Read Online I Kissed A Girl In My Class by Abhilash Gaur - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Abhilash Gaur
Tags: first love, valentines day
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minutes, and then, instead of coming back
for tea, the VIPs consulted their watches, and each other, and
disappeared cheerfully from the school in their limousines.
The teachers, who
had held their breath and noise for so long, now chattered eagerly
like schoolgirls, and after munching down the biscuits and
swallowing the tea, which had turned cold, they too disappeared
from the scene.
***
16. New
Assignments
Monday morning
came, and the students found something changed along the path that
bordered the orchard. The saplings had been enclosed in little
cages that looked like old drums whose base and top had been cut
off and the walls had been punctured with long, rectangular
gun-slits to let light and air in.
After the class
returned from the morning assembly, a messenger came to 7-A and
told Radhika Ma’am to send six responsible students to the
principal right away. Manu was among the six, so was his friend
Samar. When they reached the principal’s office they found six
others from 7-B waiting there already, and Neha was among them. The
12 students were kept waiting a long time as teachers came and went
on important errands. The students were supposed to stand quietly
in the corridor but when old friends meet a thousand things demand
to be discussed, so every two minutes a teacher’s stern face peeped
out to “sush” them. Neha was talking to another of their 6-B
classmates, Anisha, a tall, fair girl who was a favourite of the
teachers for her dancing, singing and oratorical skills, but Manu
had never paid much attention to her in all their years together.
Now, too shy to talk to Neha directly, he tried the opening gambit
on Anisha.
“Hi, Anisha, have
you entered for Saturday’s debate?” he said with obviously no
interest in hearing her answer. “And you, Neha?” he added
casually.
Both girls said
‘yes’, and Manu again found himself struggling to keep the
conversation going. Then Samar asked them whether they knew why
they had been sent to the principal’s office, and that started an
animated discussion full of guesses. Manu watched Neha entranced.
Her eyes lit up every time she smiled or ventured a guess shyly.
Her laughter was guileless. Careful not to stare at her, he looked
down at his feet every few moments, but his eyes kept returning to
that sweet face irresistibly.
Then the side door
to the principal’s office opened and they were all asked to troop
inside. There were only four empty leather chairs around the
principal’s desk, so they stood in a neat horseshoe behind them and
waited for the news. The principal smiled and studied their faces
carefully, she knew the more active ones like Manu and Anisha quite
well, and Samar had made his mark over the years by doggedly
holding on to the first rank in every class.
“So, children, do
you know why I have called you here today,” ma’am asked.
“No, ma’am,” they
murmured and exchanged doubtful glances.
“Well, I am going
to give you all a great responsibility.” (At this, they all
straightened their backs and became very alert) “You will have to
look after the six new saplings our patrons planted yesterday.
Remember, these are not just any ordinary saplings. They have been
planted by our PATRONS. And we have to ensure that all six grow up
to be tall and stout trees.”
Manu made a mental
note to look up the word ‘patron’ in the dictionary during the
library period later in the day. Principal Ma’am led them out of
the building to the edge of the orchard and quickly sorted them
into groups of two. Manu was praying to be teamed with Neha but he
got Deepak, a quiet, dark, very thin and very intelligent boy, for
his partner. Deepak usually took the second position behind Samar
in the exams, and Manu had managed to get that far only once.
Neha and Anisha
were in the same team, and their joy showed. Samar was teamed with
Priya, a brusque, fast-talking girl who had been in the other
section till a year ago, and was very much a
for tea, the VIPs consulted their watches, and each other, and
disappeared cheerfully from the school in their limousines.
The teachers, who
had held their breath and noise for so long, now chattered eagerly
like schoolgirls, and after munching down the biscuits and
swallowing the tea, which had turned cold, they too disappeared
from the scene.
***
16. New
Assignments
Monday morning
came, and the students found something changed along the path that
bordered the orchard. The saplings had been enclosed in little
cages that looked like old drums whose base and top had been cut
off and the walls had been punctured with long, rectangular
gun-slits to let light and air in.
After the class
returned from the morning assembly, a messenger came to 7-A and
told Radhika Ma’am to send six responsible students to the
principal right away. Manu was among the six, so was his friend
Samar. When they reached the principal’s office they found six
others from 7-B waiting there already, and Neha was among them. The
12 students were kept waiting a long time as teachers came and went
on important errands. The students were supposed to stand quietly
in the corridor but when old friends meet a thousand things demand
to be discussed, so every two minutes a teacher’s stern face peeped
out to “sush” them. Neha was talking to another of their 6-B
classmates, Anisha, a tall, fair girl who was a favourite of the
teachers for her dancing, singing and oratorical skills, but Manu
had never paid much attention to her in all their years together.
Now, too shy to talk to Neha directly, he tried the opening gambit
on Anisha.
“Hi, Anisha, have
you entered for Saturday’s debate?” he said with obviously no
interest in hearing her answer. “And you, Neha?” he added
casually.
Both girls said
‘yes’, and Manu again found himself struggling to keep the
conversation going. Then Samar asked them whether they knew why
they had been sent to the principal’s office, and that started an
animated discussion full of guesses. Manu watched Neha entranced.
Her eyes lit up every time she smiled or ventured a guess shyly.
Her laughter was guileless. Careful not to stare at her, he looked
down at his feet every few moments, but his eyes kept returning to
that sweet face irresistibly.
Then the side door
to the principal’s office opened and they were all asked to troop
inside. There were only four empty leather chairs around the
principal’s desk, so they stood in a neat horseshoe behind them and
waited for the news. The principal smiled and studied their faces
carefully, she knew the more active ones like Manu and Anisha quite
well, and Samar had made his mark over the years by doggedly
holding on to the first rank in every class.
“So, children, do
you know why I have called you here today,” ma’am asked.
“No, ma’am,” they
murmured and exchanged doubtful glances.
“Well, I am going
to give you all a great responsibility.” (At this, they all
straightened their backs and became very alert) “You will have to
look after the six new saplings our patrons planted yesterday.
Remember, these are not just any ordinary saplings. They have been
planted by our PATRONS. And we have to ensure that all six grow up
to be tall and stout trees.”
Manu made a mental
note to look up the word ‘patron’ in the dictionary during the
library period later in the day. Principal Ma’am led them out of
the building to the edge of the orchard and quickly sorted them
into groups of two. Manu was praying to be teamed with Neha but he
got Deepak, a quiet, dark, very thin and very intelligent boy, for
his partner. Deepak usually took the second position behind Samar
in the exams, and Manu had managed to get that far only once.
Neha and Anisha
were in the same team, and their joy showed. Samar was teamed with
Priya, a brusque, fast-talking girl who had been in the other
section till a year ago, and was very much a
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