Us │✔

15│Let It Go

Jivika~

Exams are torturous, I agree. But you know what makes them a pain in the ass? Results. Now imagine if exams were held without knowing the results. You just write the paper and done! That's it! All the dirty business finished in one go!

I distinctly remember Kiara debating with us on why exams should be held without results. And how Lata ma'am, our social science teacher, got her ears perked up at the idea and let out a hearty chuckle.

The results came and went. Well, not exactly went  to be precise. We will be getting our Science results. Also did I mention that the parent-teacher meeting is to be held today post our lunch break?

I didn't?

Well then, now I did.

In like around twenty minutes my mother will be here. I think that might be the only reason which got me worried. Being a teacher, she was busy herself. But this time with the hype of tenth grade and my father being out-of-station, she was compelled to come.

Okay. Its okay. Deep breaths.

Kiara patted my shoulder, offering some comfort and pointed towards the almost full lunch boxes ahead of us. Well, the meeting was post break after all, so why bother now?

Lets see.

Idlis, Dosas, Sandwiches, Aloo-Burger, two boxes of Puris and my Pulao. The menu was fantastic. Tearing a small piece of Dosa, I dipped it into Laysa's chutney which resulted in her snatching it away.

"My chutney only with my Idli! Not with Kiara's Dosa! How am I supposed to finish these Idlis then?!"

Before I could reply, Kiara stole away my chance.

"Laysa, its 'Dosha' ! Not Dosa ! Shame on you being a Mallu! Isn't that so Maahi? Maahi?"

But all I could see was Maahi prancing up and down the class, her hands firm to her hips. On noticing us, she let out a shriek. "What am I supposed to do!" she whined.

"What happened?"

"Both my parents are coming. Both of them. It's like 'double trouble'!"

Sighing we went back to our plates. It was gonna be a tough day for everyone, and we knew that. And none of us wanted to acknowledge that. Yet.

"Don't worry. One parent of mine is equivalent to two of yours!" I replied with a smile.

That calmed her down. But not for long as the bell rang, disturbing the already disturbed atmosphere. Sighing Kiara concluded.

"Laysa. You really need to bring a packet of salt everyday. Aunty forgets that small pinch of salt."

"Good, you'll be seeing that aunty today. You'll tell her that, won't you? Please!"

Squinting my eyes, I could see my mother and Kiara's mother heading  towards the class along with Shreyansh, Laysa, Maahi and Amaya's parents, laughing at some corny old joke cracked by one of them.

Lucky are Lavanya and Rhea. The only ones.

Lavanya whose mother is a teacher in this very school and is having her own meeting; Rhea who was shipped off to Thane for the regional sports meet. Maybe that is why, Lavanya was flying in the air, free of burden, stress and pain.

"Don't fly high! You'll share the same fate as ours at two in the afternoon today, when your mother will meet Sonika ma'am!"

And they reached.

With our strings of 'Good Morning Aunties' and 'Good Morning Uncles', we wandered outside the class like lost children. Sonika ma'am, decked up in her customary parent-teacher meeting day kurta, distributed our Science papers. A peek at Amaan's marks, since he was the first in the roll call list, I could make out that the entire class's marks were bad.

Partly one of the reasons why I chose to run away from the classroom. Strolling around for fifteen minutes, we were sent back to our class by the school staffs, who noticed us loitering around.

And that's when Laysa let out a gasp, covering her mouth with her hands. Breathlessly, she let out.

"What if when we were born our parents were like—felt cute might delete later?"

"Well, let's go and ask them."

And that is how we entered the classroom, their grim faces spoke more than enough. The judges have reached to a verdict, I realized. And after another fifteen minutes of detailed analysis, we were summoned by them. I sat next to my mother on a spacious bench and mouthed an 'All the Best!' to Maahi who was sandwiched between both her parents.

"Jivika, my child, what is this? So many spelling mistakes! You have written 'was' as 'is'! My child, how are you capable of doing such silly mistakes? And you should have colored the advertisement better. For time pass, you will be stuck to the canvas. When in need, you color like a two year old! And your Science marks, don't get me started on that!"

Questions to which I had no answers except one.

"Arrey Ma, let it go naa! Why does this even matter? I should be focused only for Boards, right?"

The glare made me understand that my justification was not enough.

"Hema, how does Jivika study? How does she manage her time?"

Rajni aunty. Shreyansh's mother. Perhaps the most socializing parent in the classroom.

"Manage time? She's just sleeping all the time!"

Hearing this Shreyansh snickered. Embarrassed, I rolled my eyes. Great! More parents are joining into the conversation. Kiara and her mother joined in. And I can see Laysa and Maahi's parents heading in this direction.

"That's much better than Shreyansh! He can only ace in two topics: Math and Rohit Sharma!"

Saying so, she slapped his head lightly, earning a groan from him. While I snickered.

"Hello Aunty! Here is the signature diary, ma'am sent it for you! Shreyansh are you joining us in the ground? Cricket?"

My mother smiled at him. She never does that for me.

"Oh! Hello Amaan!" Rajni aunty replied. Striking forward a conversation with him, they kept us entertained. After a few minutes, he and Shreyansh walked away. Looking at my friends, I asked my mother if I could join them.

"Who? Oh them! Okay. By the way, this Amaan is really a nice kid right? Notorious, humorous and entertaining?"

Knowing that her question did not require my reply, I could not help but feel confused. Trying to devise a reply, I observed the person in question. And he? He must've felt someone staring at him.

I looked.

He looked.

We looked away.

And we looked back again.

~

Glossary:

Idli, Dosa, chutney, Puri, Pulao: Indian cuisine.

Aloo: Potato.

Mallu: Abbreviation of 'Malayali'. And Malayali? A resident of the state Kerala, down the south of India.