Weird and Wonderful

Chapter-4

YEAR - 2011

Swasti opened the door. It was her father. Swasti didn't ask him anything. She didn't want her father to think that she was worried about him. She simply dialled her mother's number on her cellphone and said, "Mummy, Papa has come home."

Next day at school:
"Hey, have you watched the promo of Ranbir's new movie? He was looking so smart!" Kritika said to Swasti, as they were basking in the sun on the school ground.

"But not as smart as my Akihito!" Swasti said.

"How can you compare Ranbir with an animated character?" Kritika said.

"Akihito is not just an animated character. He is the bravest person in the world. He is so intelligent, so kind..." Swasti said, lost in reverie.
"OK! OK! We know that Akihito is your boyfriend and Painful Strings is your life," Ami said, in a teasing tone. Both Ami and Kritika knew that Swasti had a crush on Akihito, the protagonist of her favourite anime Painful Strings.

"I don't know why you like that animated show so much. Once when I tried watching it, I could not understand anything," Kritika said to Swasti.

"What's so complicated in it? Akihito is a teenager who dies in a road accident."

"So your crush is a dead animated character," Kritika said.

"Let her complete, Kritika, this is the thousandth time she is telling us the story of Painful Strings," Ami said.
Swasti continued, "So Akihito dies in the road accident. After his death, he is appointed as the soul saver. He saves the persons of living world from dark souls. In this process, he encounters his girlfriend, Miyoko, several times. But being a mortal, she could not see him. But she could sense him. Can you imagine, how strong will be that love, which could not end even after death?"

"Before you go on a date with your Akihito, let's go inside. It's time for class," Ami said.

As they entered the classroom, when Deepak came to them. "You have forgotten to sign the application, Swasti." Deepak said, giving her a paper.

Swasti looked at the paper and gave it back to Deepak, "I won't sign it."
"But why?" Deepak said. He was the most popular boy in their class. No one had ever said no to him.

"Because I don't have any problem with Minnie Ma'am," Swasti said.

"No one in the class wants Mini Ma'am to teach us Math," Deepak said. He was finding difficult to hide anger in his voice.

"Just because Ma'am does not let you do the coaching's assignments during her class, does not mean we should snatch her job away," Swasti said.

"So you are not going to sign the application, will you?"

"No."

Deepak muttered something and went back to his seat. He and Swasti never liked each other but he knew that Swasti was not a girl to mess with. Once she made up her mind for something, no one could dissuade her from it. Moreover as she was excellent at Physics, it was not wise to make her an enemy for everyone in class sought Swasti's help whenever they encountered any tricky Physics problem.

"I think Deepak was right. You should have signed the application. After all, Mini Ma'am is not a great teacher," Ami said to Swasti. Kritika was doing her coaching assignment.

"Just because Deepak is your Rakhi brother does not mean everything he says is right. Moreover, this job is livelihood of Ma'am. How will you feel if you are fired from your job in future?" Swasti said. Almost every boy in their class was Ami's Rakhi brother. Sometimes Swasti envied Ami for the gifts she used to get on the festival of Rakshabandhan.

"O God, Swasti! We are in school now; we don't have any job to fear for. Why do you think so much?"

"Because I believe that what we give is what we get."

"Oh forget it! By the way, Swasti, will you come to the coaching class next week?" Ami said.

"No, yaar, I have to prepare for the test at school. But what is there to worry about? Kritika will give me the notes of the class I'll miss," Swasti said, patting Kritika's shoulder.

"I won't give you any notes," Kritika said. For an instant Swasti thought that she had heard wrong words.

"What?" Swasti said to Kritika.
Kritika said, "I said I'm not going to give you my notes for the classes you'll miss."

Swasti was too shocked to say anything. She knew that Kritika never hid her feelings and Swasti admired this quality of hers, but she had never expected Kritika to refuse her without any hesitation. But it was competition and the tree of friendship seldom withstands the storm of competition. She didn't know what she would lose next in that cut-throat rat race.
But there were more surprises (which were rather shocks) waiting for Swasti. In Physics class, Singh Sir, the Physics teacher called her.

"So, Swasti, do you have any problem with the marks you got in Physics in the last test?" Singh Sir said. Swasti said nothing.

"Haven't you heard my question, Miss Khare? Should I repeat it again?" Singh sir said in a sharp voice.

"I think that I deserved more marks in that test," Swasti said.

"What? I can't hear it. Speak louder, Miss Khare. Has anyone heard what Miss Khare said?" Singh sir said.
"No Sir!" Swasti's classmates said in a singsong manner.

"I said that I deserved more marks in that test," Swasti said.

"And do you think that you are wiser than me? You think that I am a fool!" Singh sir's voice was becoming sharper.

"I didn't mean that, Sir. You are getting it wrong. I think that the concept for which you have cut my marks was correct," Swasti said. Singh Sir was the strictest teacher in their school. Even the mention of his name filled the heart of each student with fear. But Swasti must not let her face betray her feelings. She had done nothing wrong. She could prove that the concept which she had used in the Physics numerical was correct. But she was wondering who had told Singh Sir about her views on his marking of Physics test. She had discussed it with only Ami and Kritika.

"Swasti, show your face to the class," Singh sir said, "Students, look at Miss Swasti Khare. She is the genius who thinks that she is more intelligent than her teachers. In fact, she thinks that everyone in the world except her, is stupid. Am I right, Miss Khare? She thinks that she can beat Deepak in Physics." Mr. Singh proudly looked at Deepak. Swasti had to gather all her determination to ensure that she would not cry in front of the whole class. But she was finding it hard to prevent tears from filling her eyes.
"I challenge you, Miss Khare, that if you get more marks in Physics than Deepak in the Board exam. Only then, I will accept that your concept was correct,' Singh Sir said.

"Can I go to washroom?" Swasti asked.

"What? Oh, yes, you may," Singh Sir said, confused by Swasti's response.
Swasti ran towards the washroom. And one could hear sounds of sobbing coming out from girls' washroom.