To be happy always is something which is difficult to achieve. That is to say, happiness and sorrow alternate in one's life and there cannot be uninterrupted happiness alone.
"Radha's here! Back to work everyone." A woman informed her colleagues who put aside their distractions and pulled out their work books.
Radha's footsteps echoed loudly in the silent corridor, sending a shiver down everyone's spine. "Good morning everyone." She greeted in a passive tone. "I hope you are teaching your students well."
"Yes ma'am." An elderly man answered gently. "We've completed the syllabus for the oncoming exams."
"Does anyone need to take extra classes?"
"No ma'am," the lady affirmed. "We need to get going now. It's time for class."
Everyone nodded. Avoiding her gaze, one by one, they left the room. Radha settled down in her cabin and placed a few files on her table.
"May I come in, ma'am?" A man, in his late thirties, knocked on the door.
"Come in." She said, opening the window. A small smile curved on her lips as the cool breeze blew in.
"Is the electrical work completed?"
"Ye- yes ma'am." He stammered, wiping the sweat on his face. "It was completed in the previous week itself."
"Why are you telling me this, right, now?" She shot a glare at him, making him shudder. Sealing his lips, he stared at the ground, his hands held behind his back.
Letting out a loud breath, she questioned, "Do you need something?"
"Nothing. I -" He stammered.
"Be quick. I have no time to waste." She warned, glancing at her watch.
"I was here for my salary. I- I mean, everyone's salary." His voice cracked, a lump forming in his throat. He swallowed hard.
"Is it time already? Tell them to come after school and collect it."
He nodded.
"If that's all, then you can leave." She replied, picking up a book from her shelf. Turning around, he made a dash towards his cabin and put up a message in the group chat.
Picking up a few other books, she walked out of her office, towards her first class of the day. On the way, she passed through the temple of the school and turned her face away from Krishna, the deity.
You have always given us problems. Why should I worship you if you cannot even look after us?
With a heavy heart, she stepped into the class room.
• • •
"Radha ma'am is coming!"
The students sat on their chairs, picking up the bits of paper they had thrown about in the class.
"Good morning, Radha ma'am!" The students wished in clear unison. Not a single student dragged the greeting.
"Good morning. Take out your Maths books. We will be starting a new chapter today." She said, picking up the chalk. The students dived their hands in their bags for the required stationary.
"This is a tricky chapter, so pay attention. If you have any doubts, keep them for the end of the class." She drew a line on the board, underlining the heading.
"Excuse me ma'am." Somu panted. "May I come in?"
"Why are you late, Somu?" She asked, her arms crossed against her chest. The students whispered amongst each other.
"Actually, I woke up late today." He said scratching his head, making the students laugh. "Sorry."
"This is the last time, Somu." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I'm warning you, if you come late again I will punish you severely."
Somu gave her an innocent nod and jumped into his seat in the last bench. Radha turned towards the board to write and, also to hide the small smile that lingered on her lips from the mischievous antics of the students.
Somu took out his maths book. He frowned, realising that his pen had run out of ink. "Sumit, do you have an extra pen?" He whispered to his bench-mate and best friend.
"No. I have only one pen with me." He said. "Let me ask Inder." He whispered over the same thing to Inder and got a similar reply. Soon, the entire last bench was in a commotion.
"Silence!" Radha's sharp voice quietened the entire class. "What is with the commotion going on at the back?"
Inder stood up. "Ma'am, Somu wants an extra pen. But..." Radha's gaze shifted over to him.
"Somu, come here." She called him out in the front. Walking over to her, his hand held behind his back, he looked at her.
"First you come late to school and now, you are disturbing the whole class." She scolded, her voice raising as anger warmed her blood.
"Get out of my class and stay there till class is over." She yelled.
The other teachers shivered, understanding that an innocent student had become a victim to her baseless anger.
But, what they didn't know was that they were the reason to her anger, her agony and her current situation.
• • •
Urmilla was crying at her fate, when a hand rested on her shoulder. "Beti, your child is under that tree." An old woman said, pointing towards the tree near the entrance of the Mandir.
She rushed towards the tree and found Abhiram playing with a lad.
"Ram, how did you come here?" She said, picking him up in her arms and kissed his face.
"Nah," Abhiram retaliated, pushing her face away with his hands. After she stopped, he turned around and waved his arms towards the boy, who was watching them.
Urmilla had never seen someone so beautiful; a darkly night complexion, untamed curls and an alluring smile. An exuberant energy surrounded him. His curls played in the breeze, falling loosely on his forehead. Beside him lay a flute, painted in gold.
"Abhiram came here on his own will, Urmilla." He answered.
"How do you know my name?" She asked, frightened.
He got up and stood in front of her, a pleasant smile on his lips. "I know everyone's name, Urmilla. The names that belong to them in this life, in their past, and in their future."
Urmilla tried to wrap his words around her head.
"Here, this is yours." He said, handing her the key she had dropped earlier.
"How did you get this?" She wondered, taking the key in her hand. He laughed in reply, much to her annoyance.
"Urmilla, I'm hungry. Give me something to eat." He said looking at the apple in her hand. "That apple sure looks delicious."
"Sure, take it." She said still maintaining distance from him.
He had just sat down to eat the apple, when a kid came crying to him. "Bhaiya, I am feeling hungry. Can I have that apple?"
Without a second thought, he gave the apple away.
"But you said you were hungry. Why did you give it to her?" She asked sitting beside him. Abhiram looked at him, then at his aunt and then back at him, his mouth open in curiosity.
"I wasn't as hungry as her." He replied. There was sparkle in his eye which made Urmilla comfortable around him.
Abhiram crawled upto him and took out the flute he had kept beside him, waving it around in the air.
"You want me to play this?"
Abhiram nodded, giving him a toothy smile. The boy picked the flute and took it to his lips. Time stopped as he blew into the flute and played a beautiful tune.
Everyone forgot their work and set their minds and ears at the tune flowing in the wind.
• • •
"Who are you?" Urmilla asked him when the melody ended.
"I do not know. Do you know who you actually are?" He smiled. Urmilla shook her head, not understanding his question.
"Answer me when you finally understand who you are." He said. Silence settled between them.
"Who are your parents? How old are you? Where do you live? Do you have any siblings?" She asked, trying break the silence, making him laugh.
"How am I to answer so many questions at once?" He laughed and she laughed at her own foolishness. And since laughter is contagious, Abhiram also laughed.
"Let me walk you home. I will answer all your questions." He said and they walked home.
"How long will you stay here?" She asked. Something attracted her towards him.
"Someone close to me is in complete darkness." His smile disappeared. "I have come to light a lamp in their life. I will leave when my work is done."
"I do not understand a word you say, Madhav." Urmilla said, laughing.
"One day, you will." He just smiled and placed the flute at his lips, playing a melodious tune till they reached home.