Rupali's Return: A New Beginning

"Hey, hurry up, Rupali! Why are you walking like a snail? At this rate, we'll reach class after the session ends! Don't you know how strict Rakesh sir is?" Priya huffed, picking up her pace.

But Rupali wasn't listening. Her mind was far away, tangled in the surreal feeling of being back in this place. Bhagalpur's familiar streets, the same old bustling lanes, and the faces she had once known so well—it all felt like a vivid dream. A mix of nostalgia and unease brewed within her.

Every corner whispered memories, pulling her deeper into a trance. As she walked, her foot hit a stone, and she stumbled, landing ungracefully on the ground.

"Rupali! Are you alright? Where's your head today? Look, you're bleeding!" Priya exclaimed, rushing to her side.

Rupali blinked as if waking from a dream. Seeing Priya's worried face and the small scratches on her hands, she did the unexpected—she started laughing.

Her laughter soon turned to tears as she threw her arms around Priya.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Priya muttered, bewildered but softly patting her back.

After a moment, Rupali pulled away, wiped her tears, and said with a mischievous grin, "Don't you dare tell anyone about this, or else!"

Priya rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine, fine. But can we move faster now?"

The two made their way to class, joking and giggling. Yet, Rupali couldn't shake the heaviness in her chest. As they entered their usual math tuition, she scanned the room, the memories flooding back.

The class buzzed with activity—students crammed formulas, whispered jokes, or stared into space. Rupali's eyes landed on the empty teacher's desk, and her heart sank. She remembered hearing the devastating news years ago: Rakesh sir, the most brilliant and compassionate math teacher she'd ever known, had passed away.

His presence in the classroom was commanding yet comforting. He wasn't just a teacher but a mentor who encouraged struggling students and waived fees for those in need. Yet, here he was again, walking into the classroom as if nothing had happened.

Rupali froze, her mind spinning. Could time travel really be this bizarre? Was this her chance to relive and rewrite the moments she had once taken for granted?

"Alright, everyone. Settle down. You all know today is test day," Rakesh sir announced, his voice steady and commanding.

Priya leaned in toward Rupali and whispered, "You've studied, right? Tell me you've studied."

"Test?" Rupali whispered back, her voice shaky. "I didn't know there was a test!"

Priya sighed dramatically. "You're hopeless. Fine, just do your best. And for heaven's sake, don't embarrass me."

Rupali's relationship with math had always been rocky—like an on-again, off-again ex who refused to leave her alone. She'd thought she'd finally said goodbye to it after twelfth grade, only to have it haunt her again in college. And now, thanks to whatever bizarre twist of fate had brought her here, she was facing it all over again.

The test papers were handed out, and Rupali stared at hers as if it were written in a foreign language. Questions about trigonometric identities and calculus stared back at her mockingly. She scribbled half-heartedly, hoping for a miracle, but deep down, she knew how this would end.

When the bell rang, she handed in her paper with a sinking heart.

Priya peeked at her sheet and shook her head. "Not a single correct answer? Rupali, even your worst days weren't this bad!"

Rupali groaned, burying her face in her hands. "God, why couldn't I be like the heroines in time-travel novels? They always have some magical cheat code to fix everything. But me? I'm just the same clueless girl, even after traveling through time!"

But as the two stepped out into the open air, Rupali felt a strange sense of clarity. Maybe she wasn't here to be perfect. Maybe this second chance wasn't about acing tests or rewriting history flawlessly. Maybe it was about embracing her flaws, learning from them, and doing better—one step at a time.

She turned to Priya, a determined glint in her eyes. "Next time, I'm going to score higher than you. Just wait."

Priya laughed. "Big words. Let's see if you can back them up."

They walked off together, their laughter filling the air. For the first time in a long while, Rupali felt hopeful. This wasn't just a chance to relive her past—it was a chance to rewrite her story. And she wasn't going to waste it.