Chapter 8

7. Later 

Past

It had been a week since Kirti had joined her new school but she had not been provided with the school diary. The class teacher had asked the class leader to provide her with it, however, Kirti was yet to receive one. 

This morning the class teacher had asked Kirti if she had filled the first page of the diary for submission. She had shaken her head saying she hadn't yet gotten the diary.

'Pooja Rastogi, you have yet not provided her with a diary,' The class teacher reprimanded the head of the class.

'I'm sorry Ma'am. I will do that today.'

'Do that and Kirti, after you get the diary, get the first application page filled by your parents, and bring it tomorrow. And your squad is green. Get a badge too.'

Later in the free period, Kirti had approached Pooja who had gone out and come back with a diary and a fee receipt, also.

'Here,' she said handing her the materials.

'Thank you, Pooja.'

'Your welcome. It's Rs. 120. Eighty rupees for the diary and forty rupees for fee receipt. I have paid for you.'

'Oh. Thank you. I don't have money on me today. Can I pay you back tomorrow?'

'Sure' She was returning to her seat when Kirti stopped her by asking, 'Pooja, my squad badge. Teacher said, I have to get a badge too and the Geography teacher said that maps bought from outside aren't allowed. Where can I get the maps then? From the school stationery? Can you help? I don't know where it is?'

'Maps and badges are not my responsibility,' was her curt response. Her friends were discussing something important and Kirti saw impatience float on her face.

'Then whose responsibility, is it?'

'Your squad leader,' was the quick reply and Pooja had returned to her friends.

'Well, who was green squad leader?' She had wanted to ask. Walking to her own seat, she got down on her desk, where she sat with the other new girl, Shivani Jaiswal, who was always busy reading thick novels. The girl already had friends in this school for she had gone to the same tuition where some of these kids went so she was in a better situation than Kirti. Shivani was also recognized by the teachers, for her maternal aunt taught Sociology to the plus two students.

'Shivani,' Kirti called her.

Shivani looked up as if it was a pain to look away from the book, making Kirti feel guilty. It seemed to Kirti that Shivani found it beneath herself to share a bench with her. She'd have never done so if not all the seats were taken.

'Would you by any chance know who is the leader of Green squad?'

'Nishit Aggarwal,' she replied, her eyes once again back to her novel. 

'Who is he?'

Shivani sighed. At least she could have kept her displeasure to herself, Kirti thought. It was only polite to do so.

'Second row, third last bench.'

'The specs one?'

'No. The one next to him.Tall guy. Short hair.' 

'Oh. Thank you.' 

When the bell for recess rang, Kirti ran to his seat, fearful she'd miss him if he left the class.

'Nishit...'

He was writing something in his book when she approached him and he looked up at her.

'You're the green squad leader?'

'Hmm'

'I wanted the badge and maps.'

His friends had arrived now and they were calling him, some surrounding his desk.

They looked at her with curiosity and interest.

'Which school are you from?' One of them asked.

She replied her eyes still on her squad leader.

A flit of expression passed through their faces and she from the corner of her eyes saw the look that passed between the boys. She became conscious as if in one statement she had revealed her unworthiness. 

She continued to wait for Nishit to answer something when more questions poured in.

'Where's it located? Your school? Why did you change the school?'

She replied to each one of their queries, her voice lowering with each answer.

'I was performing well in my class. My teacher said there wasn't much competition there. I deserved better, she said. This is the best school in the town. There were two vacant seats, my father asked me to try.' An auto-rickshaw driver himself, he strove to give better opportunities to his children.

'Ohhhh. So you are good at your studies. Nishit you have competition.' He was keeping away his books now.

'Bhai, hurry or else bheed ho jayegi'

'Later,' he said getting up from his seat, dismissing her, and leaving. He hadn't even looked at her properly.

She had approached him twice for the same thing that week and every time it had been the same response. 

On Friday of the week, they had PT class in the fourth period, she had not been allowed to play because she had no badge.

She had tried to reason with the PT teacher, Neeladri Sir, a strict-looking teacher with a muscled body, the T-shirt fitting on his bulging, toned muscles.

'It's been two weeks since your arrival now. No excuse!' He said.

'Sir, I told my squad leader....'

'Don't blame it on others. It was your responsibility. You couldn't go and buy a badge for yourself without anybody's help?'

Kirti had stood by the side under the scorching sun, her face turning red, as she had watched her classmates being divided into teams and then the same teams competing against each other to make goals. She had kept staring at the tall guy who had smoothly dribbled the ball in the court, making goals without even bothering to look at her.

Once the period was over, she had gone and asked Parvati Reddy, a sweet-looking girl where the stationery store was.

'Let's go. I will show you.'

She had bought two badges, five rupees each. It had been so easy and she had trailing and bothering an uncaring guy for this simple task!

'I have to buy maps as well,' she informed Parvati.

'That you'll have to buy from your squad leader itself. Actually, the Geography teacher distributes all these maps to the squad leaders at the beginning of the session. One has to buy it from them.'

'Can't we buy from outside? Maps are the same everywhere no?'

'No. Shreeja Ma'am doesn't accept outside maps. It has to be her maps.' 

'I thought world map was in our syllabus.'

'Huh? Yes, it's world map only.'

'But you said her maps.'

'No, I meant...'

'I know. I know. I was just making a joke. A bad joke. Sorry.'

And then she had no option left but to go to him for the maps.

'Last time I got punished because of you.'

'Because of me?'

He looked at her for the first time. Like not looking through her but at her. His eyes were stern, his eyebrows raised and his face bore an incredulous expression.

How come, kids of the same age, as hers looked older and so intimidating!?!

'No, it wasn't your fault. Can you give me the maps, please? Tomorrow we have map practice.'

A teacher had come at the exact that time looking for him.

'Later '  

In the last period, she had waited for him to return from whatever meeting he had gone to and had handed him the money.

'Please,' she had pleaded.

'Uffho, I am not going to get up and go and get the maps now. I will get it tomorrow.'

'The cupboard is just six feet away.'

He did not move.

'Give me the key. I will get it myself.'

He dismissed her suggestion. What? Was her face so poor looking that she passed as a thief?!

'Teacher has asked not to share the keys.'

'Nishit'

'Tomorrow'

The next morning when she had arrived, he had gone for volleyball practice but then when she had come to sit at her desk she had found the maps on her table.

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]