chapter 8: Transfer student

Abhimanyu smiled and said, "Hello, teacher."

Kashmira, trying to conceal the fact that they already knew each other, replied, "Hello, introduce yourself to your classmates."

Abhimanyu said, "Hello, my name is Abhimanyu Pratap Singh, and I have come here on a scholarship."

Upon hearing the name of the scholarship, the rich boys and girls who were previously interested lost their interest.

Abhimanyu glanced at the three people, first he looked at Kashmira, who seemed very angry because perhaps since she returned from Bihar, Abhimanyu hadn't called her even once, nor had he informed her before coming here.

Abhimanyu thought to himself, "Uh-oh, looks like she's going to grill me after class."

Then he looked at Aliya, who appeared surprised and happy to see him there.

In her mind, Aliya said, "Finally, he's here. Now Rohit will have a little less attention, he seems focused on wooing Kashmira."

Abhimanyu then glanced at Rohit, upon whom he was instructed to keep an eye.

Abhimanyu only mentioned his name and the scholarship during his introduction and then remained quiet.

Kashmira knew that Abhimanyu spoke very little, so she said, "Abhimanyu, go sit on that empty bench over there next to Rohit." There was an empty bench beside Rohit, and Abhimanyu went and sat there. Then Kashmira started her class.

Kashmira said, "Today is the first day after the vacation, so let's start by discussing what everyone did during the holidays."

Everyone started sharing their experiences.

Aliya stood up and said she visited different cities and met many people there. In the end, she added, "And I made some great friends in Patna."

After that, Karishma revealed that most of her time was spent managing her company's affairs and launching two outfits. Besides that, she spent two days of the holidays at her home and met her old friends. Then she said to herself, "But there's this jerk of a friend who claims to be my best friend, but neither did he answer any of my calls nor did he call me himself."

After hearing about everyone's holidays, Kashmira started her class, which was an introduction to her subject. She was the chemistry teacher, and after basic information, her class ended, and she left. After her departure, Karishma suddenly stood up from her seat.

Abhimanyu sensed danger. He slowly walked out of the gate, surprising everyone who saw him leaving from behind. Just then, Karishma also came out of the class, followed by Aliya.

Suddenly, a boy named Sahil, who was sitting beside Rohit, said, "Hey, bro, what's happening with these people? Is there some trouble outside?"

Rohit, who was beside him, was Sahil's friend or you could say, Sahil's boss.

Rohit said, "Let's go check."

As Abhimanyu rushed out, Karishma started running after him, and similarly, Aliya, Rohit, and Sahil also started running after him.

The other kids didn't pay much attention to this and remained seated in the classroom.

Karishma was like a delicate girl and princess for the other kids, who needed to be protected. Both Aliya and Karishma had their admirers, but they were still single and now were chasing after a boy.

Karishma shouted, "You jerk, stop!"

Abhimanyu replied, "I'm not stopping."

Karishma immediately increased her speed. Karishma also studied in a military school with Abhimanyu, and she continued her training even after coming to Delhi, so she was quite fit.

Abhimanyu remembered that the second class would start in 5 minutes, so he slowed down his pace and prepared to face Karishma.

As Karishma approached him, she swiftly took him down with a judo move.

"Now apologize, I just wanted to give you a surprise," she said.

Karishma turned his hand and said, "So buddy, why didn't you call for a month? Don't say you were too busy."

"Sorry, I was really busy, and I thought you might be busy too, and anyway, I was going to come to you within a month," Abhimanyu said.

Karishma let go of his hand and said, "Okay, forgiven."

All the students were in their respective classrooms, so their movements and conversations went unnoticed. Just then, Alia arrived and said, "Why do you guys run so fast? And now let me help you up; poor guy, your dress is all dirty."

Karishma remarked, "Well, that's what should happen with this jerk."

Just then, Rohit arrived and overheard the conversation. Seeing Abhimanyu lying down and his dress dirty, he assumed that Abhimanyu had done something with Karishma, so Karishma was chasing him and now fighting with him.

Rohit took advantage of the situation to try to become the hero and said, "Dude, how dare you come to our class and tease girls?"

Abhimanyu thought to himself, "When did I tease girls?"

Rohit said, "What, you're not going to say anything now? Come on, apologize to them."

Abhimanyu didn't say anything and started brushing off the dirt while Alia helped him.

Sahil said, "Bro, he won't apologize like this."

Rohit was about to move forward to hit Abhimanyu when Karishma stepped in between.

Karishma said, "I know how to handle things, I don't need your interference."

Rohit said, "Since you're saying so, I'll let it go," and then he started going to the class with Sahil.

Sahil asked, "Bro, why did you let him go?"

Rohit said, "Think about it, if I'm really angry at someone and I want to hit them myself but someone else comes and hits them instead."

Sahil said, "Then, bro, you'll be even more angry."

Rohit said, "Exactly, I didn't want to make Karishma angry. I want to impress her and make her my girlfriend. And the first rule of impressing a girl is, never make her angry."

Abhimanyu asked after brushing dust from his clothes, "Who were the uninvited guests?" Alia said, "That's Rohit, who wants to impress Karishma and make her his girlfriend."

Abhimanyu asked Karishma, "Are boys now starting to chase after you?"

Karishma replied, "Just some wannabes."

Abhimanyu said, "Sorry, sorry, but do you remember how many girls have mistaken you for a guy and proposed to you?"

Karishma kicked his leg lightly and walked away towards the classroom.

Abhimanyu suddenly received a message on his phone inviting him to lunch at the canteen by Kashmira. After typing "ok" and sending it, he returned to the class where the teacher, Sudhir, and the rest of the students were already present. He requested permission to enter the class.

Sudhir, unaware of Abhimanyu's presence before, inquired about his whereabouts and mentioned not having seen him in the class earlier.

Abhimanyu explained that he was a new admission and had been asked to accompany Kashmira mam for some work.

Impressed by Kashmira, Sudhir granted Abhimanyu permission to enter the class. Abhimanyu then returned to his seat and sat down.

After sitting on Abhimanyu's seat, Aliya asked if he had asked Kashmira ma'am.

Abhimanyu said, "But he didn't ask."

Aliya said, "You don't know, they just need an excuse to talk to Kashmira ma'am. Now watch, he'll definitely ask her."

Abhimanyu said nothing and calmly started the class.

Suddenly, the boy sitting in front of Sahil, whose shirt looked new, made a tic-tac-toe box with a pen on it, and Rohit also made a circle in it. Then, after winning another small tic-tac-toe game, Sahil made another tic-tac-toe on the shirt.

The boy whose shirt they were playing on was named Gopal, who wore glasses, was academically proficient, and a weak boy, whom both of them troubled a lot. Gopal was quite annoyed with them; last year they had troubled him a lot and made him do a lot of work, and his lunch money would often be taken away. Gopal had three other friends, Rohan, Mohit, and Varun, but these three couldn't help him either because Rohit's gang ruled the school, and no one wanted to mess with them. Gopal was so angry at this moment that he felt like he could kill them because he had bought this new shirt which these guys were ruining.

Abhimanyu raised his hand upon seeing this.

Sudhir asked, "What's the matter, do you have a question?"

Abhimanyu said, "Sorry, sir, I am new here. I wanted to ask if we can play games during the class when you are teaching, I mean if we can play, then I want to play too."

Sudhir said, "What nonsense are you talking? Sit down and if you don't want to attend the class, then leave."

Abhimanyu said, "No, sir, seriously tell me, if I play games during the class, will there be any punishment?"

Sudhir replied, "Yes, there will be. You'll have to stand outside like a chicken, and you, by asking such nonsense questions, disturbed me and disrupted the class, so you'll also have to stand outside like a chicken."

Abhimanyu stood up from his seat and asked Gopal to stand up from the next seat.

Gopal stood up as instructed.

Abhimanyu pointed towards Gopal in front of the teacher and said, "Some boys were playing tic-tac-toe on this boy's shirt during the class, so will you punish them or not?"

Sudhir asked, "Who are the boys playing games in the class?"

Abhimanyu replied, "And who else, apart from them, those two boys sitting behind, who else could it be?"

Sudhir looked towards Rohit. Sudhir already knew about Rohit, and he didn't want to mess with him and risk breaking his bones, so he said, "Rohit, playing games during the class is not a good thing, come on, apologize to Gopal."

Rohit said with a laugh, "Sorry, sir, I won't play from now on."

Sudhir said, "Alright, let's move the class forward now."

Abhimanyu said, "Come on, he admitted that it was his fault, so what punishment will you give him for harassing this child?"

Rohit said, "What nonsense? This child willingly let us write on his shirt."

Sudhir asked Gopal, "Is it true, Gopal, that you willingly allowed them to write on your shirt?"

Gopal yelled back, "You think someone would let them ruin their own shirt? But he said, 'Yes, sir.'"

Sudhir told Abhimanyu, "Now, if you're not seated, you'll have to leave the class."

Abhimanyu, Rohit, and Sahil were laughing, but Abhimanyu then returned to his seat.

In his mind, Abhimanyu thought, "What a coward, couldn't even say 'yes' once, but perhaps he's quite scared."

Aliya, turning back to reassure him, said, "You're new here, so maybe you don't know Rohit. He's the bully around here, whom not only students but even teachers prefer to keep a distance from."

Gopal glanced back at Abhimanyu. Seeing him angry, he started nervously looking ahead, afraid to look back again and losing the courage to do so.

"After the class ended, Rohit approached him. Abhimanyu was sitting with one hand resting on the desk, supporting his head. When Rohit pushed the desk in front of him and knocked it over to the side.

Abhimanyu stared at him.

Rohit said, "Look, I'm giving you a warning, thinking you're a new admission. Don't try to attract my attention, or I'll make your life hell."

Abhimanyu started smiling after hearing his dialogue. Rohit looked at him and asked, "Why are you smiling like that?"

Abhimanyu said, "My advice is to look around before doing anything."

A voice came from behind Rohit, "Rohit, sit in your seat. There was a teacher standing behind who taught math, and Rohit didn't like her at all."

Rohit immediately started moving towards his seat, then the teacher said, "Go and fix his desk."

Rohit didn't want to do it, but he had to. Then he was going back when the teacher said again, "And sorry, should I say it?"

Rohit said, "Sorry."

Abhimanyu said, "I don't know, how many times will he say sorry today?"

The teacher's name was Sangita, and she was around 30 years old. She was married and always wore sarees but looked like an actress.

Abhimanyu thought to himself, "It seems schools also choose teachers based on beauty."

Sangita asked, "Are you a new admission?"

Abhimanyu got up again and introduced himself, but with the same ordinary lines he had said in the morning.

Sangita was pleased to know that Abhimanyu was a studious boy and was in school on a scholarship. He also wore glasses that were structured like rectangular sunglasses, but Abhimanyu looked like a hero in those glasses.

Sangita started her class, and once again, Rohit and Sahil were playing games on Gopal's dress, while Abhimanyu was ignoring them and listening to the teacher's lecture. Sangita's attention shifted towards Rohit and Sahil's faces to see what was going on behind her when she saw them playing tic-tac-toe on Gopal's shirt. She punished both of them by making them stand outside, which they had to accept.

Sangita then turned to the rest of the students sitting behind and didn't say anything despite seeing everything.

Abhimanyu remained silent even after hearing all this, but seeing his silence, Karishma said, "Ma'am, Abhimanyu informed Sudhir sir about their actions in the previous class, but he didn't say anything to Rohit, and Gopal also kept quiet, saying it was all his choice."

Sangita ne Abhimanyu se poocha, "Tumne jab pichli class mein awaaz uthayi lekin tumhari kisi ne nahi suni, to kya tumne itni jaldi haar maan li? Matlab, agar tumhari baat na maani jaaye to tum chup ho jaoge?"

"You're afraid of Rohit to this extent? There are even more notorious people outside than Rohit. Are you going to give up just because you're afraid of them too?"

Abhimanyu smiled and replied, "You're right. There are more dangerous people outside than Rohit, but why should I help someone who is so cowardly that he's afraid of a boy his own age? If I save him from Rohit today, someone else will bother him tomorrow. He should fight his own battles. When Sudhir sir asked him if he let them ruin his shirt willingly, he should have said what was in his mind. I can only pave the way for someone, but walking on it is up to them."

Sangita found Abhimanyu's perspective intriguing and said, "I understand your point of view now."

Sangita looked towards Gopal and asked, "Did you understand what Abhimanyu said?"

Gopal replied, "Yes, ma'am."

Then Sangita said, "Stop being afraid, Gopal. Rohit is also your age. After that, she resumed her lecture."

Just then, the class ended, indicating that it was lunchtime. Rohit entered the class and approached Abhimanyu. Earlier, Abhimanyu had been saved from Rohit's confrontation due to the arrival of the teacher, but during lunch break, no teacher was present in the class.

At that moment, Kashmira, who was in the adjacent class during lunch break, came to Abhimanyu and asked, "Rohit, what's going on here?"

Rohit had to leave Abhimanyu once again. Kashmira came to Abhimanyu and said, "Let's go now."

Abhimanyu got up and started to leave.

Karishma and Alia, who had taken out their lunch boxes, followed Abhimanyu with Ma'am.

They reached the canteen and sat down at a table. Kashmira ordered two plates of chole bhature.

Kashmira said, "The food here isn't that great usually, but for now, it's what we have. I didn't feel like making anything this morning, and I haven't eaten anything yet."

Abhimanyu asked, "Are we still friends?"

Kashmira said, "Yes, in class, I'm your teacher, but outside, we are friends. When we're outside, you can call me 'Kashmira'."

Abhimanyu said, "So, Kashmira, can my friends join us too? They are standing a little distance behind you, trying to figure out what we are talking about."

Abhimanyu was referring to Karishma and Alia, who were standing a bit away, observing them.

Kashmira turned around and said to them, "You both come here too."

Karishma and Alia then came over and sat at their table.

Kashmira asked Abhimanyu, "But you said you were shy to talk to girls, yet you quickly befriended these two girls and even the beauty queens of the school."

Abhimanyu replied, "I already knew them."

Surprised, Kashmira asked, "But you mentioned it was your first time in Delhi."

Abhimanyu explained, "Kashmira is from Patna, and Aliya also came from Patna just a month ago."

Kashmira interjected, "Oh."

Looking at Karishma, Kashmira said, "I thought your family lived in Delhi; unfortunately, your company is also in Delhi."

Karishma explained that she lives with her aunt, who also owns the company where she works, and her family resides in Bihar.

Kashmira also had many admirers. Despite being a teacher, many boys secretly admired her. Abhimanyu was currently having lunch with the school's top three beauties, which made many boys jealous, and some even wanted to beat up Abhimanyu. Rohit was also sitting at a table, watching them.

Sahil said, "Bro, is Abhimanyu some magician sitting with all the school's crushes and laughing with them? I understand Aliya and Karishma are classmates, but why is Kashmira sitting and laughing with him? She's a class teacher."

Abhimanyu asked, "So Kashmira, you mentioned you were an intern at a school, how did you become a class teacher?"

Karishma and Aliya looked surprised when Abhimanyu referred to the teacher by her name.

Kashmira replied, "I forgot to mention, I was promoted during these holidays, and now I've become a permanent teacher."

Karishma asked, "Do you already know Abhimanyu?"

Kashmira replied, "Yes, we met on the plane yesterday and became good friends, but I really didn't know he was my student."

Abhimanyu asked, "If you had known, would you still have befriended me?"

Kashmira said, "I don't know, maybe."

Just then, Sudhir, looking for Kashmira, arrived and said, "Wow, Kashmira Ji, you even encourage your students during lunchtime."

Kashmira asked, "Did you need something?"

Sudhir said, "Yes, I wanted to ask you if you had called any student for some work after the 1st period?"

Kashmira asked, "No, why are you asking?"

Sudhir said, "This kid came to my class after arriving from outside and made an excuse that you had called him for some work."

Kashmira glanced at Abhimanyu and said, "Oh yes, I remember, I had called him. Did you need to ask something else?"

Sudhir said, "No, I was just thinking since you have become a permanent teacher here, why not celebrate this happiness with dinner?"