsession with Aryan was this serious!

"I have to work tomorrow morning," I said. "But I will give you company,"

Soon she was pretty much drunk.

"Do you like Aryan this much?" I asked and she smiled.

"I thought about it, Ananya," She said. "Sure, they were ruthless today and crossed the line, but that guy deserved it." she said. "He totally deserved it; it was he who betrayed his friends first,"

I stared at her.

"You think he deserved treating like trash? They crossed the line, Preethi." I said sternly.

She nodded.

"I am just telling you that Aryan and Jay would never have treated him like that, it was Prashanth who stabbed them first during the tournament," she said.

"So you are okay with Aryan doing that?" I asked.

"I am not okay, but I understand where he is from..." She slurred. "I am going to stick with him."

She added.

"Then why don't you just confess your feelings, Preethi?" I asked her. "Why do you have to like him alone like this, you are not a teenager," I said, pointing to the picture stuck on the wall.

"I really want to tell him everything I feel," She said. "But Aryan never had any girlfriend before," She said. "He never showed any genuine interest in girls and he was only associated with high class," She said. "Ananya, he brought a famous singer to the Annual party last year," She slurred. "It was a model the previous year..." She stopped.

I too know that it's impossible between her and Aryan, but I cannot say that.

"I am sad..." Preethi said. "I am really sad, Ananya, I want to get close to Aryan... I really have to..." She started to cry.

"Shh..." I patted her on the shoulder. "I will think of a way, Preethi, don't worry." I said.

It will not be good for her to keep it in her heart like this. If she has a chance to confess, whatever the answer may, she has to accept that.

So I think it's better for her to confess her love than suffering like this.

Aryan.

I opened the locker and-

"Whoa, Man!" Rahul pulled out the wrapped gift box. "You have another gift!"

I sighed and closed the locker with a bang.

Someone is stalking me.

It started from my high school; it's been more than 8 years now.

I snatched the gift box out of his hand and walked to the nearest waste bin.

"Wait... wait," Jay said and stopped me from disposing of it.

"Don't tell me that you are interested in this."

"Unless you have not noticed, Aryan, this person is seriously dangerous," Jay said while starting to unwrap the box. "He is following you like crazy and is always around you." He said.

"What if she is pretty?" Rahul said. "Give her a sign of some sort and lure her to appear,"

"Are you crazy? Why should I ask some stalker to appear?"

Jay looked at Rahul.

"And how can you conclude that the stalker is a "she"?" He asked. "Think about it, it's been more than 8 years, why didn't she appear all this time?"

"Stop it okay-" I stopped as Jay opened the box.

It was a necktie along with a note.

"Congratulations on getting promoted," the note read.

"See, only a few people know about your promotion in the company and it's still not publicly announced yet," Jay said. "I think it's someone from your close business circle, keep an eye out," he said.

I took the tie and watched it for a moment.

"This... this..." I whispered. "This is the brand I use all the time," I am shocked now.

"Do you think we should report it or something?" Rahul asked.

Aryan was silent.

"Well..." Jay took the necktie from me. "Not many people use this brand, Aryan," he said. "Your stalker just made it easier for us to track him," Jay said.

"Or her," Rahul added.

I snatched the tie away and started to walk.

"Don't bother," I said. "We have more important things to take care of," I said.

As we walked to the class, my phone beeped.

Jay too pulled out his phone while I opened mine.

I froze in the middle.

"No..." Jay whispered.

"What's this? How come... this is..." Rahul was looking at the phone in shock. "How did the pictures of you got leaked?" He asked. "These are pictures from the Emerald hotel!"

"That's a very good question," Jay said deadly, looking murderous while my mind was already reeling.

"Jay, I gotta go and find the source," I said. "I need to contact the PR team of the company."

"I will start to block it from the local sites," Rahul said immediately. "Or this can land you in serious trouble."

Rahul's dad has a hold on the media as he is a politician.

"Don't worry, I got this here at college," Jay said and I nodded and hurried to my car, feeling grateful to have such friends who will have my back in any situations.

Ananya.

I was in the class when everyone started to murmur.

I looked around while everyone looked restless.

"Here," My seatmate showed me her phone. "No wonder they didn't want anyone to bother with the boxing academy, Aryan has already taken care of them!" She told me with a laugh and I watched the pictures in shock.

Aryan hitting a guy, Aryan slamming someone to the car, Aryan with a knife.

All of it was side pictures and the lights were dim, so the exact expression on his face was not captured, he was still recognisable. Everyone looked satisfied about teaching the academy students a lesson.

"Silence!"

The professor said, looking around the students. "What's going on? Why is there an uproar in the classroom?"

The conversations slowly died as everyone remembered that we are still in the class.

"Excuse me," I heard the voice and my heart jumped.

"What is it, Jaydev?" The professor looked at him.

Even before he turned to look at me, I was so sure that I am in trouble.

"I would like to talk to Ananya Vishwam, Professor, It's absolutely urgent." he said and before he could even get the permission, He turned to me.

"Ananya, Come out." he said in a normal voice but I could see his eyes boring into me.

"The class-"

"Step out of the class and talk, you are disturbing others," The professor said and I slowly rose up.

That's right; I will have to face him sooner or later.

Jaydev waited till I was near him before turning and walking out.

I followed him.

As soon as we were out, he grabbed my hand rather tightly and started to drag me out with him.

"Hey! What's this about?" I shouted even though I have an idea.

Not only did he not turn to me, but also he manhandled me rudely and walked to the parking lot.

"Jaydev-"

"I suggest you shut up." he turned to me angrily and I was really scared to see his expression.

He looked like he will attack me at any moment.

He opened his car door and literally pushed me inside before coming around the driver seat and starting the car.

"I didn't do it," I blurted out. "The pictures... It... It was not me," I added. He started the engine and pressed the accelerator, we flew forward.

I waited silently till Jay's car moved out of the city and to the side.

I watched in shock as a long building came to view.

"Where... where are you taking me?" I asked him.

I had thought that I would be safe since Jay publicly called me out of the classroom, but now that he is taking me to a strange place, I have a feeling that I am not going to be safe.

"Stop the car." I said.

He was still driving to the building in front.

"Stop this, stop the car!" I said again, firmly.

We came to a stop and Jay was out in seconds and came around to my side.

He opened the door, dragged me outside and started to walk to the building.

"Let me go!" I shouted. "Let me go, leave me!" I started to struggle, but Jay was already near the door.

He opened the door and pushed me inside.

I was thrown down the floor and watched him in shock as he locked the door and turned to face me.

The hall was empty with a boxing ring in the centre and I see no exit out of there.

He took a step forward and I moved back slightly.

"What... what are you doing?" I asked, now really scared.

"Didn't I warn you well?" Jay asked me, "didn't I tell you to stay away from Aryan-"

"I don't have anything to do with those photos! I didn't do it!"

"You were the only one who was there that time," Jay reached near me and pulled me up by grabbing my hand and hurting me in the process.

"Let go!"

"I warned you well, now face the consequences," He looked scary.

"Everyone... everyone knows that... I left with you," I said bravely. "If something happened to me..." I stopped midway as I saw his eyes.

"Should I leak some of your photos too?" He asked me and before I could understand what he meant, He had already taken out his mobile phone.

"No!" I took a step back. "What are you... what are you trying to... no... Keep away from me..." I shouted and started to run.

"Stop right there," Jay shouted, But I was already running away from him, trying to put as much distance between us as possible.

"The building is renovating-"

He was cut off as I slipped and lost my balance.

I watched in horror at the sharp iron rods and metal blades on the floor.

"Move!"

I heard the shout before Jay pushed me back.

I slammed to the wall and hit my shoulder badly as I heard his groan.

I looked up and see the blood flowing down his hand and dripping to the ground.

"I told you not to run!" He shouted. He looked really pissed off now.

He came near me and pulled me up by his uninjured hand. I was frozen in shock and didn't resist anymore.

Jay pulled me all the way to the boxing ring and pushed me down the floor once again.

"Give me the pictures," he said. "The original files,"

I looked at him blankly.

"I am asking you to hand over the pictures you have with you," he said again.

I stared at him again; I was trembling from head to foot and couldn't even deny it anymore.

Jaydev thinks that I am the reason for those pictures to get leaked. He thinks I am having the copies of it.

My mind started to work slowly.

"Fine," he said. "Okay, let's negotiate, how much do you want?"

"I don't...don't have any pictures," I told him slowly.

The pain from my hand was starting to bother me.

"You don't want to hand it over?"

"You checked my phone that day; I didn't take any pictures of him."

"Fine," Jaydev lowered to me and looked into my eyes and nodded. "Let's do this then," he said. "Let's see who can hold out more... you or me," he said and walked to the side and come back with a chain.

I tried to resist as he dragged me to the side and locked me to the iron rod on the wall, but he was too powerful.

"Let's see if you will talk or not," he got up and walked back. "I will give you two hours, Ananya, think about it well."

"I don't have any photos! I told you, it was not me!" I shouted.

He didn't turn back. He continued to walk to the door.

"Jaydev! Don't do this, it was not me," I shouted again, but it looked like he couldn't even hear me.

I tried to loosen the lock, but it was useless.

I tried again, but I was cut off by the sound of the door opening and closing.

"Don't do this!" I shouted, but all I could hear was the sound of the engine as the car sped away.

I looked around the dark, cold place.

Fear crept into me.

Jaydev just abandoned me inside here...

--------------------------------

Hey guys,

I want to remind you that my characters are not perfect. They are unreasonable, arrogant and selfish in their own way. Jay and Aryan grew up doing everything they wanted and getting their way around problems. Even though they have their own scars, they are not the perfect guys, and definitely not the "Hero material". As the saying goes, HURT PEOPLE HURT THE MOST...

Guys, don't forget to vote, comment, share and follow.

Target: 80 votes

The link to my Instagram page is there on my message board, Do follow me if you like my works! I would love to know your opinions on my story related things.

Q: who do you think is Aryan's stalker?

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