When his alarm finally rang, he had already overslept. Panic jolted him awake. Shiv rubbed his eyes and sat up, groaning. He had barely slept—his thoughts circling the events of yesterday.
"On second thought, should I even go?" An uneasy feeling sat in his heart. "If I don't go to school, my uncle will realize something is not right, and I don't want to trouble him anymore." With a sigh, he chased away unnecessary thoughts.
He dressed quickly, wincing each time the fabric brushed his bruises, then hurried to the kitchen and made some sandwiches.
"Bhaiya, good morning." Usha's groggy voice reached his ears. Turning his head slightly, he greeted her, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes." She nodded her head slowly, her voice still sleepy.
"Good. I made some sandwiches—eat them after brushing your teeth," his voice was soft. "And don't forget to drink the milk."
"Okay…" she replied.
After quickly picking up his bag, he headed out the door with it slung weakly over one shoulder.
Usha's small legs followed him to the door. Shiv turned back, bent on his knees, and picked her up, lifting her into the air.
"He… he… yay!" she giggled.
Placing her on the ground, he said, "Do not go outside, and lock the door, okay?"
"Bye…" He turned around and quickened his steps.
"Bye… bye…" Standing at the doorway, Usha waved her hand.
.
.
.
He moved his legs as fast as he could so he could reach his school on time. As he turned onto the next street—
Bump!
Taking a step back, he hurried to bow and apologize. "Sorry, I was getting late for school and was lost in thought. I couldn't stop myself and bumped into you."
"It's alrig—" Before the stranger could finish, Shiv cut him off.
"I'm sorry, mister," he apologized again as he rushed toward the school.
.
.
By the time he reached the gates, he was already late. His heart pounded from running. His feet dragged slightly as he neared the classroom, yesterday's pain making every step heavier than it should.
The classroom corridor was almost empty except for a few students; most were already inside, waiting for their homeroom teacher. As he reached for the classroom door, before his fingers touched it—
Bam!
Someone slammed into him, the impact throwing him back. He hit the floor hard, air rushing out of his lungs. A hand seized his collar and yanked him up. His back slammed against the wall with a thud.
Shiv blinked rapidly, vision clearing—then froze.
"Vansh…"
The orange-haired boy's ember-like eyes burned with fury, his grip tightening on Shiv's collar. His face twisted, jaw clenched, every line of his expression carved with rage.
"What the hell did you do to them?!" Vansh roared, his voice echoing through the hallway.
Shiv's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb with me!" Vansh snarled, slamming him harder against the wall. "Raju and Sam—they're gone. No one's seen them since yesterday."
"What?"
A hush fell over the hallway as students stopped to watch. Murmurs rippled like wildfire.
Shiv gritted his teeth, pushing against Vansh's grip. "I don't know anything! You guys left me after beating me half to death! And you think I'd have any strength left to do anything after that—let alone make them disappear?"
"Liar!" Vansh spat, tightening his grip around Shiv's collar. "I saw you! I saw you coming out of the alley where Raju and Sam went!"
***
"Hey, dude, you think we hit him too much? He won't die, will he?" Sam asked.
Puff…
"Don't worry, this guy's tough as a cockroach. I've been beating his ass since he came to our school," Raju said as he dragged another puff of his cigarette.
"Just looking at his face makes me want to punch him," Vansh said, dusting his pants.
Puff.
"What are you doing, Sam?" Raju asked as he took another drag.
"Just searching if this guy has some money."
"Ha… haha…" puff "Good, search everything. Even if he doesn't have money, we could just sell his books."
"Dude, we're in luck. Turns out this guy does have some money." Tch "He only has 20 bucks on him."
"We won't even be able to cover half an hour's rent at the gaming parlor," Raju said.
"Well, we could buy a few cigarettes though. What do you think, Raju?"
Puff.
"Well, whatever. Let's go. I don't want to waste any more time. I want to push my rank in Apex. The more time I have, the better," said Raju as he crushed another cigarette under his shoe.
"Guys, you should go. I don't want to play anymore," Vansh said, looking at Shiv and clicking his tongue. "This asshole killed my mood."
"You sure, dude?" Sam asked as he put the 20 bucks in his pocket.
"Yes, you guys enjoy. I'm leaving."
***
"And when Sam's parents called me, telling me that he wasn't picking up their calls, I went there to look for them. I saw you coming from that direction—where Sam and Raju went!" Vansh slammed Shiv against the wall again.
"You did something to them, didn't you? Just like you cursed Maya!"
Shiv's chest tightened. That word—curse—stung deeper than the blows. "Stop blaming me! You don't know what you're saying!"
"Shut up!" Vansh slammed him again, his fury boiling. "They're gone because of you! I knows it!"
"Enough!"
Miss Jain's voice cut through the hall like a blade. The strict teacher strode in, heels clicking, eyes sharp. She seized Vansh's wrist.
"Let him go this instant!"
But Vansh's body trembled with anger, his glare still burning into Shiv. His voice lowered, venom dripping. "You can't hide it forever. Everyone will see what you really are."
Finally, Miss Jain forced his grip off Shiv and stepped between them. Her tone was cold steel. "Both of you, to the principal's office. Now."
But it was too late—the crowd had already formed. Students lined the walls, their faces pale, eyes darting between Shiv and Vansh.
The whispers spread like wildfire:
"Raju and Sam are missing?"
"Did you hear that? Shiv was the last one with them."
"Maybe it's true… maybe he really is cursed."
"Look at his eyes… always so strange…"
"I heard Maya collapsed after just looking at him."
The murmurs grew louder, heavier, pressing down on Shiv like a suffocating fog. His fists clenched, his throat dry.
Miss Jain barked at the students to get back to class, but her voice was drowned in the sea of whispers. Even when she managed to push the crowd back, Shiv could still feel their eyes boring into him—their judgment sticking like tar.
By the time he left the principal's office, the first period was already over.
"Just you wait, you bastard," Vansh's eyes were on Shiv, venom dripping from his mouth.
As Shiv reached the class door, his hand trembled a little, knowing what was probably going to happen.
Shiv opened the door, and before he could take a step in, one student stood up.
"Sir, if he takes class with us, we'll leave the class," his face twisted, disgust clear in his eyes.
"Yes, teacher, he doesn't deserve to study with us," another one added.
"I don't know why the school even allowed a thing like him."
"Just looking at him makes my stomach churn. If he stays with us any longer, I don't know what he's going to do. Just thinking about it gives me chills."
Soon, the whole class erupted with nasty remarks—all targeting him.
And the teacher did nothing. He didn't try to stop them, nor did he allow Shiv to enter.
Bam!
"Move, you asshole." Vansh entered the room as he deliberately pushed Shiv. "No one wants you, Shiv. You should just disappear, just like your—"
Shiv glared at Vansh, something raw in his eyes. It made Vansh stop whatever he was about to say.
"Did you see that—the look in his eyes?"
Every eye was on him, every gaze piercing his heart. In their eyes, he wasn't human—he was a monster.
.
.
The rest of the day dragged like chains. No matter where he went, Shiv felt them—the stares, the whispers, the way conversations died when he walked past. Every corner echoed with rumors of curses and disappearances.
By the time the final bell rang, Shiv's body felt heavier than when the day had started, his eyes empty. He sat on the staircase leading to the rooftop alone, waiting for the school to empty.
.
.
But outside the gates, Vansh waited. His arms crossed, his fiery eyes fixed on Shiv with a hatred that promised violence.
"You're not walking away from this," Vansh muttered to himself, lips curling. "And you will tell me what you did to my friends."
Above them, the sky had grown gray. Clouds rolled in, heavy and restless, smothering the light. The air thickened, and as Shiv stepped out of the gates, a few cold drops of rain kissed the ground.
He tilted his head and looked up at the sky—a drop of rain fell into his eye. The sky had turned gray, just like his life, and the storm was on the horizon.