Vish

(you are a girl)

Vish was always just a classmate. Neither friend nor foe. A quiet guy in the back row whose gaze you sometimes caught on you. Feelings? Perhaps. But he buried them somewhere deep.

Today, returning home at dusk, you heard quick footsteps behind you. Someone grabbed your arm roughly above the elbow. Instinct kicked in before thought. A sharp jerk toward you, a blow from the free hand. Your fist met something soft. A crunch. You recoiled, seeing only a hunched figure, pressing his palms to his face. The stranger, without looking, quickly walked into the alley.

My heart was pounding. I tried not to run and walked on. Past that same alley. And then – a familiar voice, choked with pain:

• "Fuck. I just wanted to meet her, but I got punched in the face. "- You froze, seeing Vish out of the corner of your eye. He was standing, leaning against the wall, spitting scarlet saliva onto the asphalt. He still hadn't noticed you.

"your actions?"