Some blankly took a gander at Sid, and he exchanged the same look. Did he really lose the debate?

His heart staggered in his chest, shock laced with anger crawled hotly into his throat. He wanted to roar in protest, but his vocal cords momentarily became non-existent. Not only him, but those who believed a clear win for the boy felt thunderstruck.

Sid's eyes traveled along as the fans of Invincible Three rushed toward the stage to big up Dr. Nayak. A few groans erupted from haters, which weren't in favor of him but to the fact that Invincible Three are still undisputed champions. Did Dr. Nayak really have a worthy victory or—

The boy caught a glimpse of Ronit running at him from the audience. Still senseless. Only when the spin doctor lost control on his legs and collided with the boy, it snapped him out of his daze. The hit pushed him a few feet away; it was like an invisible shock-layer blew off him.

"Sorry," Ronit blurted out as he caught onto Sid's shoulders. "Something's fishy. You clearly had the upper hand, man."

Sid glanced at the spin doctor with a glazed look and managed to get past few words. "I don't know."

When Ronit parted his lips to speak, they saw Prakash swaggering at them, with stomping steps, his shoulders bounced and chuckle on his lips stretched into an evil grin.

He came face to face with the boy. "I told you, didn't I?" he spoke softly, "Even if you scream, nobody will listen to you." His voice grew intimidating through jeering eyes. He patted the boy's shoulder and wended his way.

Sid and Ronit could do nothing but shoot daggers.

A lightning flashback whizzed through Sid's mind: the day he met Prakash as a member of Invincible Three.

Welcome, Siddhant, to the world of lies. Here we sell lies as truth.

In this world of lies, if you stood against us, we'll prove you the biggest liar.

Sid kept on recalling his meet with Invincible Three. They said something fishier back then, and now it dawned on him they were not lying one bit. He remembered challenging Invincible Three over his adherence to the truth.

You cannot tell your truth to the sponsors who want us to win? Everything here is under our thumb, kid. Even if you shout, nobody will hear your truth.

To the sponsors!? The host is one of the sponsors, isn't he?

Sid's eyes searched the host and found him conversing with Stan, there was hidden look on his face. The one that Sid can make heads and tails of now. He's in cahoots with Invincible Three!

A numbing sensation washed over him, sending him in a momentary daze again. He looked at Ronit and presented him with a pitiful smile. "I think this is it for me," he murmured and walked off.

Ronit felt a rush of anger toward the boy for succumbing to hopelessness. His hands went to brush through his hair, and just the "Si" of Siddhant get past his throat, but the boy kept on walking. However, it was his time to shine (you're a viral content creator, goddammit!). The right time display his real talent, but he felt a bit perplexed too. Smoking a cigarette would help, maybe?

********

Sid sat aimlessly in the spin doctor's cabin; his hand reached to pick up a paperweight. The floral design inside the orb locked his eyes for a moment. He held the ball in his fingers like chopsticks and twirled it on the flat table. He kept on doing it while shooting a glance at Ronit now and then, who was busy with ringing his contacts.

Ronit returned looks, a few times, with every time guilt washing over his face. The boy also broke tight-lipped smile across his lips on a few exchanges of glances.

The vibration in his jeans pocket snapped him out of lingering sleepiness. An incoming call. Then out of the blue, an overriding fear swept his heart. What if his parents got to know about his participation in this debate?

Fear clouded around his mind until he caught sight of the name of the incoming caller. Someone who he completely (at least for the time being) forgot. Nehali!

"Shit, I'm dead," he muttered to himself before picking up the call. "Hey, how are you?" he spoke through the phone, the words got past his mouth like a whisper.

"I don't know." A long whizzing sigh stopped her from finishing her sentence. Her voice steeped in anger. "You tell me!"

"Yeah." Sid's fingers went to his temple to the realization of ensuing danger. "I know, it's been a couple of days I didn't call—"

"A week!" Her voice was loud enough to blow the receiver.

The shriek made him lose his vocal chord for a split second, can the best debater beat a girl in an argument? He fished for words (do you fear your girl, boy?).

Nehali heaved a sigh of relief. "Anyway, forget it," she spoke through a muffled voice, and then her voice became clear. "We're meeting in the evening, okay, and then my mom's going to prepare dinner for us."

"It's today?" Sid mumbled. He could sense Nehali's nod.

"See you then." And the call went blank.

Sid wanted to burst out a big no, but Nehali hung up on him at lightning speed. He could do nothing but stare blankly at the wall in front of him for a while. So it was a date, isn't it exciting? Not the one he needed, but the one that placed him on the horns of a dilemma.

He felt helpless and also part mad at Nehali. Is she the one he wants to spend his life with? As clear as day, he hated it when she orders him around. Not that he despises it, but he was really in a tight spot at this point. A helping hand would not harm.

"No, no, wait!" Ronit hit the top of vocal cords. It was enough to snap Sid out his future planning.

The phone call went blank from the other end. Ronit squeezed his cellphone between his fingers, an attempt to wring out his frustration. He could do nothing but feel lost. Where are all those big shots now, huh, champ? This self-deprecating thought made him drop on the chair like a sack of potatoes.

A slow hurt washed over him. Then a spanning minute of awkwardness spread across between him and Sid.

Sid could see there was a sting of tears in Ronit's eyes. Also, the bottom lip was trembling.

"I'm sorry, Siddhant," he get past these words choked with emotions.

The boy felt a ripple of pity for Ronit. He couldn't help but sprang up from his seat to comfort the spin doctor. And the volcano of emotions erupted like Mount Tambora.

He strapped his arms around the boy's waist, pressing a side of face against the stomach as a kid does it to her mother. "Buah!" Little spittle came from his mount. "So sorry. No one, literally, nobody wants to help."

Sid freed himself from this embarrassing siege of embrace and sat on his chair. "It's alright. Don't worry. We can work it out." He sent a genuine smile at the spin doctor.

"You—" An incoming call interrupted Ronit, his heart hammered against his ribcage when he looked at the call. "I'll be back, Siddhant," he said hurriedly and went in a corner to speak privately.

For a minute or so, except few murmurs of words, nothing worthwhile fell upon Sid's ears. His mind diverted into introspection only to get buck up.

Ronit came storming at him. "Siddhant, there's hope!!" he screamed, his voice was dripping with joy. He caught hold of Sid's shoulder and began to swing him around like a child.

"What happened?" The boy grinned.

"There's this big shot, an old client of mine, who'll help us out," Ronit said. All the moroseness of his face melted away completely, and along came a glint of hope.

He walked up to his desk with a stomping gait. He wore the handle of his car's keys in his index finger and began to spin it like a fidget spinner. "We must make a move. The meeting with the big shot will consume the rest of our day."

A lump formed in Sid's throat, making him go speechless in no time. Why now we have to go!?

A chastising thought rose within his heart. Nothing matters than Nehali. She's the love of your life, man. Another counter-opinion fought hard: she's undoubtedly not bigger than Krishna. At worst, she'll get angry and won't talk for a few days, but come around once calmed. She's into you, man.

Anything can wait, but not this opportunity!

A voice broke into Sid's mind and snapped him out. of deep thoughts. "Siddhant, let's go."

Ronit was already at the door. The boy followed.

******

The big shots are not your average joe. The one Ronit managed to bag a meeting was among top-tier, somebody who owned a famous media house that also affiliated with The Great Debate.

Ronit brought Sid right in the big shot's personal cabin, now even the tiniest doubt toward Ronit's credibility vapored away from Sid's mind. No big mouth but a man of words. Sid didn't doubt him, actually. Just a bit, you see.

"Maintain discipline, okay?" Ronit dropped some P.R. lessons on Sid. "Most importantly, don't use your cellphone for now."

Sid abided with a curt nod.

Ronit smiled and felt a wave of desperate empathy for the boy, enough to turn on the water work, but he disguised his emotions with a grim look. "We'll succeed, don't worry," he spoke while tapping on the boy's shoulder.

The knob of the front door twirled and emerged from it, the man himself with other official delegates. People called him the boss. He didn't share a look with his Ronit and headed right at his throne-like chair.

Ronit got up to his feet out of reverence, and Sid imitated the same. "Sit, sit." The boss repeated, and they settled down. The guards already took their place at his back. Even the slightest movement of hands flexed their muscles.

The boss signed a document and made a ticking sound with his fingers, hinting all the unnecessary people to buzz off, except the guards and guest.

Still, he didn't lay his eyes on Ronit or Sid. An inner voice rose within Sid's heart. Man! What an attitude, befitting to his personality.

"I got the brief from my P.A. about your situation, no need to explain. Just come to the point." Still not looking at any of them, his fingers were typing something on his laptop.

His stern voice sent a chill down Ronit's spine, making him ran out of words. "Ah, we're honored—"

"Come to the point!" The boss hissed.

Ronit skipped a beat, how could you even have confidence in such a situation? It's not an everyday thing to have a meeting with an eminent personality.

Ronit looked inside his heart with inner eyes (shine already!) and shot a confident glance at the boss. "Look, I'm no hero but a businessman like you. I see profit; I grab it. I can't help but how long ago you gonna entertain salty people in The Great Debate? It's always Invincible Three trouncing easy targets. The pattern must change, I daresay."

The boss looked at Ronit for the first time. "They bring us revenue. Plus—"

"How long?" Ronit cut in rudely. "You see, the audience gets bored when the pattern stays the same."—He pulled out an analytical graph—"The viewership has met with a steep. Once the channel was thriving in a million, now barely making any headlines."

The boss skimmed over the sheet, and his face washed over with concern. "So what are you suggesting?"

"It's time to change the pattern. This boy,"—Ronit landed a hand on Sid's shoulder—'Literally annihilated one of your so-called Invincible Three. Losers are those who go with the flow; winners are the ones who create the flow. Just imagine the boost in your viewership when the undisputed champions Invincible Three get defeated by a fifteen years old!"

"I'm nine—" Sid interrupted, but Ronit pinched him on his left thigh.

The boss was already sold out to the strategy, a slow but wide smile stretched across his lips. "It's worth a shot."

Yes! Yes! Ronit burst out internally. The boy, however, was still hopeless. Nehali was only one on his mind than anything. His cellphone was already vibrating now and then, and the guy couldn't even check if it's her! Ronit warned him not to use his cellphone, remember?

"You go on with your pattern thingy. The boy may wait outside." For the first time, the boss looked at Sid, lucky him because he was presented with a smile.

Sid got up and did wait outside.

The boss discussed a few more commercial aspects with Ronit and gave assurance that Sid will shot to fame. The spin doctor made a move to leave. "Hey!" The boss called out, making Ronit stop halfway. "Don't mind me, but what got into you lately? The greedy and cunning spin doctor no longer exist?"

The question manifested a smile on Ronit's lips. "You know," he paused dramatically and went on. "I supported a lot of wrong people in my life. Earned heck of money, but down the line, I practically lost everything dear to me. This boy will help me redeem myself."

Ronit turned to walk with a victorious smile. He flashed a victory sign at Sid.

Sid felt his excitement made the time go by in slow-motion. Ronit walked past him, and the boy joined him with an equal pace, walking side by side.

All my wolves, begin to howl

Wake me up, the time is now

Oh, can you hear the drumming?

Oh, there's a revolution coming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b99r48grKGI

******

A/N: It's time people, the story is reaching its peak. Lately, I'm all hyped up with inspiration since The Krishna Love is a finalist in #WattpadIndiaAwards. I'm feeling so honored it's all possible because of you, readers — big thanks.