The Bet by aryan agrawal

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I was always the quiet kid, the one who preferred books to sports. I was okay with that. I didn't need to be the most popular kid in school to be happy. But that all changed when Ashish, the school bully, decided to make me his target.

One day, he cornered me in the hallway. "Hey, bookworm," he sneered. "Got any interesting trivia for us today?"

"I'm not in the mood for your games, Ashish," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Oh, come on," he said, his tone mocking. "Don't be such a party pooper. Let's have some fun."

"What kind of fun is this?" I asked.

"How about a bet?" Ashish suggested. "If you can answer this question correctly, we'll leave you alone for a week. But if you get it wrong, you have to shave your head."

I hesitated. I knew I was trapped, but I refused to give in. "Fine," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "What's the question?"

Ashish smirked. "Tell me the capital of Australia."

I thought for a moment. I knew the answer, but I didn't want to give in. I could feel the eyes of my classmates on me, watching to see if I would break.

"Canberra," I finally said.

Ashish's face fell. "Damn it," he muttered. "You're right."

But instead of leaving me alone, Ashish and his gang grabbed me and dragged me to the bathroom. They forced me to kneel down, and then Ashish took out a pair of electric clippers.

"Stop it!" I shouted, struggling against their grip. "I want my hair!"

"Too bad," Ashish said, his voice cold. "You lost the bet."

As the clippers buzzed, I felt a wave of humiliation wash over me. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the sound of my hair being cut. "Please stop," I pleaded. "I'm begging you."

But it was no use. Ashish continued to shave my head, but this time, he did it unevenly. He left patches of hair here and there, making my head look ridiculous.

When it was over, Ashish and his gang walked away, laughing. I was left alone, my head feeling strangely light. I looked in the mirror and saw a completely different person staring back at me. My once familiar face was now unrecognizable, my hair gone in an uneven, patchy mess.

As I walked home that day, I felt a mix of sadness, anger, and determination. I knew that I had to find a way to stand up to Ashish and his bullies. I would no longer be their victim.

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