Healing Him | ✓

[ 01. ]

"Students, kindly pay attention. A new student have joined our class." Mrs. Verma their homeroom teacher called out entering the classroom. Her voice drew the attention of most students. The said student entered the class.

"Hey guys. I'm Annika. I have shifted to Manali a few days ago. I used to live in Delhi before. My hobbies are reading and singing. I'm very keen to make friends here and have a lovely time with you guys." She introduced herself confidently. The class seemed to like her.

"Annika, please take a seat. It seems I forgot to bring the class register. Class, remain silent till I bring the register." She commanded before exiting the class to get the register.

Annika looked at the class, most of the seats were taken. Some students had kept their bags on the seat and some had saved them for their friends. Regardless she didn't want to engage in some quarrel regarding the seats hence she opted for the empty seat in the row by the windows.

A boy was sitting there. Unlike the rest of the class he wasn't talking to anyone instead he was just looking outside the window. The seat next to him was empty. She was about to sit there when a hand pulled her away from it. She looked up at the hand, the girl dragged her away from the seat to her own.
She turned to her with a friendly smile. It was adjacent to the seat she had originally chosen.

"You wouldn't want to be sitting next to him." The girl said her voice was quiet. Annika frowned, "Why?" She was confused, wondering what was wrong with sitting next to him.

"They say the boy is a freak." Annika glared at the girl, but the girl just shrugged. "Not my words. When I came to school last year. That was what I was told. Not to talk to him otherwise I'll be an outcast like him." She carried on. Annika frowned, she didn't like calling someone names. But she didn't want to be an outcast as the girl in front of her suggested hence she kept quiet.

Though the girl's voice was quiet Annika knew the said boy had heard everything. Because when he looked up the broken expression which crossed his face was hard to miss. She felt bad.

"By the way, I'm Mallika." The girl introduced extending her hand out for a shake. Annika introduced herself again just for the sake of it, she took the seat beside her but not before casting a last glance at the boy. He was looking out of the window once again.

Their class teacher entered the class with the register as she called out the roll numbers for attendance. She got the last roll number due to her joining during mid term.

The teachers went on and on about their subjects and now it was the recess time. She got up from her seat and followed Mallika who introduced her to her friends. She liked them. They were friendly and really cool. When she came back after washing her hands it was only a few students left in the class. The rest were playing or roaming outside. Her eyes fell upon that boy. He didn't move from his spot at all. He was once again looking out the window quietly nibbling on the sandwich from his lunchbox. Paying no attention to the class whatsoever. She didn't like seeing anyone sitting alone. She herself has gone through that phase hence she knew how bad it felt. But she didn't dare to approach him.

The remaining students left too. It was only her and him in the class. She took out her textbooks for the next class when she noticed him closing his lunchbox. He took out a napkin from his bag and wiped off the crumbs left on his hand.

"You should wash your hands, it won't feel clean otherwise." She suggested. The boy looked up. He tilted his head as if to ask if she was talking to him? Before she could say anything else Mallika entered, the boy immediately averted his gaze.

"What're you doing here? Everyone is cheering for the volleyball match between our class and the rival class. Come." She said.

"What about him?" Annika asked as she pointed to Shivaay. Mallika frowned. "I have told you already don't associate yourself with him if you wish to stay out of trouble." She said only this time she was more serious than anyone else there. Anika swallowed back her words not wanting to sour the mood of her newly made friend hence she simply did what she was asked to. She ignored the boy like everyone else.