"What you become and who you are depends on the experiences you've had… and the mindset you grew up with."
That's something I believed early on. Not because someone told me, but because I lived it.
I was the older brother.
That alone came with weight.Responsibility.Eyes always on me especially my younger brother's.I couldn't look weak. Couldn't back down. Couldn't flinch.
My dad? He wasn't the sugarcoating type.
"People will push you. Some for fun. Some 'cause they're broken inside. Whatever the reason, you don't let 'em walk over you. And you sure as hell don't come home crying."
That's what I grew up hearing.
He trained me early.
Terrace sprints. Kabaddi[1]. Wrestling.Not to turn me into some gym rat, but to keep me sharp. Disciplined.Prepared.
"If you're not alert, someone will always try to turn you into the punching bag."
He was right.
That day was the start of first standard at a new school.A fresh branch opened and a lot of my old friends from LKG and UKG had joined. So it didn't feel completely foreign.
During the entrance exam, I caught a few familiar faces. We waved — small grins that said "Still here."The funny part? Parents were lined up outside the window, peeking in like it was a crime scene. My dad had his arms folded, acting like he wasn't watching. He was.
We got the results the same day. I passed. Obviously.
Next morning. Car ride.
Mom sat in front. Dad drove. Me and my brother talked in the backseat — about school, about teachers, about how stuff might go. He was younger than me, so yeah, I tried to ease his nerves a little.
Right before I stepped out, Dad hit me with the line.
"You'll meet good kids. Bad ones. Some will test you. Some will follow you. Just don't change for anyone. And don't flinch. Stand your ground."
Same line as always.
But that morning, it felt heavier.
The class had maybe 30–35 students.Normal layout. Mixed crowd.Some faces from the old school, some new.
I grabbed a seat in the second bench, mid-row. Two girls were already there, talking casually. They asked my name, we exchanged a few lines. It was calm.
Then it started.
Door slammed.
One kid ran in, panting.
And then came the reason.
Rehane.
Big kid. Confident walk.The kind of guy who made his presence feel like a threat.
He stormed into the classroom and grabbed the other boy by the hair, yanking it like he was plucking grass.Some kids laughed. Others stayed quiet.
I didn't move. I just watched.
I've never liked bullies.
Never.Not in school.Not in my colony.
I grew up scrapping with them. Hunting them down. Figuring out exactly how they think and how to deal with them.
Some come from broken homes. Some have no parents watching over them. Some just join the wrong group early on.
I'm not defending them. But yeah not every bully starts out evil. Some are just carrying the weight they never asked for.
But others?
They know what they're doing.They choose to do it.And those ones?
They deserve everything that comes back their way.
I've fixed my fair share of bullying.And yeah, I've been targeted too mostly 'cause I never let that crap slide.
A few even ganged up on me once or twice. But most of the time? They came solo. Because I insulted them just enough to make sure they didn't want backup.
I had people who stood with me seniors, cousins, close boys. But I never called them.
Where's the fun in that?
I liked the hunting part.Getting my hands dirty.Breaking the cycle, myself.
Rehane let go of the first kid and started scanning the room.Eyes flicking. Measuring. Picking.
Then he saw me.
Our eyes locked.
I didn't flinch.Didn't blink.Didn't smile.
He walked up. Stopped right in front of me.
"What's your name?" he asked.
"Why do you want to know?" I asked back, standing.
His eyes narrowed.
We just stared.
Then he turned away.
But just before leaving, he gave me that look.
The kind that says "I'll see you soon."
Yeah, I knew what was coming.
Break time.
Teachers were out.Staffroom probably loud with tea and gossip.
Then came Rehane again.
This time, he wasn't alone.
Two other kids. Bigger. Not from our class.
They strolled in, full of ego. Opened other people's lunchboxes. Mocked them. Took whatever they wanted like it was their right.
No one stopped them.
Then Rehane's eyes locked on Ali my benchmate.
Ali was soft-spoken. Calm. Polite to everyone.Didn't bother anyone.
That's exactly why he got targeted.
"Why do you talk like a girl?" - Rehane said in a mocking way"Say something again.""Come on, man. Don't act shy."
Ali looked down. Stayed quiet.
Fake Laughter. from the one kid sitting at last seat... Felipe he seemed to be a part of Rehane's group
Fake. Loud. Nasty.
I stood.
"That's enough," I said. "He's with me."
The two backup boys moved fast.One on my left. One on my right.
I was boxed in.
I stayed calm.
"If they jump me now…""…I know what to do."
I'd been in tighter corners.Back in the colony, with these kind of kids around you learn fast.
Tackle one. Flip the other. Run circles till they get dizzy.I had plans ready in my head like muscle memory.
I looked around.
Some kids stood up. Some froze.But me?
I was ready to go. So were my friends, but i never like Ganging up someone, this Guy needed to learn lesson from me only, i grinned.
Bullies like Rehane don't care about warnings.They care about reactions.And when they don't get one, they push harder.
He reached out —
And grabbed Ali's hair. Again.
Harder this time. Just to show he could.
Ali winced. Shoulders stiff. Silent pain in his eyes.
And me?
I didn't wait.
I didn't think.
That's when I moved.
[TO BE CONTINUED…]
[1] Kabaddi is a team sport where players take turns sending a “raider” into the opponent’s half to tag defenders and return without being tackled, all while holding their breath and chanting “kabaddi.” It builds strength, speed, and strategy.
In real life, especially in school or university, kabaddi helps improve quick thinking for surprise tests or class participation, teamwork for group projects, and stamina for long study sessions. It also develops mental toughness and breath control, which help in staying calm during presentations, exams, or stressful situations.
Kabaddi trains both body and mind, making you sharper, more confident, and better prepared to handle challenges in academic and personal life.