A NEW BEGINNING

972 147 34
                                    

The college campus buzzed with life as students hurried between classes, their laughter mingling with the chatter of birds in the courtyard. The scent of freshly cut grass wafted through the air, blending with the aroma of coffee drifting from the nearby cafe. Under the shade of ancient oak trees, groups of friends gathered, animatedly discussing assignments and weekend plans. It was a vibrant scene, full of energy and the promise of youthful adventure.

On the 6th floor, the classroom is a cozy haven filled with natural light streaming through tall windows. Students, some with their notebooks open and others scrolling through their mobiles. The walls are adorned with colorful posters and inspirational quotes. One bench held a group of three friends, with one of them snapping photos of the group and the classroom. The others were engaged in a lively, if somewhat aimless conversation.

"Haseena, have you heard she is leaving?" one of the friends asked, her tone tinged with concern.

"Who?" Haseena replied, barely looking up from her phone.

Another friend, slightly irritated, gave Haseena a playful but hard tap on the back. "Kiske saath lagi hai?" she asked with a hint of annoyance.

Haseena winced and put her phone down. "Dost hai... Who is leaving?" she asked, intrigued.

"Radhika ma’am!" the friend answered.

Haseena’s eyes widened in shock. "What? Kyu? Kab? Kaise? Misri details bata."

"Mujhe kya pata? Hum sab ko aaj subah hi pata chala... Unhone resignation letter bahut pehle de diya tha. She even completed her notice period," Misri explained.

"Yaar... This is wrong... Wohi to hum sab ka ek louta sahara thi. Ab wo nai toh wo chudail kaacha kha jayegi hum sab ko" Haseena said, her disappointment is clear.

"Santu tujhe kuch pata nahi hai? You know everything right?" Misri taunted.

Santu forced a smile. "Main kya dekhti ho? Radhika ma’am ki PA jo mujhe bolengi? Itni excitement hai toh khud puch le."

Just then, a girl burst into the classroom, slightly out of breath. "Good news, guys!!"

"Please tell me Radhika ma’am isn’t leaving!" Haseena asked eagerly.

The girl shook her head. "Nai... Radhika ma’am ka jana confirm par koi aur bhi jaa rahi hai."

"Swati ma’am?" Haseena’s face lit up with relief.

The girl nodded, and Haseena, in her excitement, hugged and kissed her on the cheek. "Wah kya news di hai. Proud of you pooja! Tumhare saare backlogs clear ho jayenge. Gareeb aur zulm sehne wale ki dua hai."

The class erupted in laughter at Haseena’s enthusiastic response. Santu, smiling, asked, "Par sab kyu resign kar rahe hai? Aise toh koi purani faculty bachegi."

"Maybe because of work pressure, that's why they are leaving." Haseena suggested.

"Salary bhi ek reason ho sakta hai." Misri pointed out.

"Koi bhi jaye hume kya... Koi na koi replace kar dega. Par Radhika ma'am nahi jana chahiye tha. Aur koi khadoos na aaye unki replacement mein..." Haseena said, shrugging.

A few weeks later, the Class of 2024 sat in silence, none of them focused on the lecture. A new lecturer, Megha, had been appointed, and despite her attempts to explain the topics, the students found it hard to stay engaged nor understand. They were yawning, looking around, and struggling to stay awake.

"Aur kitna time baki hai?" Haseena asked, her voice thick with drowsiness.

"More 20 minutes..." Santu whispered.

SYLLABUS OF LOVE Where stories live. Discover now