Bully Lord

Part-188

James and Mili sat in the bustling campus café, surrounded by open textbooks and notebooks. They had been diligently preparing for their upcoming midterm exams, working through complex problems and comparing notes. Despite the intense study sessions, their friendship had only grown stronger. The rumors about them dating had become a topic of quiet amusement between them. Those who knew them well, including their close circle of friends, understood that their bond was purely platonic.

"Okay, so if we focus on this section, we should be good for tomorrow’s test," Mili said, her finger trailing down the page of a textbook.

James nodded in agreement, flipping through his notes. "Yeah, it covers the main points. We just need to brush up on the application questions."

As they continued discussing the material, a light tap on James’s shoulder interrupted their flow. He turned around, expecting to see one of their friends or maybe a classmate, but instead, there was a tall, well-built teenager standing there. James’s eyes flicked up and down, trying to place the stranger. There was something oddly familiar about the guy’s face, yet James couldn’t quite pin it down.

"Who are you?" James asked, confused.

Mili, glancing at the stranger, shook her head slightly. She didn’t recognize him either.

The boy grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "It's me, Emdad."

James’s jaw dropped, his mind struggling to connect the dots. Emdad? His best friend? The same Emdad who had always been a little self-conscious about his weight and who had been a larger, stockier presence just a few months ago?

"Emdad? No way!" James exclaimed, standing up to get a better look. The teenager in front of him had broad shoulders, defined muscles, and a lean, athletic build that made him look nothing like the friend he remembered. "What happened to you? How did you…?"

Emdad chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction. "Thailand happened, bro."

James blinked. He remembered Emdad mentioning a trip to Thailand, but he had no idea it would result in such a dramatic transformation. "You went to Thailand and came back like this?"

"Yep," Emdad replied, flexing his arm jokingly. "It wasn’t just a vacation. I joined a fitness camp there, did some Muay Thai training, and learned a lot about nutrition and exercise. It’s been intense, but look at me now!"

James shook his head in disbelief, still trying to process the change. Mili, now intrigued, looked up from her textbook. "Wow, Emdad. That’s incredible," she said, offering a smile. "You’re like a completely different person."

"Thanks," Emdad said, sitting down next to them. "I figured I’d surprise you guys when I got back. It’s been a crazy few months."

James, still a bit in shock, couldn’t help but smile. "You sure know how to make an entrance. I barely recognized you."

They spent the next few minutes catching up, with Emdad recounting stories of his time in Thailand—early morning runs, grueling workouts, and sparring sessions in the blistering heat. It was clear that Emdad had undergone not only a physical transformation but a mental one as well. His confidence had grown, and he carried himself with a newfound sense of purpose.