Behind the books

Friends?

"May I come in sirr!?" a sweet voice asks hurriedly standing on the door panting, silencing the whole class suddenly.

"Mannat, come in" Shlok sir allows and she steps in, then suddenly stops and looks around nervously.

Mannat Kaur Khanna? No, Khurrana. The shortest girl of that section. She looks cute with that height though. It makes her look like... Nothing.

Anurag, focus.

♡♡♡

As soon as Mannat steps inside the class, the class gets completely silent, making her highly conscious about herself. People sitting on the first seat keep looking at her with straight fave, making her more uncomfortable. She looks towards the backside of the class and finds it packed with people, Sahil and Charlie peeping from a corner. 

She was late. She couldn't go and sit there.

Bhagwaan ji, why?

But where will she sit? All the forty five eyes were on her. Was she imagining or there were actually a few people talking slowly eyeing her?

No, Mannat, nothing like that is happening. Relax.

"Oh, you don't have place to sit" Shlok sir says and looks around.

Now will he kick her out of the class? Oh my mata, no!

"Ashish, you go and bring a chair from staff room and sit beside Keshav. Mannat you sit here with Anurag" Shlok sir commands and Mannat nods slowly.

Anurag. Anurag Basu, the topper.

A shortcake like her will have to sit beside this electric pole!? 

Why is he so tall? Bachpan mein zyaada Complan pee liya tha kya?

Lekin Complan peene se kuch nahi hota, she answers herself and shrugs her thoughts.

Anurag shifts to a side and Mannat slowly keeps her book and trips on the edge of the table leg. 

"Caref...ull!" Anurag jumps on his seat and Mannat steadies herself and sits down, nervousness touching the 100000000th sky.

"Open Exercise 4.3" Shlok sir says and Mannat opens her book. Algebra. She sighs.

Shlok sir explains a few formulas and students nod in understanding.

How much she was loathing the people sitting in the back! Specially Sahil and Charlie who must be planning with others to steal something from this class.

They had to take revenge from this class. Exact reason she didn't know, but they had to.

Continuous giggles and mumblings were making her feel like crying.

And here she was stuck on the first seat with a human electric pole who was undoubtedly having Maths books in his lunch and dinner since always, she was sure.

"I hope this is clear. Note down." Shlok sir says and Mannat looks under her books for her pen. She searches in her pocket but doesn't find any.

"How am I going to write now?" she thinks and looks at Anurag. He was noting down another question in his rough notebook. Isne solve bhi kar liya ye wala?

Anurag looks at her. Mannat snaps her face back to the notebook.

"Done?" Shlok sir asks and some students disagree, buying more time.

"Do you have an extra pen?" Mannat asks Anurag slowly and he nods passing her the one he was writing with. "You take this" he says and takes out another from his pocket.