Collaborative FF:Grew Young Together...PAGE 14, CHAPTER 12 UPDATED! - Page 4

Chapter 5

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High school was no different than Kindegarten, except that I had grown few years older and had grown about 10 inches taller. Everything was the same, my best friend Pragya still by my side everytime in good and bad times, well I really didn't have bad times unless ofcourse I fell of stairs or of a swing because I went too high and too fast, then I had my lovely parents and Pragya by side looking after me. My parents were being dear to me but Pragya would also try to look after me even if she didn't know what she was doing. What would she know at her age? But she sure was caring and always looking worried even if I had a little scratch. She was like my moon in my brighter days and the brightest star in my darker days of falling or hurting myself. My brother Prem was the new addition in our class, that's new. We also had Arjun. He was a dark horse. I couldn't figure him out just yet. It has been three weeks since we started High school. We made new friends but they were formal, just hi and bye. I was always with Pragya and Prem, bonus being both got along just fine. Last weekend Prem was not being well and had to stay at home which I did not understand. I asked my parents and they said he was just feeling tired. I was missing Pragya as there was no school and I would not being seeing her. With my parents permission, I spent my weekend with Pragya.

We were watching the movie "Rock On!!". I loved the hero so much that I had tears in my eyes. It was the first time I cried seeing a movie. I wanted to play guitar like the hero. I was talking about the movie during the whole of our weekend that Pragya got so bored. But Pranav supported me. He told me to join guitar classes if I liked it so much. Prem joined us in school after few days. I was waiting for the right time to talk to my dad. I waited to catch him in a good mood to talk about the guitar classes. But our exam results came out and I passed the exam just by an inch as usual. Prem and Pragya had good marks. I told Prem not to tell mom and dad about exams marks when we were on the way to our home in our cycles. He hesitated at first but then gave in as he didn't want me to get scolded. We parked our cycles and entered the home as usual. Dad was sitting at the dining table. I wondered why he was at home so early. He asked Prem about marks. Prem said that we didn't get our marks yet. Dad told him not to lie. I told Dad that Prem was telling the truth. Dad shouted at me to stop lying. Prem took out his test papers and gave it to Dad. Dad asked my papers. I took the papers from my bag as slowly as I could. He saw the papers and threw it away. He asked why I got so much low marks when Prem and Pragya were getting good marks. He told that Pragya had already told him about my marks. Why did she do that?

I couldn't find Pragya anywhere. I was really tensed. Prem asked me what were we waiting for and where was Pragya. I told him that Pragya wasn't at school. Prem also started searching for her in all the classrooms. He suggested that we should look at Pragya's home. She was sitting at the entrance with her chin upon her two hands. Sarla Aunty stopped watering the plants as she saw us with our cycles. She welcomed us and asked us whether we didn't go home. I was angry with Pragya. Prem said that Pragya took his notebook by mistake. Aunty called Pragya and went inside home as Pragya came. She was surprised to see us. Prem asked her why she went home without seeing us. Pragya said that she was not feeling well. Prem looked at me and Pragya not wanting to see each other's face and understood that there was something off between us. I unzipped my backpack on the cycle and took out my cap. I gave it to her. She didn't take it so I put it on her head. She smiled at me and I smiled at her. Prem asked us whether we fought for the cap. We chuckled and he stood there clueless. Sarla Aunty came out and told us that our mom was on the line. I and Prem actually forgot that mom would have been waiting for us. I pushed Prem forward and followed him. He took the phone and it seemed that mom was scolding us. It got darker when we reached home.

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I was so excited. It was the next day of school and I wanted to see Abhi and tell him what happened at home. At the same time I knew he might be upset because his Dad didn't seem to be pleased from the last time I saw him. As I hurried down the hall to the classroom skipping away, I just bumped into the teacher by accident. She gave me a stern look as I straightened myself up. I carried on walking hurriedly towards the classroom. I chuckled myself thinking who I bumped into. She was a senior teacher, Mrs Angie but Abhi and Prem call her Mrs Snorts because she snorts a lot. I shook my head thinking of the silly name created by Abhi as I entered the classroom. Abhi and Prem were already seated on their seats. As soon as I entered Prem smiled at me but Abhi didn't even look at me. I didn't think much of it until I sat in my seat and after ten minutes wanted his cap to play around as the lesson was boring. It was Mathematics and I had already learnt the algebra. I tried getting his cap but he grabbed my hand and let it drop on the table. In those few minutes I saw in his eyes that he was upset with me and I thought he was upset because I told his dad about his marks. But I didn't like how he treated me. I thought we were best friends and best friends always understand each other without one saying anything. That's what my mum taught me about understanding your close and special ones. I carried on looking at him absentmindedly whilst he was listening to the class teacher by looking straight ahead. I just looked down and tried not to cry. I held back my tears as long as I could but I knew I could not hold it any longer. As soon as the class finished and the bell rang I ran out of the class room without looking back at Abhi and far away from him.

I went all the way to my home crying and wiping my tears. I heard the sound of someone ringing the bell of a bicycle. I turned around to see as I wanted it to be Abhi and Prem. But it was that Arjun. He asked me why I started from school so early. I didn't reply him and continued walking. He stopped his cycle and started walking with me. He asked me the reason for crying. He asked me whether any teacher had scolded me. He told that he would take care of the teacher. I thanked him for his concern and added that I really didn't need his help. He kept coming with me until we reached my street. He bid me good-bye and started cycling. I thought he was a good boy and was not creepy as I imagined. Mom asked me whether any miracle happened that day as I reached home so soon. I went to wash my face as I didn't want my mom to ask why I was crying. My brother was busy washing his motorbike that he didn't see me. If he had seen me, he would have definitely found out that I was upset. I was upset with Abhi. Why did he behave like that? What wrong did I do? Was telling his marks to his dad such a big mistake? I was hurt. He should have understood me. I was sitting on the steps at the entrance of my home. Mom called me to the garden and I went towards the garden. Abhi and Prem had come. They should have been at their home at that time. Why were they at my home? Mom went inside and we three were left alone. Prem was enquiring me while Abhi opened his bag. I wondered what was he searching for. He took out his favourite cap and offered it to me. I decided not to get convinced easily. He put the cap on my head. He was just impossible to be angry on. We smiled and Prem was confused. They got scoldings from their mom over phone for not reaching home yet. Abhi and Prem started cycling. Abhi looked back at me and waved his hands when they were two houses away from me.

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