Peacock...

19

Vetri

"Sir," she is late again to the tuition. Not sparing her a look, I hunch composedly on the chair, inspecting the other students who were attentively learning.

"Ahem," she clears her throat, seeking my attention, but I still don't glance her way. She is no good for my sanity. This was the second day that she had appeared in my dream. It wasn't an improper one...

I had just seen her smile and flaunt her long hair.

Pulling me back to reality, I see Mayil's form walking to the corner. And she has let her extended bristle free, just like how she had in my dream.

For a few seconds, I freeze, desperately wanting to see her face. The moment she swirls and seats herself at the corner, my heart skips a beat. God, I'm doomed.

Quickly equipping my professional side, I yell at her. "I did not allow you to enter Mayil!" the glow on her face falters at my words.

And still, she is nothing less than beautiful.

"What do you think this is? It's not your home where you could enter whenever you please! The next time you arrive late, I would give you severe punishment, understood?" She just nods her head dully and starts to rummage through her bag.

Afterward, I went out of the room to the adjacent one. Spending quite a time there and clearing the doubts of students, I visit the lounge, where I question the small children. Imposing tiny hits on the ones who are lazy to study, I re-enter the room I had left at first.

"Does anyone have doubts regarding the portion you are covering?" I ask them and only one hand raises up. Indeed it's Mayil. "What are you learning?" I quirk my eyebrows at her.

"Positive, compara-tive, and super--lative!"  Hema chuckles mockingly and the few friends surrounding her giggles as well. "Four of you, do you want to kneel and study for the rest of the class?" I question them sternly, loathing their irrational behavior.

"No sir," they murmur, frightened. "If I see you laughing at others again.." I trail off menacingly and they instantly bow their head. "Get back to studying!" At my command, they immediately begin to learn.

Satisfied with their action, I signal Mayil to come to the front. As she starts to move, I saunter and recline on the chair behind the wooden desk.

Soon, Mayil plops the book on the desk and stands timidly to the side. "What's the doubt?" I enquire as I look up at her. "I want to create a sentence using 'beautiful' sir but I don't know what's the comparative and superlative form of the word," I squint my eyes at her before throwing a question.

"Were you busy daydreaming while I was teaching this back in the class?" She shakes her head and pouts innocently. Sighing, I commence to teach her it once again.

"So it is Mayil is beautiful in positive. Mayil is more beautiful than...in comparative, and how to say it in superlative sir?" She queries confusedly and not analyzing the mischief behind her words, I speak and halt when realization dawns on me.

"Mayil is the most beau-" her eyes lits up and she nods her head for me to go on. Hence this girl here is planning to make me say she is beautiful? Huh?

I thought she would hate me but she seems to have a totally different idea than I anticipated.

"You should just add most prior to the word beautiful" Pure disappointment paints her face and with an 'okay sir,' she picks up her book and saunters back to her place.

Isn't she just too intriguing? I smile inwardly, thinking about her antics.

Henceforth, until the end of class time, Mayil was grubby, her mood visibly irritated. But she answered correctly when I had questioned her about the grammar portion.

And as usual, once every student leaves the class, Mayil stays behind. "Don't want to go to your home?" She bobs her head in a no. "Even If you don't want to, you still have to get out. We don't entertain outsiders to sleep at our house," uttering that, I close the attendance book and stand up to my feet. "I'm not an outsider sir. I'm your student!" She retorts and blocks the entrance of the room with her body when I attempt to exit.

"And a student should know her limits Mayil!" Why can't she just stop pestering me and loathe me? No amount of my insults is having any effect on her. Well, it does have an impact on her but not the very ones I desire.

"I know my limits sir but you should also know yours! You can't just check out your student and lie that you didn't..." It was a fault on my side, I accept.

"I apologize for that Mayil. I'm sorry," She perks up at me, surprised, clearly not looking forward to heeding my apology.

"Sir...it's okay. But did you really find me hideous?" Why does she have to come back to that same point again?

"It's not okay Mayil. I should not have done that." She shakes her head vigorously. "Leave it, sir! Just tell me If you find me hideous or not and I won't disturb you again" She is killing me. I might as well put a full stop to this. That's the right thing to do now.

"Fine! I found you beautiful..." a wide grin stretches her lips and without another word, she swirls and rushes away.

"Haa! I don't have to change my name!" I couldn't understand what she meant by that but I am aware of the reason behind the warmness that embraces my heart...

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