The 3G Life: Two Buildings

Thursday 25 July 2019

I open the door and enter Jabbar sir's class. The class is completely empty as no one will arrive at such an early hour. I place my bag on a nearby chair and turn the fan and lights on. Fifteen minutes pass and yet no one comes in. Then suddenly a familiar face peeks in from the door. It is no one other than a lovely junior Aamina.

"Hey. I didn't see you in a really long time," I greet her.

"Hey. Amber Apu. I didn't see you too," she replies.

"How long did you join Jabbar sir?"

"It's almost two months. Not long."

"Oh. It's a lovely surprise to see you."

Aamina is a favorite junior of mine. We participated together in a Commerce fair a couple of years back. Her mother is a colleague of my mother. She is brilliant in art and has a sweet innocence surrounding her. Though she is younger, she is taller than me and also healthier. She has dark ivory skin and is a hijabist like me.

I start asking her about school and she replies all of my questions precisely. Just then the receptionist comes in with two cups of coffee for us. I thank him for the treat and again start speaking with Aamina. She has seven subjects in o level right now including Accounting. I have to say she is a risk taker.

"You don't go to school right now?" I ask.

"No, I left school in Grade 8," she replies.

"But why? School's better than giving from private."

"Well, it puts a lot of pressure on studies."

"Well, I don't experience any such pressure."

Just then a guy walks in through the door. He is tall and healthy, reminded me of Hulk, the Giant. But he is fair and looks more funny than dangerous. He wears our school uniform and even has the packet of food from our canteen. He greets me and sits down on a bench close to mine.

He introduces himself as Maalik and says that he is in A2. I ask him why he goes to school and he replies that he goes to hear the taunt of our Biology ma'am. I laugh at that and then we start talking. He asks me about the current fees and says that they were less last year.

Jabbar sir enters class and we all take out our math books and copies. We start solving the problems and sir helps us. Today I do some sums of differentiation and those are really difficult. But then again, Jabbar sir is an efficient teacher. He teaches me all the basics and it becomes so easy.

I have Mahmoud sir's class afterwards. So, I pack my bag and go to his class. As I enter, I see that Ayesha, one of my friends, lies with her head down fast asleep. I gently stroke her cheek and she wake up. I greet her good morning. She yawns, greets me back and then again goes back to sleep. I just smile.

Then I go to Sabah who is also in a similar condition. I pat her head and she wake up. She shifts place to leave me space to sit down. I ask her how she does and she says she is tired to the bones. That she has to come at class at 8am.

"Why'd you take such an early batch?" I ask.

"Well, because this batch only has spare seats," she replies.

"You could join at Jabbar sirs."

"I'll join him from next month."

"Then we'll have a good time together."

And just then Tamima enters and comes straight beside me. I put down my bag to leave her space to sit down. She sits and greets me. She says she contacted both Jabbar sir and Saad sir and will join their classes soon. I am happy because finally I will not be completely alone in my classes.

Nawla also comes in and takes her usual seat with Salam. I greet her too. Nawla is a really beautiful girl. I wonder when Salam will actually make a move. I mean he should be as bold as his friend Dalair but he is just so shy. I even ask Nawla once to be the one to make the move.

Mahmoud sir enters and starts taking class. He wears a new T-shirt today and it makes him look so funny. I do not know why but whenever I see him, a smile descends on my lips. He tries to open the slides but every time the projector does not work properly. And we all laugh at his frustrated words.

Finally, the slide comes to view and we start to take notes. Every now and then, either Sabah or Tamima asks me for help. And as I am sandwiched between them, I can do nothing but help. But I like to help them. I do not know why but I always feel a certain satisfaction in helping people.

"Amber, do you understand perfectly?" asks Mahmoud sir.

"Yes sir, everything's clear as crystals," I reply.

"These are all based on organic chemistry."

"That means, we'll read these again in chemistry?"

"Yes. Life's full of thorns."

Class ends and I greet everyone goodbye and descend down the stairs. I meet a few other classmates of mine on the way and I just smile at them. On the way I meet Zara. We have a perfect eye contact but she does not come over and say hi. I mean yes, we are in a fight but that does not mean she has the right to be antisocial.

I get out of the gate and start to walk for home. I really pray that I meet Aayan on the way but I guess that is just a remote fantasy. Aayan is in Nikunj. I know we are in the same city but I feel like we are in different planets. Dear 3G, can you not hold them back for me?