Chapter 39: Queen of Novel: The Escort

"Yes, Madam General," Rohan beamed.

Ananya sat down, neatly arranging her pencil box. She didn’t smile, but her heart was finally at peace. She couldn’t stop the bad things in the world, and she didn’t know how to throw a punch. But she was a tactician, and she had just established her first defensive perimeter.

No one was going to hurt her best friend again. Not on her watch.

Rohan, however, leaned back in his chair, looking at her with a highly suspicious squint. "But... why? You go home with your papa every single day on his scooter. Why are you walking with me?"

Ananya didn’t miss a beat. Her analytical mind instantly provided a flawless, logical excuse. "My papa is busy at work today, so he isn’t coming to pick me up. I thought since we go the same way, I will just walk with you. Plus, you are injured. Someone needs to make sure you don’t fall into a ditch."

Rohan puffed out his chest, completely insulted by the suggestion of his weakness. "Injured? Please! I’ve gotten way worse injuries than this just by diving on the cricket pitch. A little scratch on the head is nothing to me. I don’t feel a thing!"

Ananya slowly turned her head. She looked at his proud, boasting face, then looked down at the white plaster covering the nasty gash on his eyebrow.

Without a word, she reached out her hand and pressed her index finger directly onto the center of his wound.

"OWWW!" Rohan shrieked, his voice echoing loudly across the classroom as he violently jerked his head back, clutching his forehead in agony.

"Oh?" Ananya asked innocently, adjusting her glasses. "I thought you didn’t feel a thing?"

Rohan rubbed his head, his eyes watering. The tough-guy act had completely vanished. "Okay, okay!" he surrendered hastily, holding his hands up in defeat. "I won’t ask any more questions! We will walk home together!"

"Good boy," Ananya replied crisply, turning her attention back to the blackboard.

A few hours later, the final bell rang, and the school gates opened. The afternoon sun was hot, baking the dusty streets of Delhi as the students poured out to head home.

Ananya walked with a determined stride, her heavy backpack secured tightly. However, after walking for about five minutes down the main road, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks.

She turned around, her hazel eyes blazing with sudden anger. "I clearly said that we both would go together!"

Rohan, who nearly bumped into her, stopped and looked completely bewildered. "Yeah? And we are going together. What’s the problem?"

Ananya reached out, grabbed a fistful of Rohan’s messy hair, and pulled his head slightly to the side so he was forced to look behind him.

"Then what is Kabir doing here?!" Ananya demanded.

Walking exactly two steps behind them, humming a cartoon theme song and eating a packet of potato chips, was Kabir. He froze mid-chew as Ananya’s furious glare landed on him.

"What?" Kabir mumbled, his mouth full of chips. "Rohan and I walk home from school together every single day! We live in the same direction!"

Ananya slowly let go of Rohan’s hair and leveled a deadly glare at him. "You..."

Rohan panicked. He had completely forgotten to mention the third member of their usual walking party.

"Okay, okay, Madam! I’m sorry!" Rohan pleaded, putting his hands together dramatically. "It was my fault! I forgot to tell you he was coming! Next time I will submit a full passenger list before we leave the gates, I promise! Please don’t poke my head again!"

Ananya let out a long, highly exasperated sigh. She adjusted her backpack and rolled her eyes. "Fine. It’s okay. I forgive you. But next time, follow the plan."

"Yes, Madam!" Rohan and Kabir chorused together.

They resumed their walk, the tension dissolving back into their usual comfortable banter. They navigated through the busy market street and turned into the quieter, shaded residential lanes near the neighborhood park.

Suddenly, Kabir stopped crossing his legs and handed his chip packet to Rohan.

"Hold this," Kabir said urgently, hopping from foot to foot. "I really need to go to the toilet. Don’t eat my chips! You guys wait right here, I’ll be back in one minute!"

Without waiting for an answer, Kabir sprinted toward the public restroom block at the corner of the park.

Ananya and Rohan stood under the shade of a large banyan tree by the side of the road, waiting.

One minute passed. Then three. Then five.

Ananya tapped her foot against the pavement, crossing her arms in deep annoyance. "Why is he taking so long? If he makes us wait one more minute, I swear I am going to beat him up when he gets back."

Rohan didn’t respond to her threat. Instead, he leaned against the trunk of the tree and just looked at her.

He watched her complain, noting the fierce, protective pout on her face. A soft, genuine smile spread across Rohan’s lips. That girl, he thought to himself. Not too long ago, she sat entirely alone in the classroom, talking to absolutely no one. And now, she is fighting with us, yelling at Kabir, and walking me home just to keep me safe.

It was a strange thought for a nine-year-old boy, but it made his chest feel incredibly warm. The three of them were a team now. A real, unbreakable team.

SCREEEECH!

The sudden, violent sound of burning rubber shattered the quiet afternoon air.

Rohan and Ananya both jumped as a large, battered gray minivan swerved aggressively around the corner. It didn’t just drive past them; it slammed on its brakes, skidding to a halt mere inches from the pavement where they were standing. The heavy vehicle completely blocked their path.

Ananya’s heart leaped into her throat.

Instinctively, she took a step back, grabbing the sleeve of Rohan’s shirt.

The heavy sliding door of the minivan violently ripped open.

A group of broad-shouldered, menacing figures stepped out onto the street, their shadows falling directly over the two children.