School Days

Did I say something way too honest, made you run and hide? ~ Forever and Always

Meera Bai International School, Delhi, gave equal importance to their extracurricular activities as to its academics. Every student had to either pick up sports, a musical instrument or an art form of their liking for their extracurriculars. Clubs were formed, and leaders were picked for various competitions throughout the year. Pratap was captain of the school cricket team, Shakti took western dance lessons, Heer had a liking for classical dance, Ajabdeh was head of the debate team and a singer, Jalal was the lead vocalist of the school band and played the guitar, and amidst all these, Rukaiya, even in her academic brilliance, was finding it hard to cope. The only people she had managed to befriend, probably because they knew her cousin, were Shakti and Ajabdeh. Their inside jokes bothered her, and she felt homesick. When the principal had called her to the chambers and reminded her that she needed to pick her clubs and extracurriculars, Rukaiya was perplexed. She didn’t have the confidence to go in front of a crowd and perform; she was already looking at the literature club and debate club, but that wasn’t enough. The Principal said, “In this institution, it is important you go out of your comfort zone and choose something that will help you grow.” Rukaiya had no idea what to do. She was sitting in the school courtyard before classes began, staring at the pamphlet of options in her hand while waiting for Shakti and Ajabdeh to arrive. Jalal was in the distance, with his friends who were busy teasing Pratap and Samaira, suggesting they should be performing together in the school fest. Jalal’s eyes fell on Rukaiya, looking perplexed, and he immediately remembered his mother’s words. He had to look out for her. She was introverted, thrown into this world where she didn’t belong, had faced a lot of difficulties and needed support. Jalal was about to excuse himself from his group and approach her when Shakti walked up to Rukaiya and probably cracked a joke that made her smile. Jalal stopped, watching them from a distance. He saw her face light up as Shakti took the pamphlet from her hand, and she explained her woes to him. He sat down beside her to help her out. A part of Jalal was happy that she had found some good friends, yet he wasn’t wholly feeling good about the idea. Since they were kids, Rukaiya’s timid nature had given him a protective instinct about her whenever she was around. They met each other at festivals and summer vacations, and somehow, when people bullied her or she faced any dilemma, he was used to stepping up for her. Seeing someone else help her was… Jalal’s thoughts were interrupted when someone in the group said aloud, “Oh, look, little Miss Know It All is talking to the Superintendent. What does she want now? No school buses because of global warming?” They laughed as Jalal’s eyes travelled to Ajabdeh at a distance, waving her hands enthusiastically as the man in charge nodded his head with a rather serious face.

“Oh, look at her braids. Who braids like that here? Is this a municipal school?” One of the girls commented. The others agreed.

“Oh, don’t say anything, she is coming this way, or else she will invite you to a debate and cry over it!” Ajabdeh stopped in her tracks as she overheard this with a ring of laughter in the distance. She looked at them from the corner of her eyes, especially at Pratap, whose amused smile seemed to disappear at her glance and then at Jalal, who didn’t genuinely look entertained. If she wanted, Ajabdeh could give them a piece of her mind, but she had no mood for it. So, she decided to walk up to Shakti and Rukaiya instead. Jalal followed her, surprising the group as his call made her stop. 

“I was wondering if you would help Rukaiya with choosing her extracurriculars. She seems confused and pressured.” Ajabdeh smiled at Jalal’s protective tone with a nod. 

“Well, she does have a cousin worthy of feeling the pressure.” Her words made Jalal smile. For the first time, not only had Ajabdeh complimented him, but her words made him feel like he wasn’t just Pratap’s shadow to her. Like she knew him the way he was, beyond being Pratap’s friend. Ajabdeh smiled reassuringly. 

“Don’t worry, Shakti and I will help her out. I would love to have her in my debate team.” She reassured Jalal. 

“Umm… So can I get you a thank-you coffee sometime?” Jalal regretted the words as soon as they came out of his mouth. Ajabdeh’s smile disappeared.

“You don’t need to do that. We are helping a friend.” She shrugged and walked away as Jalal stopped her again.

“No, I didn’t mean that….” He paused and gathered his thoughts “I thought we could be friends too.” Ajabdeh seemed a little taken aback by his proposition. “And before you accuse me, my offer is for both you and Shakti. We have known each other for such a long time…” Ajabdeh nodded with a faint smile in agreement before she walked away towards Shakti and Rukaiya, who seemed so engrossed in a conversation that they didn’t notice her. Jalal turned back to see his group watching him with scrutinising eyes as he walked back to them.

“What is wrong with you? Why are you talking to her?” Someone snapped at him. 

“Oh, don’t tell me you have a crush on Miss Know It All.” Another guy made everyone laugh as Pratap frowned at Jalal, shaking his head reluctantly. “Do you, Jalal?”

“I am sure she doesn’t even know the meaning of it.” Samaira shook her head and smiled at Pratap, whose eyes were still on Jalal. His brows narrowed as Jalal avoided his glance, and someone else commented, “Oh, she does know the meaning of it. She had a crush on Pratap!”

“WHAT?” The entire group started laughing as Pratap joined in their conversation about how crazy Ajabdeh was if she thought she stood a chance. He had to make sure the rumours didn’t make Samaira doubt him as she held his hand in hers and observed how his laughter didn’t reach his eyes. It bothered her. Weirdly enough, Varun’s cousin mentioned knowing of it the same week Pratap had confessed his crush to her. Was it a coincidence or… Samaira looked up at Jalal, who seemed to be the only one not finding the idea laughable. 

The practice area in the auditorium was taken up by the different fest contestants and organisers to practice after school, and Ajabdeh entered through the third door and scanned the room for her corner. Rukaiya waved at her, making her smile as she walked down the hall past the other organising groups towards them. It was then that Varun stopped her in her tracks. Ajabdeh clenched her jaws. She was anticipating this. It's been ten odd days since the guy was back in school, and there was no way he was going to let his suspension go quickly.

“Varun, I meant to talk to you. I did tell Princi not to suspend…” Varun stopped her with a hand gesture, “Oh, that is nothing, it's done, let's be friends.” His extended hand took Ajabdeh by surprise. She shook it reluctantly and tried to excuse herself from him when he stopped her again. 

“So, you still have your little crush?” Ajabdeh stopped almost with a gasp as Varun’s voice boomed in the otherwise chaotic room. “What were you thinking? Have you ever seen yourself in the mirror?” He laughed, amused as Ajabdeh looked up at him, his face wearing a smug smile. Shakti was about to step up, seeing Varun’s amused face from a distance as he talked to Ajabdeh, but  Pratap held him back and whispered. “Another issue, and I will make sure you are going to boarding school.” Shakti freed his hand from his brother and walked away, irked by him. Pratap shook his head and was about to follow when Samaira walked up to him, held his hand and led him away to their table. Jalal stepped up behind Ajabdeh and asked Varun in a rather intimidating tone if something was wrong. Varun shook his head and was quick to leave when Ajabdeh glanced over her shoulder with a frown at Jalal and snapped. “I can help myself! I have told you a million times that I don’t need your pity.” She stopped at his smile as he shook his head and said, “I was just helping a friend,” and walked away before she could talk again. Confused, Ajabdeh approached Rukaiya, who smiled at her.

“Can I tell you something and you won’t kill me for it, Ajab?” Rukaiya asked as they prepared the posters. Ajabdeh nodded unmindfully as her eyes searched the crowd, and stopped at Pratap staring at Samaira laughing, with a faint smile. The pit of her stomach felt empty as she looked away, at Rukaiya.

“I think Jalal likes you.” Ajabdeh’s hand stopped at the glitter she picked up as Rukaiya giggled. “I haven’t seen him care for anyone like that, except for me, of course.” Rukaiya’s words were enough to unsettle Ajabdeh with this weird perspective. She had noticed Jalal, but deciphered his actions as his pity for her. 

“Pratap, you know I trust you, right?” Samaira spoke as they sat in a secluded corner of the campus with his arms around her, as he frowned at her words. “But I don’t trust that girl.”

“Which girl?” Pratap’s clueless question made Samaira snap.

“Ajabdeh Punwar. Why didn’t you tell me she had a crush on you?” Her tone was accusing, but Pratap was not sure about what.

“I didn’t know it,” he lied. “I would have if she were important to mention.” He shrugged casually, “I barely come across her.”

“She is your brother’s best friend. And your neighbour.” Samaira frowned at how casually Pratap wanted to pass off their equation. 

“So?” Pratap narrowed his eyes, “You know we all can’t tolerate her.” Samaira studied his tone again. He chuckled at the end of his sentence, rather awkwardly trying to lighten the mood. “Why are we even talking about her?” Samaira smiled at his longing stare, but her mind was elsewhere.

“Then promise me you won’t speak to her.” She extended her hand to Pratap as he looked at it and back at Samaira. A part of him wanted to tell her that it was practically not feasible given their equations and the shared business they were supposed to run someday, but another part of him wanted to do away with the conversation, and he found it best to reassure his girlfriend with the promise.