Ishq ka rishta💟

Chapter 5

As the bell rang, signaling the start of the first class, the chatter among the students gradually faded. One by one, they settled into their seats, the once-bustling corridors and playground now eerily quiet. The teachers had already arrived, standing at the front of the classroom, ready to begin the day. Most students were dutifully focused on their books, but not Yuvraj. His mind was elsewhere, completely preoccupied with thoughts of Shanaya. She hadn't arrived yet, and the class had already started. His eyes darted anxiously from the window to the corridor, hoping to catch any sign of her arrival.

On the other side of the classroom, Aarushi and her friends were still quietly chit-chatting.

"Yeh apni Shanaya behen kahaan reh gayi? Agar absent karna tha toh humein bhi batati, saath mein karte," Aarushi quipped, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"Raat mein meri usse baat hui thi, woh toh keh rahi thi ki aayegi," Prachi replied, furrowing her brows slightly in confusion.

Just then, the teacher began calling out the roll numbers, and right at that moment, Shanaya appeared at the door, panting heavily, desperately trying to catch her breath. Her face was flushed, and she was practically gulping in air after having sprinted all the way to class.

“Sir, may I come in?” she asked, her voice a little too loud as she struggled to speak through her heavy breathing.

The teacher, slightly annoyed but more amused, gave her a nod. Shanaya hurried to her seat beside Aarushi, tossing her bag onto the bench and quickly grabbing her water bottle, gulping down the water as if she’d just crossed a desert.

"Yeh kutte jaise haaff kyun rahi hai?" Aarushi asked, her eyes wide with mock concern.

Prachi couldn’t resist jumping in, "Yeh kya bol rahi hai tu? Woh kutta thodi hai, kutti bol," she corrected, feigning seriousness.

Aarushi, catching on to the joke, grinned, "Haan, haan sorry, yeh kutti jaise haaff kyun rahi hai tu?"

Shanaya, still catching her breath, rolled her eyes and shot back, "Abey suar, chup rahegi toh na kuch bolungi," throwing a playful glare in Aarushi’s direction.

Prachi, trying to hold back her laughter, added, "Tabse piyaasi ki tarah pee rahi hai, mtlb pani."

Before Shanaya could respond, Ishika leaned over and whispered urgently, "Abey yaar, tera roll number aane wala hai, jaldi bol."

Shanaya, realizing the teacher was about to call her name, quickly straightened up and blurted out, "Ha ha, present sir! Present!" Her voice was unnecessarily loud, drawing amused looks from her classmates and a slightly irritated glance from the teacher. Embarrassed, she slouched in her seat, her face turning a deep shade of red.

Once the roll call was over, Prachi turned to her with a mischievous smile, "Acha, ab bata, kyun late hui?"

Before Shanaya could answer, Aarushi chimed in, "Ghode bech kar so gayi hogi."

Shanaya opened her mouth to reply, but Prachi cut her off, "Nahi, scooty kharab ho gayi hogi."

"Nahi, nahi," Shanaya tried to protest, but Ishika jumped in, "Pakka kisi se ladai kar li hogi sadak pe."

Shanaya sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Nahi, sab galat! Aur main ladai kyun karungi kisi se, woh bhi sadak pe?" she retorted, a mix of exasperation and amusement in her voice.

Prachi, now thoroughly enjoying herself, leaned in closer, "Toh fir bata na, kyun late hui?"

Shanaya crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed, "Mujhe ab kuch batana hi nahi hai. Tum log hi sab kuch bhakhauti bhakk le rahe ho."