The next morning, breakfast was a silent affair. There was something in Kabir's behavior that Kritika wasn't able to point out. He was behaving as usual, yet something was amiss. Thinking that it was about work, she didn't put too much thought into it. However, her guilt was killing her from inside. She knew she couldn't undo what she had done, but she could at least talk it out with her father. She could confess and face the consequences rather than keeping it to herself and breaking Kabir's trust.
"Papa," she called out as Kabir and Kiyansh made their way towards the door.
Kabir turned to look at her.
"Papa, vo... mujhe... aapse kuch baat karni thi..." She stopped as Kabir's phone rang. Whatever was said from the other side made him tense.
"I will be there... Mujhe ane mai late hoga as I have some work. Till then, you take care," Kabir said and disconnected the call.
"We will talk once I'm home. I need to leave, Kriti," before Kritika could say anything, his phone rang again. He received the call and left with Kiyansh, leaving Kritika dejected.
While Kabir drove off with Kiyansh to school, even the little boy found his father's behavior weird, as he wasn't talking or joking like his usual self. When he tried to initiate the conversation, rather than humming in response, he got nothing. At last, he too gave up, thinking the same, that it might be related to work.
When the car came to a halt, he turned to look at his father with a smile, which wiped off as Kabir stepped out of the car, something he never does. He would see him off and leave once he makes sure that his son is under the school gates. What changed suddenly...his thoughts broke as Kabir opened the car door for him, and he immediately got down.
Kabir held his son's hand and started to guide himself and his son inside the school.
"Aap andar kyun aa rahe ho Papa?" Kiyansh couldn't help the curiosity and asked.
Kabir stopped and looked at his son before walking inside, "Well, you didn't bother to tell me that your class teacher wants to meet me... so I thought I should meet her on my own as you might have forgotten to inform me," Kabir said sarcastically.
Kiyansh's eyes widened in shock. Something inside him said that today he would be in trouble!
Kabir directly guided his son to the staff room. As he has visited the school quite a lot of times, it was not a hard task to do. Not forgetting the fact that he had visited the school just last month and wondered how he didn't receive a single complaint from his teacher within a period of one month...did his son suddenly became a good boy! It was today in the morning he just got an email from the school that his son's class teacher wished to see him.
He had his own doubts about the unusual behavior both his children displayed yesterday, yet he kept quiet, wanting to see what actually happened.
Once he knocked and entered after hearing a "Come in," there sat the man, Mr. Subramanyam. Well, Kabir never held grudges with anyone, nor did he get annoyed by usual creatures, but this one... he was a unique piece!
He was a big foodie in the world... maybe he could eat the whole world's meal and still say he didn't ate much. And that never mattered to Kabir as it was his personal life, obviously, but what annoyed him was his visits to his hotel... not once or twice, but more than that every week. And every week, the man would eat in tons but would always be short of money. Kabir never minded that, but there is something like decency which this man doesn't have... as he isn't shameful about his acts. Adding more to it was, his wish to become Kabir's friend... imposing himself on him. Just because the man was his son's class teacher, Kabir let him scooter free and let Arjun handle him, or he would have shown him how annoying and obnoxious he is!!!
"Good morning, Mr. Randhawa!" Subramanyam exclaimed, while Kabir gave him a curt nod. As he asked him to sit, Kabir sat down, while Kiyansh stood beside his father, already in anticipation of what was coming.
"I got mail from school... specifically from you, Mr. Subramanyam, that you wished to see me. May I know the reason behind this sudden meeting?"
Subramanyam sighed dramatically, "I wouldn't have called you here, Kabir... after all, we are friends." Kabir glared at him, but it was wasted as the man was busy looking at his laptop screen, which he then turned towards him, "Well, you see this... it's Kiyansh's grades, not just monthly tests but the weekly tests too. Except for language, he isn't doing well in any other subjects. And as you might have seen, his report card too..."
"Report card?" Kabir asked, startled.
Subramanyam nodded, "Yes, we gave it yesterday only... didn't you see that?"
Kabir froze and snapped his head towards Kiyansh, who automatically flinched. No words were exchanged as both father and son knew the truth! Kabir saw the scared look, and Kiyansh was already cursing himself for all the stupidity he has done.
Kabir clenched his fist to control himself and looked back at the teacher, "Anything else I should know about?"
Subramany nodded, "Last month, I told you how mischievous your son is... as he is growing up, kids his age do that. But I wish he could keep his mischievous acts to himself and his friends rather than aiming them at the teachers."
Kabir frowned, "What does that mean?"
"Last week, he pranked one of his teachers by applying glue to her desk. Before that, he skipped his class and was on the ground passing his time... I would have called you too, but your number was always out of reach, and I didn't wish to talk about the matter outside of the school as it would be unprofessional. I hope you make him understand what's wrong and what's right... as he grows up, he should at least know the difference between the two."
Kabir stood up abruptly, "I will make sure this won't be repeated after today... Can I take him home... for today."
Subramanyam nodded. Without wasting a second, Kabir held his son's hand and guided him out. His long strides made Kiyansh hard to keep up the pace with his father, but without uttering a word, he followed quietly. He was scared... The angry look on his father's face always scared him, and he had given him enough reasons to be angry, all of which his father hated the most. He so wished to run away and come back when his father cooled off, but it felt like a dream only as Kabir pushed him inside the car, closing the door with a bang that made him jump in his place.
Kabir opened the door and he too sat down, his grip tightened on the steering wheel as he tried to control his anger, taking deep breaths. Misbehaving with someone... That too teachers? That was something he neither encouraged with his daughter nor would he encourage it with his son. Lying wasn't acceptable to him either, and the rest part was grades... that's when he realized something and looked at Kiyansh, who was already looking at him with those scared eyes. But for the first time, he steeled his heart against those looks...
"Show me your report card," he commanded sternly.
Kiyansh gulped and tried to give him a pleading look; however, his hands immediately went to his bag upon seeing the glare his father threw at him. Unknowingly, he dragged his sister into his mess, and that made him feel bad. With great deal of efforts, he took the card and forwarded it towards Kabir.
Kabir's eyes weren't stuck on the grades but on the sign... it was so similar that he was surprised and shocked. He looked at Kiyansh, who lowered his gaze immediately.
"Kritika ne kiya yeh?"
Kiyansh nodded meekly.
Kabir gave the report back to his son, that's when his phone pinged with a notification. As he read the message, whatever was written in it just increased his fury and he started the engine. Where the hell did he go wrong... was the first question that crossed his mind.
Even after the last warning he gave to his son today, they were on the same page. He again failed his exams, he again pranked his friends, and if that wasn't enough, he pranked his teachers and dared to bunk his class. Adding more to his wonders was his firstborn. Despite knowing how much he hates liars... Today he will definitely deal with both his kids... his way! It's high time now!!!
While Kritika was pacing in the living area, tensed, she messaged her father about the blunder she created, as she didn't wish for him to hear it from anyone else. She would have called him herself, but her courage gave up on her, and she decided to message. Once she sent it, she realized what kind of idiot she was to even think that one can message such an important thing to someone. However her father didn't call her, and when she tried calling, he disconnected the call, which gave away only two scenarios: either he read the message and is angry, or he is busy, that's why he didn't call her.
Her thoughts soon trailed off as Kabir entered the house. The angry look on his face gave away everything. She gulped down her saliva and immediately approached him...
"Papa, mein aapko baatne wali... it's just vo..." she stopped as Kiyansh entered the house meekly. The sad look on his face... as their eyes met and he shook his head slightly. She looked at her father and flinched back, seeing the glare he threw at her... they screwed up... she screwed up!!!
As Kritika opened her mouth to say something, Kabir turned back and looked at Kiyansh.
"Go freshen up, change, and come to my room with your bag, Kiyansh!" Kabir exclaimed, making the siblings flinch at his voice, and walked away.
Kiyansh too immediately ran to do as he was told, knowing that making his father wait would just add to the list of his consequences, and Kritika followed him, wanting to know what brought their disaster!
After a while, Kiyansh entered Kabir's room with a knock. He gently placed his bag on the bed and stood in front of his father, who was sitting on the edge of the bed. However, he kept a safe distance between them, knowing that one wrong move and he would have it from him today.
Kritika, who trailed behind him, stood at the door contemplating whether she should step in or not. Kiyansh told her what had happened, and she didn't expect such turns of events. She thought they would get away with it, and she would help her brother in his studies so that by the time their father found out about his grades, he would go easy on them... but the situations changed!
At last, she took a deep breath and was about to enter the room when...
"Kiyansh, tell your sister you don't need a savior, especially when your father is dealing with you." His tone was so firm and sharp that it made them both jump on their place.
Kritika took a step back, shocked as she realized at that very moment what she was trying to do in her Immplusiness. She was trying to protect her brother... from whom? Her father? Does her brother really need that kind of protection? She was definitely thinking as a sister and not as a daughter. However, her father's voice and the underlying hurt made her jolt, and she herself closed the door. She had made enough mistakes, and adding more to them was not her cup of tea!!!
Kiyansh looked up at his father, the folded sleeves of his shirt caught his attention...that intimidated him, and what scared him even more was the yellow-colored ruler kept beside him. He could count on his fingers the times his father actually used that scary tool on his little hands... when he was extremely upset or when his hand alone wasn't enough to make him obey! He dared to meet his gaze and tried to give him a pleading look...
Kabir saw the look and steeled his heart with a hard shield to resist giving in...not today, at least!
"Give me your school diary, Kiyansh," he said sternly.
Kiyansh walked towards his bag and wordlessly took out the diary, handing it to him before returning to his original spot.
As Kabir went through the diary, flipping through the pages to read the remarks from the teachers, a furrow formed on Kabir's his face.
The words written by the teachers were not words of praise or encouragement. They were comments on Kiyansh's behavior - remarks about him being disruptive in class, not paying attention, and causing a ruckus among his classmates. He couldn't understand how his usually well-behaved son could be behaving this way at school.
While Kabir's thoughts were filled with anger and disappointment, Kiyansh was busy in his own world of thoughts. For him, it was okay to behave that way in the class. In a way, he was just leaving a lasting impression on his teachers, as he already knew what's written on each page... all his remarks!
He sighed inwardly. He wasn't being disruptive in his class; he was just trying to add some spice and excitement that was missing from the ongoing lectures. And not paying attention... well, the lectures were so boring that he didn't wish or mind to pay attention to them. He was way more interested in looking out of the window from his bench as there were too many cool distractions: trees, flying birds, the sky, and...
"Idhar aa!" Kabir exclaimed loudly, breaking his thoughts. He looked up at his father, confused.
Kabir's eyes narrowed as he realized that his son was daydreaming. "Idhar aa!" he repeated, pointing towards the space in front of him.
Gulping down, Kiyansh meekly took two baby steps towards his father and halted, trying to maintain a safe distance.
While Kabir concluded his plight by holding both his wrists in his one hand and making him stand in front of him between his legs, he was done for the day!
"Sorry, Papa," Kiyansh immediately blurted out, taking the beforehand precautions.
Kabir held his jaw gently and made him look up, "Why are you sorry, Kiyansh?"
Kiyansh lowered his gaze, and Kabir firmed his grip on his jaw, making him look at him in the eye, "By the time I am done with you, you won't remove this eye contact with me. Jab galti karne ki himmat hai toh meri ankhon mein dekhne ki aur uss galti ko maan ne ki himmat bhi honi chahiye...Did you get that?"
Kiyansh nodded meekly.
"So tell me, Kiyansh, why are you sorry?"
Kiyansh's eyes welled, the courage he was trying to gather up left his soul upon seeing the anger in his father's eyes.
"Mein tujhse baat kar raha hu, Kiyansh? So don't test my patience and answer me," Kabir said harshly.
Kiyansh flinched, "Sorry!" he again blurted out, too scared to own up to his mistakes, especially while looking at his father in the eye.
Kabir lended back, "Sorry? Fine. Apology accepted! But why are you sorry, Kiyansh? Let me enlighten you. You bunked your classes, spending your time on the playgrounds of your school. You didn't pay attention in class, you tried to disturb your class, you pranked your friends, and if that wasn't enough, you pranked your teachers too. And adding the last one, you failed in your exams. Kuch aur baki hai, Kiyansh, or I added everything in it."
Giving up, Kiyansh looked down, the guilt started to rise up in him as he realized what he actually did in the name of fun...was wrong. He didn't have enough courage left to even utter a simple apology. As the tears trickled down his cheeks, Kabir wiped them away.
"Silence is not something I like, Kiyansh, nor do I appreciate it. So you better speak up," Kabir said sternly. The silence was doing nothing but increasing his anger only!
Kiyansh kept looking down and soon yelped in pain as Kabir's patience gave up and he whacked his son hard.
"I am talking to you, Kiyansh... samajh nahi aa raha hai tujhe ya phir meri baat na maan ki kasam kha li hai tune. If it's a brat inside you that is making you so stubborn, I am willing to bring that brat out of you... today itself!" Kabir snapped.
Kiyansh's lips trembled, and he slowly shook his head, "Mu... mujhe aisa nahi karna chahiye tha," he said slowly.
Kabir nodded, "I know that, Kiyansh, and I will make sure that you won't repeat it either. But tell me one thing, last month maine tujhse pucha tha na... do you need a teacher for your studies if you aren't able to understand from me. And in return, what did you say to me... what was your answer?"
"N... nahi!" Kiyansh replied.
"Then why the hell on earth did you failed," Kabir yelled and grabbed the report card from his bag, forwarding it towards him, "Read them... read your marks out loud, Kiyansh!"
Kiyansh blinked his eyes and looked at the report card in a daze.
"How much did you get in Social Science?" Kabir asked sternly.
"1..10."
"OUT OF?"
"30."
"Science?"
"3."
"Maths?"
"8."
Kabir threw away the card and took hold of his wrists again, "Last time se Zara sa bhi improvement nahi hai... everything is the same after my teaching. Aisa bhi nahi hai that you have a problem in studying as mere banaye hue tests... you get full marks in them, you write them properly. But during school tests, you will be doing nothing but passing time in your overconfidence that you know and have learned everything." Kabir scolded.
For a fact that he wasn't even toning down made Kiyansh cry more. He sobbed harder and hugged Kabir tightly.
After contemplating for a moment, Kabir gave up and positioned Kiyansh on his lap, wrapping his arms around him and drawing him closer. He felt a pang of guilt for being this harsh with his kid, but he was himself bound. He understood the importance of providing unwavering support and reassurance to his childrens, even in the face of failure. But not getting decent grades even after you have that potential in you, but you just wished to act out of character...that wasn't acceptable to him. He held Kiyansh closer to him but made sure to drill in the desired words in his son's thick skull!!!
Share your views!!!
Target remains the same!!!
Was Kabir's reaction justified?
How should he now deal with Kiyansh?
How do you think Kabir will deal with Kritika?
Should he give her the silent treatment or be harsh on her?
Any scene you wish to see?
Thanks for reading!!!