Bab 15: CHAPTER 15: THE BEAST
THE BEAST
Meera was ready with her bag and books in hand, her high-waisted jeans perfectly accentuating her naturally beautiful figure. She wore a fitted, shiny blue blouse that exposed just a hint of her midriff, paired with comfortable yet chic sneakers and her signature glasses. She looked effortlessly charming, a cool and confident chic. However, her growing anxiety about being late for college showed in her tone as she called out, "Anya, we're getting late, and you can't seem to tear yourself away from the mirror!"
"Just a minute, my nerdy darling," Anya replied in a teasing voice, smiling as she continued her touch-up. Today, she had chosen a form-fitting green dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, stopping midway up her beautifully toned, fair thighs. She paired it with high-heeled green Gucci sandals, adding an extra touch of elegance to her look. Finally satisfied with her reflection, she hurriedly grabbed her bag and turned to Meera with an apologetic look and a suggestive glint in her eyes, silently asking how she looked.
Meera recognized that look immediately. "Oh wow... Are you the Anya I know, or are you some kind of fairy?" she teased, a playful smile on her face. Then, she suddenly switched to a mock furious expression and said, a bit louder, "Now move, before I kick your butt!" Anya laughed and nodded, responding with a cheeky, "Yes, sir," as she led the way out the door.
Raj was waiting for them at the entrance, wearing black jeans and a half-sleeve yellow shirt, leaning casually against the college gate. He looked out through the fences at the forest, the morning sun radiating a golden glow on the earth, making the surroundings and forest look mesmerizing. But it was the sight of the girls that left him with his jaw dropped. When he saw them, his eyes widened in astonishment at how beautiful they looked.
"Where are my idiot friends who always make me late? And you apsaras(fairies of heaven) of Indra Dev(god king of heaven), what are you doing here on Earth? Indra Dev must be worried sick!" he said, blending compliment and complaint both with a smile and a stunned expression on his face.
"Shut up, Raj," both girls said simultaneously, smiling. "We're not hungry for your honey-dipped compliments," Meera added, rolling her eyes and flipping her hair back. "Well, if you don't like the compliments, maybe you'll appreciate my apologies," Raj replied, his tone becoming a little serious.
Anya, surprised by his sudden change of attitude said, "Hello, have you gone mad? We were just kidding." Raj, still serious, responded, "I know, and I'm not talking about right now. I'm talking about last night. I did put both of your lives in danger, and for that, I am really sorry." "Hey, you idiot, you didn't drag us there. We both agreed to go with you and it was our own decision. Now come on, we're really late," Meera said, pushing him ahead playfully.
They barely made it to class as the professor walked in. It was an eco-geo lecture. Except for Meera, it wasn't their favorite class, and most of the students were visibly bored. Everyone was watching the clock and the door, eagerly awaiting the bell. Anya was also glancing at the door when she noticed some students and a professor passing by in the hallway. One student, Shrishti, who knew Anya, waved her hand to ask what lecture they were in. Anya mouthed, "eco-geo." Shrishti laughed silently. Anya gestured to ask where they were going, and Shrishti replied with a gesture indicating they were heading to the forest for a botany class.
A few minutes later, the bell rang, and a wave of happiness spread across everyone's faces. Raj, Meera, and Anya joined the crowd as they exited the classroom. Suddenly, Anya turned to them and said, "Let's go to the canteen. Today, I can teach him a lesson," her face hinting at some kind of mischievous plan.
The canteen was crowded as usual, but their regular table was empty. As they reached the table and sat down, Anya noticed Amavas working behind the counter. She glanced around and saw that almost every girl in the canteen was either watching him silently or whispering about him.
Meera and Raj exchanged glances, both wondering what Anya was planning. Anya stood up and walked to the center of the canteen hall, clapping her hands twice to get everyone's attention. "Hey everyone!" she called out loudly. The entire canteen fell silent, and all eyes turned to her.
With a commanding tone, she continued, "Everyone, listen carefully." She emphasized, "You will do exactly as I tell you." Her voice grew even more authoritative. "And if anyone dares to disobey the daughter of Vikram Raheja, you know the consequences."
The room remained in pin-drop silence, everyone holding their breath. Anya glanced behind the counter at Amavas, who continued with his work, seemingly unfazed by the commotion around him.
This irked Anya even more. Now, almost shouting, she said, "Whatever is on your tables, just throw it all on the tables and the floor! Make a big mess of everything. Understood?" With a collective sigh, everyone began to throw food and drinks onto the tables and floor, creating a huge mess. The canteen now resembled a giant trash bin.
Only one table remained unaffected, and that was theirs. Meera and Raj shook their heads in disbelief as Anya returned to their table and sat down. The canteen was still eerily silent. Then, with irritation and pride in her voice, she raised her hand and called out, "Hey you, dirty cleaner! Don't you take care of cleanliness properly? What kind of hell have you made of this canteen? Come here and clean this mess up immediately. I don't want to see a single dirty mark in the entire canteen!"
Amavas emerged from behind the counter, holding a mop and a bucket in his hands. He surveyed the mess, then glanced at Anya, who smiled tauntingly. Suddenly, Amavas heard distant cries from deep within the forest—cries only his acute senses could detect. Alongside the cries, he heard the roar of a leopard. Standing still, he focused, trying to pinpoint the exact location and distance of the incident.
Seeing him stand motionless, Anya shouted, "You jerk, why are you standing there like an idiot? Clean the—" Her words halted mid-sentence as she watched Amavas bend down and break a leg off a table. The entire canteen gasped in fear. Raj and Meera's eyes widened, mouths agape.
Amavas's face contorted with anger as he sprinted forward. Everyone, including Anya, thought he was going to attack her. Anya's breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with terror. In a flash, Amavas darted past them and out of the canteen.
The room collectively exhaled, and Anya's body sagged with relief, feeling as if all her strength had left her. Raj jumped to his feet and rushed to the canteen window, his eyes tracking Amavas as he darted into the forest with astonishing speed.
Driven by curiosity about where and why Amavas was running, Raj bolted out of the canteen and headed for the gate by the fences. The gate guard intercepted him, saying, "Sir, it's dangerous out there. The canteen man instructed me to call the principal and not let anyone out. Principal sir also ordered me to keep everyone inside. He's on his way here."
Frustrated, Raj ran back to the canteen and quickly relayed the guard's message to Anya and Meera. "I'm going after him through our secret exit," he announced urgently. "But Raj—" Meera began, but Raj was already gone, disappearing in a flash. Now Meera ran to the window to catch some hint and after her Anya too.
The botany class was in full swing when everyone heard the menacing roar of a leopard. A collective gasp escaped from the students' throats, and the security guard accompanying the class quickly raised his gun in the direction of the sound. Trembling with fear, the students looked to their professor, who, though visibly shaken, tried to maintain calm.
Suddenly, a large black leopard leaped from a tree to the ground, eliciting another wave of terrified cries. The professor turned to face the animal just as the security guard aimed his gun. But in the blink of an eye, the leopard lunged, knocking the guard to the ground. The impact rendered the guard unconscious, and the students' screams filled the air.
The leopard then turned its attention to the crowd. The professor, despite his own fear, stepped in front of the students, trying to shield them. The leopard pounced again, this time seizing the professor by the arm. Blood began to flow as the beast started dragging him toward the dense forest, the students' cries for help growing more frantic.
At that critical moment, Amavas arrived, now bare-chested, having discarded his shirt while running to the scene. He had only two shirts and wanted to prevent them from getting ruined. His body resembled a chiseled statue of a mythical warrior-his broad, hairy chest added to his commanding presence, his abs were sharply defined, and his massive trapezius muscles and broad shoulders framed his imposing figure. His bulging biceps and clearly visible veins spoke of immense strength. No one had ever seen a physique like his before, either in person or elsewhere.
With a powerful stride, Amavas moved towards the leopard, both of the beast's eyes locked on to each other.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone