76. Morning assembly

"You all get out now. Enough chit-chat." Olivia swung her towel which she was drying her hair with at them. "Didi. Do you really have to go to bed this early?" Ritutandra complained. "Mhmm." Olivia nodded. "Alright, guys. Let's leave Olivia and her sleep alone else who knows we might only go out of this room with black and blue patches all over us. Let's play safe." Trayee was the first to get up. She crossed her hand behind her head and walked towards the door saying that. "You've become sensible," Olivia said like an elder praising her junior's good behaviour.

"It's the result of all those kicks and punches." Parijat taunted. Trayee, who had almost gone out of the room rushed back at lightning speed and kicked his butt. "Your mouth will be the death of you," Olivia said shaking her head as Parijat looked at her with teary eyes. Ritutandra made a disgusted face and left with Nilambori. "When do you plan on leaving?" Olivia got up and threw the towel on a chair, sat on the bed cross-legged and asked. "Aahhh. I'm hurt let me recuperate for some time." Parijat slid over the bed on his belly and said sprawling his arms and legs like a starfish. Olivia used her watch to set a timer and said: "You have three minutes." "Haaa. You're so stingy. Can't you coax your Lil cute baby brother since he just got beaten up?" Parijat pouted. Olivia looked at him indifferently and said "Two minutes twenty-eight seconds." Parijat quietened and pressed his face on the bed.

After Parijat left, Olivia prepared the bed to sleep. Just then a little object caught her eyes. It was a keychain with three mini figurines. It was lying on the ground, probably falling from her bag. She picked it up and kept it on the table.

The next morning all the students gathered on the ground for the assembly. Once the Principal came a part of the ground rose making a raised platform. The Principal climbed on it and greeted the students. "From today onwards your overall score on your performance will be displayed on the display screen." The Principal pointed towards the big holographic projection on one side of the field. Rankings of the students were showing along with their names. "I would now ask our School Captain and Vice Captain to start our morning prayer."

Ritutandra got on the platform. The Principal asked, "Where's the Captain?" Although he was asking Ritutandra his eyes were scanning the crowd in search of the said Captain. Olivia very conveniently lowered her head. 'Do you think I'm stupid? Are you thinking that you can hide your bamboo-like figure behind that short boy just by lowering your head?' The Principal thought. Olivia even after feeling the Principal's intense gaze behaved like nothing happened. "Sir the Captain isn't well so she asked me to carry on." Ritutandra good-naturedly conveyed the Captain's words. The Principal gave her a sidelong glance and nodded. Ritutandra coughed and started the assembly.

Ketu was a place where many students entered as well as exited each year just because they could not keep up with the standards. Only a few managed to hold their positions so the number of veteran students was far less than that of new students. Most students dropped out after two or three years but Olivia and her group were in Ketu since the beginning. Out of those who witnessed their investiture ceremony maximum were no longer in school. And Olivia had not directly participated in the school's matters for a long time so those who knew mostly forgot her too. Koushik's batch was the first to see her as the School Captain after several years. Before that, all the new students were guided by Nidhi on the advice of Olivia.

Hearing Ritutandra's words Koushik stared at Olivia in confusion. The other newcomers also turned towards her but quickly looked away receiving her death glares. After the prayer, Ritutandra said, "Another addition to the previous announcement is that along with your ID numbers, your names will be shown on the display screen too." Her eyes caught Olivia's whose face clearly had it written, 'Which fatherf*cker decided this?' She gave her a sympathetic look and ended the assembly. While the students were dispersing Olivia slowed down. Ritutandra casually walked by her and whispered "Good luck." Olivia stood still. "F*ck. That sh*t doesn't work for me." Olivia muttered. She knew there would be trouble the moment she heard about the punishment. She turned to look at the Principal who was walking at a distance. He smirked feeling her gaze on him. Olivia gritted her teeth and muttered "So this was just the first phase. There are more to come."

She was walking along the hallway when she spotted someone waiting for her. She stopped in her tracks and raised her eyebrows. "Hey, what was that on the ground? You were clearly present. Why did the VC lie?" Koushik asked the question that was itching his tummy since the beginning of the assembly. "I don't report to you," Olivia said as cold as usual. He clicked his tongue "Tch. I was just asking. Why are so serious all the time?" Olivia just stared at him blankly. Koushik slapped his temple and said "Okay okay I get it. You don't have a large word bank. I wonder how are you able to live without talking?" 'I do talk. A lot. But with myself.' Olivia replied in her mind. Seeing her still looking at him with that expressionless face Koushik said exasperated "Come come. Let's go to class. You're so boring."