“Miss John, may I have my old KG seat, the one I had before?” asked Premala.
“What’s the problem?” asked Miss John.
“This new girl.”
“Never mind.” Smiled Miss John. “We must make her feel welcome, isn’t it? You must be Miss Bala Sharma, is that right?”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Well, don’t let the girls bother you dear. They’re only teasing. By next week you’ll be best friends.”
“Oh, I hope so,” said Bala, smiling.
That evening after school, Bala felt someone pull one of her plaits as she left class. She turned around to confront the two girls from her class, plus four others:
“Where do you think you’re going, girl?”
“My name is Bala and I’m going home. Goodbye.”
Bala walked quickly from the building, but her classmates were close on her heels. Across the street they caught up with her again and blocked her way.
“You didn’t ask us if you could leave.”
Bala laughed. “Why should I?” “Because we’re in charge of everything that happens around her.”
“You’re not in charge of me,” Bala said, smiling.
“You want to bet?”
Bala wiggled her forefinger in a small circle and then pointed to her temple. “You must be nuts,” said Premala, pushing Bala.
“Don’t touch me,” Bala said evenly.
“Make me.”
Bala simply turned her head and with utmost confidence smile at them, causing them to step aside, one by one.
“Wow, Supergirl!” murmured Mary. “You’re a strong kid. We need you on our side. You want to be our president?”
“President of what?” Bala giggled.
“We’re a gang and we boss all the other kids around here. You could be our president, if you wanted.”
“Okay, I’m your president,” Bala laughed. “And my first official act is disband this gang.”
“Why Bala? It’s fun to be in a gang.”
“Yes, but it’s not fun for the kids who get scared and cry because they have to do what you say, and it’s not fun for the kids Who can’t join and feel left out. This gang has now been disbanded, and I’ve got to go home because my Mummy will worry if I’m late. What about your Mummy, Premala?
“She’s at office.”
“Okay, guys, see you tomorrow. Maybe we could start a good club.”
“Yeah, see you, Bala.”
But the next morning, Bala whispered to her mother at breakfast, “It’s a little bit hard, Mummy. I never met girls like that before. But soon we’ll be best friends, I’m sure of it.”
“That’s my Bala.”
That day, Bala took her seat in the second row, which was now her assigned place. She said “Good morning” to Ritu and smiled at everyone else.
Miss John explained the various courses: science, math, social studies, history, geography, etc. There were endless lists of instructions and more endless lists to take home to parents. Rules of behavior and dress codes were handed out, as well as the philosophy of education for the school. Before lunch, Miss John gave a pop quiz, which was graded immediately and returned.
Chapter Ten - School
Start from the beginning
