I Need You..

Chapter 6

Rishi 

It was the first period, Arnav Sir, the school's incharge, entered their class. "Ma'am, could you please send Pia and Rishi to the principal's office?" 'Ah! I knew it! It had to happen, after all that I did!! I am screwed now!' Rishi was scared, and knew exactly what was to happen, when he looked at Pia, she seemed confused. "Why are they calling us?" 

Pia 

They entered the principal's office, "What is this? Is this a park? Don't you know how to behave in school!?" Stated Mrs. Awasti as soon as she saw them. "What happened ma'am? What did we do?" Pia said. "Oh! So you are not aware of what you have done? Or are you trying to act innocent?" "The Romeo-Julliet play that you presented in front of all the students.. We enjoyed it too." Said Arnav sir, with a sarcastic tone. "It wasn't a play Sir, it just happened in the heat of the moment!" Pia said with confidence in her voice. "Heat of the moment! Is this how you talk in front of your teachers! What's wrong with today's children! Both of you are shameless!" Mrs. Awasti was fierce. "Ma'am, Rishi's mother's not well, he is worried, that's why, he just had an emotional breakdown!" "So he hugged you? Right? In the middle of the school corridor? Is it Ms. Pia Shrivastav?" "Yes ma'am, I am his friend, he hugged me, that's it." 

"That's it? Listen girl, we are here for the whole and sole purpose of education. This is a school, you may please present all your vulgar acts at some other place. We are respected people, we have a reputation! This won't be accepted!" "Vulgar? Is hugging a friend vulgar?" "Hugging a friend is not vulgar, but a boy and a girl hugging, won't be accepted!" "What if the friend is a girl?" "Stop it Pia! Aren't you scared? You should beg for forgiveness! Instead, you are busy arguing!" "Sir! Why is it so intolerable for a guy to hug her female friend? This is a school! We should be taught about breaking stereotypes, whereas, you people are in fact supporting them!" Pia was fierce, her voice a little raised. "Ms. Shrivastav, this is against the school rules! I'll inform your parents about this! And you Mr. Rishi! You are screwed! I'll get you suspended!" Said Arnav sir. 

Rishi 

'Shit! Shit! Shit! No please! Ahhh! What am I supposed to do!' "Why? How can you get him suspended? And where is it written? Where is your rule? Which promotes such stupid and baseless ideas?" Pia's sharp voice came, breaking Rishi's thoughts. "Wait, I'll call your parents to school! Right away!" Arnav sir clenched Rishi's collar with his right hand and got hold of his ID card with the other. "You won't get out of this easily! Mind it!" He said, looking straight into Rishi's eyes. "No! Please don't call his mother! She's unwell!" "Oh! So now Miss Pia will teach me my job? Or ma'am are you giving me orders? Haan?" Arnav sir was in no mood to be lenient, or to simply understand what Pia was trying to say. He wanted to screw Rishi, and would do any possible thing to make it happen. 

"Ma'am! Please stop him! Rishi's mother is in the hospital! Why does he have to call her!? We can't stress her out!" The Principal, Mrs. Awasti eyed Arnav sir and asked him to leave her office and let her handle this matter. "Pia, what you did, might be a small thing for you, but you have to understand that, this is a school, and the decorum should be maintained." "Ma'am, how can we break the school's decorum just by hugging each other?" "Enough of you Pia! I will inform your father about this, he'll handle you, and for you Rishi, you are Nitish's younger brother right?" Rishi nodded his head. "I'll tell him about this. And for God's sake, don't repeat this again!" Pia was about to say more, but Rishi elbowed her and asked her to stay quiet. 

They left the principal's office, and as soon as they were out Rishi said, "Why did you argue so much? What was the need?" "Don't talk to me!" "Huh? Why?" "How could you not say anything Rishi? Do you also think that hugging me was a vulgar act? Is it?" "No Pia, I don't, but this is how it is... you know.. this is what happens, everytime." Rishi said, moving his hands in the air. "Yeah right, this is what you do every time, earlier, when Nitish bhiaya asked you to stay away from me, you changed your seat, and raised your voice at me, and now when the teacher considered our hug as vulgar, you agreed with her!" "I did not agree with her!" "You did not even speak up once! Looking at your face, it felt, as if you were ashamed of what you did!" "It's nothing like that Pia!" "It is! Rishi! You know what! Learn to stand for what you mean! You can't just let things happen! You never stand up for our friendship! Does this mean nothing to you? Are you okay breaking this friendship?" "No Pia, ofcourse I am not!" "Leave, I don't want to talk to you, bye."