Almost everyone had left the class until the class monitor and some of her friends remained. 

She told Shanaya to leave the class before she complained to anybody but as I asked her to just let us be in the class for that day, she went outside with slightly blushing cheeks saying, 

"Just for today and don't tell the teacher my name if you got caught", I knew it was just a warning as it was not a new thing for someone to spent their lunch in class. But still it looked like my charm was really working greatly. 

I went towards the cornermost seat and sat beside Shanaya. Sania was sitting in the corner with downcast eyes and no light in them. She had a deep, lost, disheartened, so to say a totally gloomy expression on her face. 

Sania was the girl whose growth spurt came first and ended first, she was tallest in girls when we were little but now she became one of those shortest ones in class. Also, her beauty never stopped highlighting, her colour got brightened with time as till then her skin became pale. With her short stature, small but cute chest and that cute white face anybody would really love to hug and caress her and take very good care of her. She was like those small white mouse who anybody would love to keep. 

I was sitting beside Shanaya when she moved her face and looked at me. As soon as she saw me her eyes became watery and tears started falling from her eyes, Shanaya quickly took out her wet handkerchief and asked her to maintain her mindset and control her emotions. 

"What is happening, can you tell me something Shanaya", I asked while tapping Shanaya on the shoulder. 

" Uhhh.. can you sit in the middle while I tell you this", Shanaya asked. 

"Of course but you must tell me honestly why is Sania crying and how did her cheerful personality got changed to something like this", I asked Shanaya while we exchanged our positions. 

As soon as we changed our positions and I seated myself in the middle, Sania pushed her body onto me, hugging me tightly while crying. 

Her face was just above my heart. I didn't knew what to do. My girlfriend was on the side while another girl was hugging me crying and dirtying my shirt with her tears. 

"Hey... hey.. Sania, tell me what happened, I was your best friend right", I knew that when we were small kids Sania had a crush on me but I was focused on Shanaya and was busy with her so I did not mind that much but here I was patting the head of the same little girl while Shanaya was on the side taking some deep breathes as if trying to maintain her composure before revealing a big secret. 

Sania tightened her hug around me while still crying and as Shanaya started her story I let go of trying to remove her and focused on the story. 

"So, the story starts from class fifth, it was the year when Sania's mom died, they were a loving three member lower middle-class family before that. Her father was a wage worker but as soon as her mother died, due to depression Sania's father started coming home drunk, it continued but Sania did not let go of any hopes, she took care of the house alone, studied even harder than before, but slowly rather than improving her father deteriorated even more. Slowly turning from a worker to a thug, he started often getting into fights and did all those things that hoodlums would do. Started gambling, prostitution, and all the nasty things", a minute silence for couple of seconds before continuing. 

" During 7th class you remember how Sania started outcasting herself from the whole class. It was only due to her father that her condition and her mental fortitude became so out of the norm. She became depressed thinking about how to spend the time at home and how to handle her father there. Somehow he paid the fees for last year but now he told her he'll not gonna spent a penny on Sania and told her to go find some rich guy who could take care of her because of her beauty or if she can't even do that then advised her to go become a prostitute. 

The most devastating thing that the degenerate did was last night when he tried to rape her, his own daughter, it was just by sheer luck that the short statured Sania somehow reached for the vase and slammed it on his head otherwise.... I don't know what would have happened", After telling the story Shanaya also started crying while Sania's grip on my shirt became tighter. 

At first I wanted to ask some things but at the end I had understood all of it. I hugged Sania in return while putting one hand behind her head pushing her head even tighter on my chest. 

The moment I pulled Sania closer I felt the tremble in her body and that same moment I realised I can do nothing to help Shanaya but in Sania's case it was totally opposite. I have money, I have power much more than a drunkard and the failure of a man in society. The very same moment I decided I will never let it slide easily. I will help Sania. 

**************

Now that I think about it, it really was one of my best decisions in life. 

**************

"Sania, do you want revenge or do you just want to leave that house and the man", I asked looking at the trembling Sania in my arms. 

" I.... I.. just want to leave the house, I cannot endure it anymore, even a little bit more and I will surely die, please..... please.. save me Ritik, I... I.. will do anything, I don't want to be beaten anymore.....", I could not even think how such a fragile girl could endure so much. For straight five years, being alone at home, taking care of the drunkard, with continuous abuse physically and mentally. 

I hugged her tightly until she stopped crying and herself moved away from me with cheeks full of tear marks. The lunch was almost over and my whole front part of the shirt was wet with tears. I moved back to my seat but only after strictly ordering Sania to come home with me after school. She was reluctant at first saying I'm just gonna create problems for myself but after me insisting she just nodded while looking downwards. 

With my continuous patting and assurance words her condition did got slightly better but those gloomy eyes still remained there. 

Last periods went on usually with me having no time to study as all of my mind was engrossed on what to do to help Sania. With her hug I could tell that she still had feelings for me and those are not some childish feelings but keeping that aside I wanted to help her so much and at last as I didn't had any accurate plans so I decided to take her to my home for the time being. I was the one who she believed in and I wanted to be her savior and protector. It was all in my heart, my inner conscience told me to do anything to help Sania and so I also decided to do everything I could do.

After the school was over I got up and after sending Surya and Somil away I moved towards the outside gate of the school. There I saw the daily picture of Natasha and Maya talking. 

Shanaya and Sania had joined me on the way and now we were going towards our mothers. 

There, at a distance I saw Sohail standing with three other boys from his class. 

'Shit, I forgot', that was my only thought as I was not even a tad bit worried about them being larger in number and taller than me. 

All my years of hardwork was not in vain. 

I decided to first clear them out quickly and then meet our mothers. 

"Shanaya, I have something to do so please give me some minutes, I'll be right back", without hearing her answer I ran towards the place where Sohail was standing looking at me with those dagger like eyes. 

" You can't wait to reach your death bed, right, I thought you'll bring that brat Somil or that shit Surya with you but now that.... ", Just normal cliche villain talk.

" I don't have time for you, let's continue it in the grey-portrait building", I quickly ran to the closest abandoned building near the school. 

They started following me keeping in check that I don't run away from them. 

I quickly entered the building and got behind the door and as soon as Sohail entered the building I punched directly on his nose. With that one punch he passed out on the spot with a bleeding nose. The one who came were shocked for a second and I quickly moved my feet to kick one of them on his balls. 

The last two looked at the leader and the other one down and became afraid. Even being a 12th standard student they lost their courage as they understood that the punch that could take down a brute like Sohail in just one hit, they were no match of that fist. So they started apologizing to me for whatever they were doing. 

I didn't had the time to play there so after repeatedly telling them to not meddle in my business I left the place. 

I did not knew what happened after that or how Sohail was after that massive right fist, I only had one thing to worry about and that was Sania. 

We were friends and obviously I would help her but you know nothing comes when you spend nothing so I thought it would be a disaster to handover such a cute girl to someone else so if I could escalate my relationship with Sania in uhm.. adult ways that will be cheery on the top. 

That was what I thought before I saw Natasha hugging Sania as she cried her hearts out while putting her head on the soft buxom available only for me.