THROUGH-THE-SHADOWS-TO-LOVE-PART-1.docx

PART-1 – SAVING THE ANGEL

Chapter One: The First Day

The world was still reeling from the aftereffects of the pandemic, and the school was finally reopening. Many students were new admissions, while some had already been attending before the virus hit. On the first day back, Veer walked into the class with a relaxed smile, ready to meet new people. He was tall, with a lean and muscular build, and a natural warmth about him and his friend Bhavesh, who was tall lean, with a quiet demeanor, was a marathon runner . As they stood before the class and introduced thereself, his eyes scanned the room.

Two familiar faces stood out—Rahul and Ishaan. Both had been in the school before the pandemic. Rahul, a karate champion, greeted Veer with a firm handshake, while Ishaan, the quieter one with glasses, nodded in acknowledgment, adjusting his specs. The three quickly formed a bond, sharing stories about school, sports, and life during the lockdown.

A few days passed, and more students started joining. Among the newcomers were Raj and the senoir Sara. Raj, on the other hand, was bulky, with a loud and charismatic personality. But the one who really caught veer’s attention was Sara when he saw her in cooridoor during lunch time.

Sara was from the class above them—a senior—and she had a reputation. Tall, beautiful, with an athletic figure, she kept herself distant from everyone, especially the boys. She never spoke to them or even glanced in their direction. Her cold, aloof behavior had roots in something much darker—her heartbreak. The year before in her previous school, she had been dating Harshit, one of the brightest students, like herself. Both were toppers. But, right before their board exams, Harshit had brutally dumped her without explanation. The breakup devastated Sara, and she had no idea why it had happened. It led to her getting bad grades during the most important exams of her life.

Veer noticed her on his first day, but he, like everyone else, respected her space. However, over time, he grew curious. Why was she so distant? What had happened to make her this way?

Chapter Two: The Broken Circle

Months went by, and Veer made some tight-knit friends: Bhavesh, Raj, Rahul, and Ishaan. There was also Aswin, a senior from Sara’s class, who became part of their group. Aswin lived close to Ishaan, and the two had known each other for years. Together, they created a circle of loyalty and trust.

Despite the boys’ bond, there was something sinister brewing in the background. Raghav, the feared leader of the 12th-grade bullies, was notorious for controlling the school through fear. He wasn’t just a bully—he was a trained MMA fighter and a taekwondo champion. His brutality extended beyond students; he had even beaten up a teacher once for giving him low scores in math. No one dared challenge him. Worse still, his actions were protected by Dev, the school chairman's son, who used his father’s influence to keep Raghav out of trouble. Dev, though not attending the same school, had eyes everywhere.

Dev had a dark obsession with Sara. It was rumored that he had forced Harshit to break up with her, using his power and connections to ruin her life. Harshit, too afraid to defy Dev, had dumped Sara before the board exams, leaving her heartbroken and unaware of the real reason. Dev had further manipulated the 12th-grade bullies to make sure no boy could get close to her. If any guy tried, they would be cornered and beaten up by Raghav’s gang.

Aswin overheard this plot one day when he was near Dev and his cronies. He decided to distance himself from them after learning the truth. Now, only he, Veer, and Ishaan knew the full extent of what was going on.

Chapter Three: A Simple Mistake

One afternoon, during a football game, Veer was kicking around the ball during lunch when it veered off course. The ball soared through the air and landed right on Sara’s lunch, ruining her food. Horrified, Veer rushed over to apologize.

"I'm so sorry! I didn’t mean to—please let me buy you a new lunch," he said, genuinely remorseful.

Sara, who usually ignored all boys, looked up at him, her face softening for the first time in months. "It’s okay. Thank you," she said quietly.

For the first time, Sara had spoken to a boy, and the entire class froze. Everyone stared, not quite believing what had just happened. Veer, confused by their reaction, shrugged it off and went about his day. But Sara knew what was coming. She had broken her unspoken rule, and now, Raghav and his gang would be out for Veer.

After school, the rumors spread like wildfire. Raghav and his group heard about the interaction between Veer and Sara, and they weren’t happy. The next day, Raghav’s right-hand men, Priyam and Keshav, cornered Veer. But just as they were about to get physical, Ishaan and Aswin intervened, managing to pull Veer away before things escalated.

Later, Aswin told Veer everything—about Dev, Harshit, and the control Raghav’s gang had over Sara’s life. Veer, shaken by the revelation, agreed with Ishaan and Aswin to stay away from her. It was too dangerous.

Chapter Four: Trouble Brewing

Despite the growing tension, life moved on. Raj, who had started dating a girl named Arpita from another section, began acting strangely. For days, he was distant, hiding something from his friends. Bhavesh and Veer noticed and confronted him, but Raj refused to tell them what was wrong. Frustrated, Veer walked off to the football ground, needing some air.

As he headed to the ground, Sara appeared out of nowhere. She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the sports room. Her face was pale, and her eyes were filled with concern.

“Are you okay? Did they beat you up because of me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Veer, taken aback, shook his head. “I’m fine, Sara. What’s going on?”

“I… I don’t have a choice. I have to stay here for one more year, then I can leave for university. But until then, I have to survive,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you.”

Before Veer could respond, Priyam, one of Raghav’s lackeys, saw Sara leaving the sports room, followed closely by Veer. Priyam immediately reported this to Keshav, who was in charge of punishing any boy who interacted with Sara.

Chapter Five: The Storm on the Third Floor

The third floor of the school was practically abandoned. There were classrooms, but they were hardly ever used. Most students avoided the area, and the teachers rarely went there. It was the perfect place for Raghav and his gang to operate without interference.

Keshav had been harassing Raj’s girlfriend, Arpita, for weeks. At first, it was teasing, but recently, it had escalated. He had started touching her inappropriately, and though Arpita was scared, she told Raj not to confront Keshav. She knew that if Raj fought back, he’d be beaten up by the gang.

But one day, Keshav went too far. He cornered Arpita in an empty classroom on the third floor. He grabbed her, tore at her school uniform, and started harassing her. Tanvi, Rahul’s best friend, happened to be walking by and saw what was happening. She ran straight to Raj and told him everything.

Without hesitation, Raj sprinted to the third floor, furious. But Keshav’s gang was already there, and before Raj could do anything, they beat him up. Raj lay on the floor, bloodied and helpless, while Keshav continued to terrorize Arpita.

Meanwhile, Veer, Bhavesh, Rahul, and Ishaan were finishing lunch when Tanvi rushed in, breathless and panicked. “Keshav’s attacking Arpita! Raj went to help, but he’s in trouble. They’re on the third floor!”

Ignoring Sara’s earlier warnings to stay away from Keshav, Veer’s protective instincts kicked in. Memories of his past, of the friend he lost to bullying, flooded his mind. Bhavesh, who knew Veer’s history, looked at him with concern.

“Veer, don’t. If you get angry, things will get worse,” Bhavesh said, trying to stop him.

But Veer wasn’t listening. The pain of losing Riya, a close friend who had taken her own life after being bullied, consumed him. Back then, Veer had snapped and beaten the senior responsible so badly that he had broken several bones. It was only because of Bhavesh’s father’s connections that Veer had avoided expulsion. After that, Veer and Bhavesh had transferred schools to start fresh, and Veer had kept his anger in check ever since.

Now, standing outside the classroom on the third floor, Veer knew what he had to do.

Chapter Six: Unleashing the Beast

Veer pushed open the door to the classroom. The sight before him made his blood boil. Raj, Ishaan, Rahul, and Bhavesh were on their knees, bloodied and beaten. Aswin was unconscious in the corner. Arpita’s uniform was torn, and she was crying in the arms of Tanvi. Keshav and his group stood around, smirking.

“Don’t lose your temper, Veer!” Bhavesh yelled, knowing exactly what was coming.

But it was too late.

Veer moved like lightning. The guy standing guard at the door barely had time to react before Veer slammed his head against the wall, knocking him out cold. The classroom went silent for a moment, everyone stunned by the sudden explosion of violence.

Keshav’s goons rushed at Veer, but they were no match for his raw fury. Veer fought like a man possessed, every punch and kick delivered with precision and power. One by one, they fell.

Rahul, despite his own injuries, stood up to help, but Veer motioned for him to stay back. “I’ve got this,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

Keshav was the last one standing. He squared off with Veer, trying to look confident, but Veer could see the fear in his eyes. Keshav threw a punch, but Veer dodged easily and retaliated with a brutal knee to the chest, followed by a powerful punch to the jaw. Keshav crumpled to the ground.

Veer knelt over him, pinning him down. His fists rained down, fueled by all the anger, pain, and frustration he had kept buried for years.

“Don’t you ever touch a girl again,” Veer growled, his voice cold as ice.

Chapter Seven: The Aftermath

The fight ended as quickly as it had begun. Keshav and his goons lay unconscious on the floor, bloodied and broken. Veer stood, breathing heavily, his knuckles bruised and bleeding.

The group gathered at Veer’s home later that night, nursing their wounds. Veer and Bhavesh shared a spacious house, and tonight, it became a safe haven for their friends. Sara was there too. For the first time, she let her guard down and joined in their laughter, feeling free.

Veer watched her from a distance, realizing how much he cared for her. After everything, Sara deserved happiness, and he silently vowed to protect her from now on.

As they sat together, sharing stories and jokes, Veer knew one thing for sure: this was a new beginning. For Sara, for his friends, and for himself.