The Night of Decisions
The air was heavy with anticipation as the roaring of motorcycles echoed through the dimly lit alley. The Shield had gathered once again, summoned by Wick's urgent call. The tension in the air was palpable. Vaibhav, still adjusting to the gang's dynamics, pulled up beside Deep and asked in a low voice,
"Why such an urgent meeting?"
Deep smirked slightly, arms crossed over his chest. "Patience, kid. You'll find out soon enough."
At the center of the gathering, Wick stood with his usual unreadable expression, his sharp gaze sweeping over the assembled members.
"As you all know, The Shield is already allied with The Legacy," Wick began, his voice calm yet authoritative. "But with the current situation, we need to strengthen our position. Other colleges are uniting against us, and we cannot afford to be divided. That is why I appreciate that The Wallahak's leader has expressed interest in an alliance with us."
Murmurs broke out among the members, some nodding in approval while others exchanged uncertain glances. But for Vaibhav, it was something else entirely. His stomach twisted in unease. Wallahak's vice president… He was there… in the future… part of the massacre.
A rush of urgency filled him—he needed to do something. If Wallahak merged with The Shield and The Legacy, it would be nearly impossible to separate them later. He clenched his fists, silently resolving to figure out a way to prevent it.
The next day was a whirlwind.
Shristi was rushing around, managing the last-minute decorations for the event. Amid the chaos, a professor approached her, looking apologetic.
"I'm really sorry, Shristi," he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "But you'll have to deliver the welcome speech tomorrow... with Vikram."
Shristi blinked in surprise. "What? But—" she started, then sighed, recognizing the helplessness in his eyes. Everything was happening so fast.
Shristi quickly texted Vikram to update him. Within seconds, Wick's reply popped up:
Wick: Come to my place after dinner. We'll rehearse together.
A small smile touched Shristi's lips. Of course, she typed back.
---
Meanwhile, across campus, Vaibhav was trying to make sense of everything. Something felt off.
As he paced near the amphitheater, a girl with sharp features and an uneasy smile — Selin — approached him.
"I heard something," she said in a hushed tone, eyes darting around.
Before Vaibhav could ask anything, she leaned closer and whispered something so strange it made his stomach churn.
---
Later that afternoon, Shristi found herself sitting alone in the college library. The warm light from the windows spilled over her notebooks as she absentmindedly tapped her pen against the pages, trying to organize her thoughts about the speech.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted her.
"Is this seat taken?"
Shristi looked up to see Yuja standing there, flashing a casual smile.
Shristi glanced around. The library was almost deserted. "No," she said, "but... the whole library's empty today."
Yuja dropped into the chair across from her with a tired sigh. "All the events lately... I'm exhausted."
Shristi, still in a decent mood, decided not to be cold. She offered a small smile. "Yeah... same here."
A beat of silence passed.
Then Yuja tilted her head, studying her. "Vikram's pretty hot, huh?"
Shristi froze for a second, her pen mid-air. "Is he?" she replied carefully, arching an eyebrow. "And why exactly are you telling me this?"
In her mind: I swear to god, if she says one more thing about him, I'll strangle her with my bare hands.
Yuja leaned forward on her elbows, grinning. "Are you his girlfriend? Because honestly, you two act like you are."
Shristi nearly dropped her pen. "What? No! You've got the wrong idea." She forced a laugh. "But... why does it bother you?"
Yuja shrugged casually. "Well, that's great then," she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Means I can have him, right?"
Shristi blinked. "Have him?"
"Yeah!" Yuja said brightly. "He's single, isn't he? So there's no reason I can't get close to him. Shouldn't matter to you... right?"
Shristi opened her mouth... then closed it. Her heart thudded hard against her ribs.
"Well... uh... yeah," she mumbled, hesitating.
Yuja's face lit up. "Cool! Thanks so much!"
Shristi clenched her fists under the table.
She took a deep breath and then said, loud and clear:
"No. You can't have him. He's mine."
Yuja stared, caught off guard. "Wait, hold on! A few seconds ago, you said you weren't dating him! You're just friends, remember?"
Shristi's voice was firm now, her eyes blazing. "I don't care what I said. I'm saying it now: you can't have him. Not ever. Do you hear me?"
Yuja scoffed. "You can't just claim someone like that! He's not your property!"
Shristi stood up, gathering her things, her voice low but deadly steady. "I don't need to claim him. I just know where he belongs. Stay away."
Without waiting for a reply, she walked away, her heart pounding — not with fear, but with something far fiercer.
---
Later that evening...
The atmosphere at Vikram's place was surprisingly light.
For once, Wick wasn't his usual brooding self — he was in a relaxed mood, casually chatting with a few people, including Yuja. His rare smiles caught even Nick off guard, who exchanged a bewildered glance with Deep.
Yuja was practically glowing, unable to hide her excitement as Wick laughed at something she said.
At one point, Wick casually asked, "Hey, can I have your phone? I'll save my number."
Yuja almost tripped over herself handing it to him.
Wick opened both her phone and his own, fingers moving quickly. Just as he was about to save the number, his phone buzzed — an incoming call.
"Hold on," he said, flashing an apologetic look. He stepped away a few feet to answer it, his voice low and serious as he spoke.
Yuja hugged her phone against her chest, barely able to contain her happiness.
A few minutes later, Wick returned, slipping his own phone into his pocket. His demeanor shifted — the easygoing mask slipping just slightly.
"I'm in a bit of a hurry," he said briskly. "I'll catch up with you guys later."
Without waiting for much reaction, he turned and strode off, his usual purposeful, unreadable Wick once again.
Yuja stared after him, disappointed but still hopeful.
Nick, watching it all unfold, frowned. Something about all this didn't sit right with him.
---
Later...
Deep sat beside Wick, unaware of Wick's silent amusement. "You sure she's working for Eddie?"
Wick took another sip, watching. Studying. "I don't think. I know."
Deep frowned. "Then why not deal with her now?"
Wick glanced at him, his voice calm, calculated. "Because she still thinks she's in control."
Deep raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Wick's smirk deepened. "That's what makes it fun."
Who is she?
Will Vaibhav able to get to know about that?
To be continued...