Aries walked up to Scott’s room to see what he was up to but the door to his room was open and he was nowhere in sight. Aries asked a guy of his batch, rushing past. “Hey Eric, have you seen Scott?” He asked. The guy called Eric pointed towards the floor below them. 

“He’s gone downstairs to check out the fight that’s going on,” he informed Aries. It alerted him totally and a feeling of dread spread all over him. Was Andrea in trouble again? 

“What fight?” He asked Eric. 

“A freshman student has moved into the room next to Melissa's. She didn’t allow Melissa to use her washroom. A fight started and now even Celina and her minions have joined in,” said Eric. “Let’s go and see what’s up,” he said, making Aries rush after him. He was sure that the freshman student was none other than either Andrea or her friend, Lisa. When they went downstairs, to his horror Simon and Scott were having a fight while Melissa slapped Andrea. It was like an wild battle! 

“Stop, what’s going on? Why can’t someone call the supervisor?” yelled Aries. He charged at Melissa and caught a staggering Andrea by her arm. Pulling her into his chest, he glared at Melissa. “Don’t you dare use violence on the campus,” he threatened her. Eric too stood by him and sought help in separating Scott and Simon. Andrea was pale as it seemed that she was being subjected to a lot of torture before Scott arrived to intervene. The dorm supervisor was their senior and quite a sober and decent guy. He liked Aries since he was a very promising student and usually never gave anyone a reason to complain. 

“What’s up Aries? What’s going on?” he asked, looking around at the chaos.

“Victor darling, this girl misbehaved with me. She pushed me to the edge,” whined Melissa, running over to him and clinging to him crushing her whole body against his. Simon seethed with fury seeing his girlfriend. 

“Melissa, don’t lie. You were the one who created trouble in the first place. How can you be such a bi*ch? I supported you even though you were wrong, just because you’re my girlfriend. I’m done with you, it’s over,” yelled a hurt Simon. “Just for your information, Melissa and her friend Celina were bullying this girl, hitting her when I came here. You can ask everyone around Victor,” said Simon with a look of triumph on his face. Melissa released Victor and whirled around to face Simon. 

“You son of a bi*ch! How can you betray me?” she seethed. 

“Enough, Melissa. Can someone brief me on what exactly happened?” asked Victor looking around. A few boys around explained the scene. Apparently, Melissa wanted to use Andrea’s washroom when   she was about to use it. When she declined, Melissa slapped her. A fight broke out and Melissa used her hands more instead of her tongue. She called her friends to support her. When Scott arrived to save the young girl, Melissa wanted Simon to deal with Scott. Victor listened to everything intently. Then he turned towards Melissa. 

“You are suspended. You have a day to vacate your room. My decision is final. I won’t tolerate any sort of bullying here,” said Victor. He nodded at Aries and walked away. Aries loved the way Andrea clung to him for the second time in the day. 

“Are you okay?” He asked her softly. She released him and looked up to give a small nod. Aries held her by the chin and inspected her red face. Melissa had left marks on her delicate skin with her hands and claws. Aries boiled with anger seeing how viciously she had attacked Andrea. She wasn’t safe here. If he left her and went away these girls would tear her alive. 

“Pack your things and come with me,” he ordered her. Andrea was shocked and so were the others. They all knew that Aries never messed with anyone neither did he interfered in their fights. He was fiercely reserved and preferred to keep to himself. So seeing him ready to protect a freshman student and then willingly take her home was shocking news indeed for everyone. 

“You can’t protect her forever, Aries. I won’t let this go,” said Melissa with pure hatred in her eyes. Andrea trembled with fear. She was just eighteen and far away from home, all alone in a metropolis. Having led a sheltered life in a small town in Virginia, Andrea had fought with her folks to come to New York to study Computer Engineering. She was a brilliant student and easily got through with a good scholarship. 

“If you pursue this Melissa, I’ll have you suspended from college. Mark my words,” said Aries gravely, making Melissa’s jaws drop with shock. 

“I’m your batch mate, Aries. You cannot do this to me for this girl,” she asked with disbelief, walking towards him to cling to him. Aries gestured to her to stop.

“Stop right there. I think you’ve heard Victor’s punishment for you clearly. You have twenty-four hours to vacate,” he said solemnly. Everyone stood grimly as no one had ever seen this side of Aries. “Why don’t you just get your stuff, Andrea?” he asked. Andrea nodded and rushed to her room. 

He talked to Scott and Eric as he waited for Andrea. Not a single one of Celina and Melissa’s friends had the courage to speak a word against Aries. Celina was hurt that while he never paid any heed to her advances, he was willing to take the freshman girl with him. “Aries, I need to talk to you,” she said, walking up to him. Aries turned to look at him, looking bored. 

“What?” he asked with a scowl.

“Can you please come this way?” she asked, glancing at Scott and Eric. Aries walked a little away but not far from Andrea’s room. 

“Make it quick,” he prompted Celina. Celina suddenly caught his hand making Aries frown at her intentions. 

“Aries, I’ve always wanted to live with you. You know that I have feelings for you. I’m hurt, you can’t do this to me. How can you take her to live with you?” she whined as fat crocodile tears fell from her eyes. Aries pulled his hand away from her hold and looked a little uncomfortable. He hated such public displays of fake affection. It was strange since when he was holding Andrea close in his arms, he never once felt uncomfortable. 

“Stop right there, Celina. You’re wasting your efforts on me. I know exactly what you do and who you go out with every night. The rumors roll the next morning and I’m friends with everyone. So don’t waste your tears, they don’t affect me. I’ll take home who I want. Stay out of my affairs,” he threatened angrily, turning to walk away.

“You and that bi*ch will pay for this, Aries. I don’t share what I like,” she threatened. Aries's sarcastic laugh echoed all around the place.

“That means you hate your own body right?” he threw over his shoulders. Celina fumed and stomped away muttering curses at him and Andrea. A wide-eyed Andrea came out with four suitcases and three cartons making Aries’s eyes go wide with surprise. She had so much stuff while he had only a suitcase full! 

“I only brought a little to New York,” she said shyly, seeing the look of surprise on his face.

“That’s a little?” He asked with a chuckle. Scott and Eric offered to help and they all carried her stuff to Aries’s apartment. He could see the excited look on the faces of his friends, as if they were bursting with  curiosity, wanting to know what made him take the girl to his home of all places. They were never allowed to stay overnight since he always had studies to do. What has changed now? Aries grinned at them knowing that they were bursting with curiosity.

They reached his apartment and Andrea looked around with horror, clamping into her nose. “Aries, when was the last time you cleaned up this place? It’s stinking of pizza and dirty clothes,” she said, her eyes going wide seeing the dirty underwear and towel on the sofa. Aries checked the direction where her eyes had traveled to and he groaned. How would he know that she would be coming over to stay? He rushed with the speed of lightning and picked up the dirty underwear and stuffed it into his pockets. Ewww!

“I cleaned it two weeks back. How would I know that you’d be coming over?” he asked defensively. 

“Princess, shouldn’t you be grateful that King Aries is allowing you to stay in his palace? We’re not,” grumbled the duo making Andrea chuckle. 

“Oh, really? In that case I need to thank the almighty King, right?” asked Andrea. She walked over to see if the almighty king Aries had a spare bedroom or not. She wouldn’t sleep with him even though he saved her. To her immense relief there was a spare bedroom. 

“So, see you tomorrow,  guys. It’s late already,” said Aries, not knowing why his friends weren’t leaving already. 

“He's getting rid of us,” whispered Scott. 

“He wants to be alone with her,” whispered Eric. “Chill dude, we’re leaving. But we won’t leave you tomorrow,” warned Eric before walking away. Aries closed the door after them and locked it well.