"The results are finally here." Mrs. Tanya said excitedly but only a few students other than herself were excited.

Reyansh had a fearful look on his face but, 'just because you're a failure in academic life, doesn't mean you're a failure in your life itself.' he reflected and looked at Vansh but he, on the other hand was looking at Aryan. Why was he looking there...

Mrs. Tanya distributed the answer sheets and the report cards to her students and just like Reyansh expected, he failed in Physics, Chemistry and Maths and was only able to pass in English and Physical Education. Damn, how was he going to discuss this kind of result with his parents?

'I failed... I failed again... I had the last chance but I screwed that up too... Why am I alive... Just why...?' Reyansh mused with a fearful look as he went through his results.

"Woah~, you were right," Vansh said with a smile, snapping Reyansh out of his musings. "You really did fail, didn'tchu?"

"Yeah, I did..." Reyansh said depressively with downcast eyes. He was sad because he had no choice but to discuss his result with his parents, and at the same time he was also awfully scared of the fact that now the whole class will be looking down on him including his teachers and maybe this time, his family might start looking down on him again after realizing that their son is a huge failure. Plus Aryan's bullying might continue again.

Aryan scored 89% and topped the class again. Aarav scored 87%, Arsh scored 84% and Rin scored 85%.

After the class was over, "okay students, get the signatures done tomorrow. The school is going to conduct a parent-teacher meeting next month and it's compulsory for all the parents to attend as we have several things to talk about. Your future, for example."

'Eh... She didn't make fun of me in front of the whole class this time... What went wrong? Is it because of Vansh?' Reyansh mused as he looked at Vansh but the other person was too busy looking at the ceiling. 'I guess I'll ask about it at the park.' he thought as he put his results back in his bag.

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In the lunch break...

"Did Reyansh fail again?" a voice came from Reyansh's left and he promptly realized whose voice it was as his eyes widened scarily. It was Aryan and Dhairya again.

"Oh, why are you looking at me with those eyes? ...What, are you going to finally complain to your parents about me? With marks like that?" Aryan and Dhairya laughed. "Why does this happen to you allllll the time?" Aryan asked mockingly.

"Because it's his fate?" Dhairya replied.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" Vansh laughed hard, grasping everyone's attention in the class including Aarav, Rin, and Arsh, just like he always does. "Who, in the hell, are you, to decide, his fate?" Vansh asked matter of factly, looking at Dhairya. "You barely managed to score about 50% yourself and you talk about fate? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he laughed hard again. Reyansh was looking at him bafflingly and Aryan was too confused to say anything.

Dhairya grunted. Seriously, just what the hell was this guy's problem? "At least I managed to pass in all the subjects." he said.

"Doesn't mean you have passed in your life~." Vansh said, giving a stabbing look to Dhairya. This made him speechless. Aryan wasn't sure what Vansh was talking about as he was supposed to be on his side. But he ignored his remarks for now as Vansh didn't particularly remark anything offensive to him.

"What's going on...?" Rin asked Aarav and Arsh as the three of them gathered.

"You sit here because Dhairya might abuse you again if you take a stand for us. We'll see what's going on." Arsh said as he and Aarav went to Reyansh.

"What's going on?" Aarav asked worriedly. He had half expected that Reyansh was being bullied again.

"Look, bro, it's okay." Aryan told Reyansh, ignoring Aarav. "I understand that you cannot do anything in your life. You cannot achieve anything. Once a failure, always a failure. Once a loser, always a loser. So why not try solving this problem? Why not do something about this situation? Are you fine living like this? Are you fine living as a failure, a loser your whole life?" Aryan asked with a grin. "Instead, I have two better options for you: either kill yourself or spread the message that you're a failure in your society so that everyone can know who you truly are. You can advertise yourself as a failure with pamphlets and posters and have them spread everywhere in your society. Don't worry I have enough money to lend you." he said, taking out ₹5K (around 68$) out of his pocket. "Here." Aryan stretched out his hand but Reyansh was too shocked to respond. "Take. The. Money." Aryan said angrily. "Or die." he shrugged. Reyansh looked Aryan in the eyes and realized what he should do - he took the money hesitantly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Aarav asked Aryan angrily.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Can't you see? I'm giving him better options and you should stay away from my personal matters, really. Better not forget what I've done for your family." Aryan said, turning his attention back to Reyansh. "So, which option?" he said with a smile.

Aarav got indignant at what Aryan just did but before he could punch him, Vansh caught his hand.

"Okay now, everyone. Calm down, calm down~." he said, gesturing with his hands to calm everyone down.

"You tried to put your hands on me?" Aryan asked Aarav angrily, ignoring Vansh. "You're done for good, Aarav."

"There's no need to make a scene in the class, we might get suspended, brothers~," he said, feigning sadness. "Okay I've decided, Reyansh will go with option two." he said smilingly.

Aryan was too shocked at what Vansh just said. He was too confused about what was going on. Was he trying to help Reyansh? But he didn't specifically do anything offensive to Aryan or tried defending Reyansh... Hmm, maybe it was just a part of Vansh's nature... Or his plan.

"Later~." Vansh said, bowing down to Aryan implying that he should leave and that they can talk about it later.

"Option 2 it is then. It should be done within two days." Aryan said, but as they took steps to leave, Aryan and Arsh's eyes met. They gave a brief stare to each other for a few seconds, before finally leaving.

"What the hell was that?" Aarav asked Vansh angrily. "Why did you stop me from beating him?"

"What would have happened if a fight had broken out here?" Vansh asked firmly.

"We would have gotten suspended?" Aarav replied.

"That, anddd this matter would've been discussed with your parents by the teachers. Wouldn't it~? Your parents would have got humiliated and insulted by everyyyonee in the meeting, and that wouldn't have been that much fun now, would it?" he asked, giving sad expressions.

Aarav's eyes widened. Vansh was right.

"Don't try to take actions based on your feelings too soon, my man~. Anger is not good for anyone. Try to think about what's the right choice of action from the next time." Vansh said as he poked Aarav on his forehead.

'Don't try to take actions based on your feelings too soon.' Arsh's eyes widened as he reflected a fight that he had gotten himself involved with once.

"He is right, Aarav. It's Aryan we are talking about after all." Arsh said as they headed back to their respective seats.

"You know..." Reyansh said with downcast eyes. "I was going to go for... Option 1..." he said nervously.

"Why?" Vansh asked with narrowed eyes. He wasn't too surprised at what Reyansh just told him though...

"Because... I don't know how I'll be able to face my family with this result..." Reyansh said depressively.

"What's there in this stupid result bro, lol." Vansh said with a facepalm.

"You can never understand my situation right now as you're a new student..." Reyansh said.

"More like, I don't care what people think about me~." Vansh said with a grin. "Go through it, my man. Boom boom, you can do it~. You can realllyyyyyy do it~! YEEEEE!" It seemed Vansh became a bit crazier than he was before. There were times when Reyansh doubted if Vansh was normal, but then again he didn't consider himself to be normal...

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As soon as Reyansh entered his home, he saw his mom standing in front of him.

"It was your result today, right?" Mrs. Adani asked with a smile.

"Well... Yeah..." Reyansh said nervously as he started taking his shoes off.

"Let me see them." Mrs. Adani said smilingly.

Reyansh handed out his report card to her. His sister was a tad bit excited for her brother's result too.

"What's this..." Mrs. Adani asked incredulously after going through her son's report card.

"That's... It, mom. That's what I am..." Reyansh tried to explain.

"What do you mean 'that's what I am'? You failed?!" Mrs. Adani asked shockingly.

"Yeah, mom. That's what I am... A failure." Reyansh said. He didn't have the courage to look at his mom's face. He was responsible for that smile to disappear after all.

"Didn't you tell me your exams were going fine?" Mrs. Adani asked, not realizing the full truth yet.

"I... Lied. I was lying to you..." Reyansh tried his best to tell her the truth this time. He had no other option but to do it anyway.

"You were lying to me... All this while?" Her mom asked shockingly. There was an undercurrent of both anger and sadness in her voice and that's probably what Reyansh was afraid of the most.

"Y-yeah..." Reyansh admitted sadly.

"Why?!" Mrs. Adani asked angrily.

"B-because... I was afraid to tell you the truth... You, dad and even Mansi... You all looked down on me just because I couldn't perform well in the previous grade." Reyansh answered nervously.

"Why would I look down on my own son?! However as you are, you are my son and I love you..." Mrs. Adani said with despair.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, mom." Reyansh said defensively.

"I am not sad just because you failed... But more than that, I am sad because you were deceiving your entire family for the last 6 months." Mrs. Adani said.

Reyansh looked at Mansi but even she was giving him mean looks.

Mrs. Adani got tears.

"Mom, mom... I didn't... I didn't mean to lie to you, mom... Please understand... Please. It's not because I wanted to lie... Please mom, please..." Reyansh got tears but he quickly took off his glasses and wiped them off.

"No, how can I ever trust you again? You're a liar! We'll discuss your result when your dad is home. Go to your room and get changed." Mrs. Adani said.

"But mom-" before Reyansh could say anything, his mom went inside her room.

Reyansh then went inside his room and closed the door.

'First a failure, a loser, and now... A liar. That's really what I am, isn't it? That's really who I am, isn't it? I am a failure of a person. Why... Why was I born in this world? Why...' Reyansh mused as he started crying. He punched the wall over and over again as he got on his knees. 'I wish I was dead.'

'Reyansh was lying to me this whole time... I thought his exams were going fine, but no. Why did he lie to me? He hurt me so much today. Everyone's going to ask me about this now...' Mrs. Adani mused.

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"Mom! Mom! I got my result!! I topped again!!!" Aryan yelled as he ran towards his mom's room after the servant opened the door of the house.

As soon as he went inside his mom's room, "oh please. Get out of my room, let me rest for a while. I am tired. Can't you see I am sleeping?" Mrs. Joshi said as she shifted her posture.

"But mom... Look, I am first again! I topped! I did it again, mom!" Aryan said enthusiastically.

Mrs. Joshi got up. She gave Aryan a mean look.

Aryan's eyes widened as he left his mom's room. He then went inside his own room, 'I know... I just have to try harder...' Aryan mused as he went to sleep.