Fist Of Fate: Child of Perak

By lunchtime, Zahra's blog post had spread like wildfire. Students passed around their phones, chuckling at her witty commentary while nodding in admiration at Ali's progress.

"Dude, have you seen this?" one student said, showing the post to his friend.

"Ali? The boxing guy? I thought he was just a rookie," the friend replied, scrolling through the article. "Guess not."

Farid, basking in the secondhand fame, strutted into the cafeteria holding a notebook. "Form a line, people! Autographs are free today but limited to one per fan!"

Ali groaned, trying to sink into his chair. "Farid, stop it. You're embarrassing me."

"Embarrassing you? Bro, I'm marketing you!" Farid said, striking a dramatic pose. "Champions need hype, and I'm the guy for the job."

Zahra slid into the seat across from them, holding her phone triumphantly. "Well, Ali, how does it feel to be a star? The whole school's talking about you."

Ali gave her a weary look. "A star who can't walk ten feet without tripping over his own shadow."

"That's part of your brand!" Zahra said with a grin. "Clumsy but determined. People love it."

"Do they?" Ali asked, glancing at the surrounding tables. Sure enough, heads turned his way, some students whispering and others offering him thumbs-up.

Farid leaned over. "They definitely do. And by they, I mean her." He nodded toward Crystall, sitting a few tables away.

Crystall noticed Ali looking and offered him a small smile. Ali quickly turned back, ears burning.

Later that afternoon, Zahra dragged Ali to a quiet corner of the school library for an impromptu interview. Her phone's voice recorder was already running.

"Okay, Ali. The fans want to know: What's the secret to your sudden success?" Zahra asked, leaning in dramatically.

"There's no secret. I just...train," Ali said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Riveting stuff," Zahra deadpanned. "Come on, give me something juicy! Did Coach Rahman put you on a secret diet? Are you shadowboxing with tigers in your backyard?"

Ali laughed despite himself. "No tigers. Just a lot of bruises and sore muscles."

"Boring," Zahra said, waving her hand. "Let me spice it up for you. How about this: 'Ali's success is fueled by his unrelenting determination and an unshakable desire to prove himself—not just to the school, but to someone special.'"

Ali's eyes widened. "You can't write that!"

"Too late," Zahra said, typing furiously into her notes.

The blog post continued to gain traction throughout the week, and by Friday, even Crystall brought it up during class.

"Hey, Ali," she said, stopping by his desk as the final bell rang.

Ali looked up, surprised. "Oh, hey, Crystall."

"I read Zahra's post," she said, smiling softly. "It's really impressive—what you're doing with boxing. You've come a long way."

Ali felt his face heat up. "Uh, thanks. I'm just...trying my best."

"Well, keep it up," she said. "I'll be rooting for you."

Her words lingered in Ali's mind long after she walked away, leaving him with a strange mix of nerves and motivation.

Not everyone was thrilled with Ali's newfound attention.

In the gym that afternoon, Jason scrolled through Zahra's blog post, his jaw tightening. "Ali Hassan: Perak's rising star." He scoffed, tossing his phone onto the bench.

"Rising star, huh?" he muttered to himself. "We'll see about that."

Jason wasn't about to let some rookie steal the spotlight. If Ali wanted to be taken seriously, he'd have to prove himself in the ring again—and this time, Jason would make sure it wasn't so easy.

That evening, Ali sat on his bed, scrolling through Zahra's blog post one more time. The comments were filled with jokes, encouragement, and even some genuine admiration.

He stared at the screen, feeling the weight of it all—the expectations, the pressure, and the hope.

"This isn't just for me anymore," he said quietly, clenching his fists. His reflection in the dark screen stared back, resolute.

"I can't let them down."

---

The library was quieter than usual that afternoon, the soft rustle of pages and faint whispers of students filling the air. Ali sat at one of the corner tables, fidgeting with his pencil. Across from him, Crystall flipped through her notes, her expression calm and focused.

Ali, on the other hand, was anything but calm. His heart pounded like a drumline, and his palms were sweaty enough to make him wonder if the table needed a towel. This is it. Just tell her. Simple words. You can do this.

"Ali?" Crystall's soft voice snapped him out of his internal pep talk. "Are you okay? You've been staring at your pencil for five minutes."

"Uh, yeah! Totally fine!" Ali said, sitting up straight. His sudden movement sent a stack of books teetering dangerously close to the edge of the table. He tried to catch them, only to knock over his water bottle in the process.

Crystall stifled a laugh as she grabbed a napkin from her bag. "Careful, you'll drown your notes."

Ali laughed nervously, muttering, "Great start, Ali. Real smooth."

After a few minutes of painfully awkward silence, Ali took a deep breath. It's now or never.

"So, Crystall," he began, his voice cracking slightly. "Uh, I just wanted to say something. Something important."

Crystall looked up from her notes, her eyes locking onto his. "What is it?"

Ali felt his throat tighten. Abort mission! Too scary! No, wait—you can do this!

"I... uh... well, you see, I think you're..." He trailed off, his face turning as red as a tomato.

"Ali?" Crystall tilted her head, a hint of amusement in her expression.

"I think you're amazing!" he blurted out, the words tumbling out in a rush. "And not just amazing like, 'Wow, she's smart and kind,' but amazing like... like..."

"Like?" Crystall prompted gently, her lips curving into a small smile.

"Like, I really like you," Ali said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I've liked you for a while now. I just... I needed to tell you."

Crystall's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, she exhaled softly, her expression thoughtful.

"Ali," she began, her tone kind but measured. "I didn't expect this. Honestly, I don't know what to say right now."

Ali's heart sank, but he managed to nod. "That's okay. I didn't expect an answer. I just... I wanted you to know."