Bully Lord

Part-69

Friday arrived, and James found himself fidgeting at the designated meeting spot – a dusty park bench behind the school library. Mili had been unusually secretive about their destination, sending chills of apprehension down his spine. He wasn't even sure why she'd picked this day. "Wasn't a date, right?" he'd thought, opting for the comfort of his worn tracksuit over anything remotely fancy.

"Of course, it isn't a date. After all, she did say she has a boyfriend or crush something," James said, scratching his cheek.

Fifteen minutes ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity. Just as James was about to call it quits and declare Mili a master of cryptic rendezvous-es, she appeared. But unlike her usual utilitarian attire, she wore a cute sundress, the vibrant colors clashing with the drab park surroundings.

James, momentarily thrown off guard, forgot his pre-planned stoicism.  "Wow, you look…" he trailed off, unsure if a compliment was the right move at a time like this.  The last thing he needed was another layer of awkwardness on top of the swirling confusion.

Mili, however, seemed oblivious to his internal struggle.  She simply raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes.  "Why the tracksuit, James?  Didn't think we were going for a jog."

James flushed, his earlier worry replaced by a sheepish grin.  "Uh, well, you didn't say where we were going, and I thought maybe…" He trailed off, the ridiculousness of his assumption settling in.  "Never mind.  It's stupid."

Mili let out a short laugh, the sound surprisingly pleasant to James' ears.  "Not stupid, just… enthusiastic.  Alright, enough chit-chat.  We need to get going."  With a surprising display of grace, she hopped onto a bicycle parked nearby, a worn leather satchel dangling from the handlebars.

James stared at the bike, then back at Mili in disbelief.  "Wait, a bike?  You want me to ride a bike with you… in a dress?"

Mili rolled her eyes, a playful smile tugging at the corner of her lips.  "Relax, drama king.  There's another bike for you, behind the library.  Now come on, before sunset."

A strange mix of excitement and trepidation bubbled within James.  He had no idea where they were headed, but for the first time since the fight with Sourov, a feeling other than fear or frustration coursed through him.  He grabbed the spare bike, a rusty contraption in desperate need of a tune-up, and followed Mili out of the park, the setting sun painting the sky in vibrant hues.

Dhaka's bustling streets weren't exactly built for leisurely bike rides, especially for a girl in a dress.  James felt a pang of awkwardness as he followed Mili, the honking horns and weaving rickshaws creating a chaotic symphony around them. 

An even more awkward fact was that James was following her rhythmically on his own bicycle, his pedaling aligning with the cadence of her movements. He glanced around nervously, wondering if people were looking at them oddly. His eyes darted from side to side, catching glimpses of curious onlookers as they navigated the busy streets of Dhaka.