Dhruv looked at the room, hands resting on his hips. He had been cleaning it since morning, hoping to make it less messy. He didn't want any student, especially Kiara, to fall again. He let out a sigh of satisfaction and exclaimed, "Perfect!" before leaving the room.
As he was about to exit, students started coming in. "Good evening, sir," a girl said, smiling at him. Dhruv simply smiled and nodded in response. He walked towards his desk and folded his arms across his chest.
His eyes were fixed on the door, waiting for someone. Every time it opened, he hoped to see her, but it was never her. He sighed and tried to focus on the topic he was about to teach. "Okay, so our next topic is Atoms," he said, preparing to start the explanation. However, just as he was about to begin, the door opened slowly.
Kiara walked into the room, her head down. She didn't dare to look at him or her friends. Quietly, she made her way towards the last bench and sat down, taking out her book. Dhruv couldn't take his eyes off her. He noticed that her eyes were puffy and her nose and cheeks were a little red. She had definitely been crying, all because of him.
Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Kiara started to feel uncomfortable. She gulped and glanced towards Dhruv, who was already staring at her. As soon as their eyes met, she immediately lowered her head again. Dhruv shook his head and tried to focus on the class.
He began his lesson on atoms, trying his best to keep his attention on the subject matter. However, his gaze kept drifting towards Kiara, unable to shake off the guilt he felt for causing her distress. He wished he could go back in time and undo the accident that had led to her silence.
As the class progressed, Dhruv noticed that Kiara was struggling to concentrate. Her eyes were still wet and she was fidgeting with her pen, clearly still affected by the incident.
After most of the students had packed up and left, Dhruv approached Kiara's desk. His expression was filled with concern as he walked towards her. However, Kiara gave him a small, awkward smile before quickly leaving the room. She couldn't face him right now, too scared and not ready for it yet. Dhruv didn't have a chance to say anything, not even to apologize.
The next few days followed a similar pattern. Kiara remained silent all the time and would leave the room as soon as the class ended. Dhruv started to miss her blabbering, her clumsiness, and her teasing. He blamed himself for her change in behavior. For almost a week, Kiara and Dhruv didn't exchange a single word.
*****
Kiara emerged from the washroom, rubbing her hair with a small towel. She quickly changed into her school uniform and braided her hair into two neat plaits.
"I look like shit" she muttered, frowning at her reflection in the mirror, she took a deep breath before leaving her room.
"I'm fast as fuck boy- oh!"
As she ran towards the stairs, her foot snagged on her untied shoelace, causing her to lose her balance. Kiara's eyes widened in alarm as she desperately reached out for the railing, but it was too late. She tumbled down the stairs, let out a cry, and clutched her ankle in pain. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Hearing her cries, her mother rushed to her side, exclaiming.
"Kiara! Oh my God!"
Kiara winced as she attempted to sit up. "I... I fell down the stairs, Mom," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Her ankle throbbed with pain, making it impossible for her to put any weight on it.
Her mother immediately helped her up and guided her to the living room. "I'll get some ice," she said, her voice filled with concern.
Kiara sat on the couch, her ankle elevated and wrapped in ice. She let out a sigh, feeling a combination of pain and frustration. It seemed like everything had been going wrong lately.
"I think we should go to the hospital. I'll call your dad."
.
.
.
.
Kiara came back from the hospital, and to her luck her ankle was not broken, it just slipped a little. She hobbled back into the living room with her crutches, feeling relieved that her ankle was not broken. Her mother followed closely behind, carrying a bag of prescribed painkillers and instructions from the doctor.
"Thank goodness it's not broken," her father said with a sigh of relief. "But you still need to take it easy and rest."
Kiara nodded, her face still pale from the shock and pain. She settled back onto the couch, propping her leg up on a cushion. Her mother handed her the painkillers and a glass of water, watching as she took them with a grateful smile.
"I just can't believe you tripped over your own shoelace," her mother said, frowning at her.
Her father chuckled gently, sitting down beside her. "Accidents happen, sweetheart. It's not your fault. Just be more careful next time, okay?"