A Sew Through Time [Banbudh And Budbak]

17: The rich kid invites the class clowns

The phone rang, displaying an unknown number with no specific country code. Stopping in the middle of his paperwork, Rathi sir picked it up. A husky voice talked from the other side,

"Are you Principal Rathi?"

"Yes?"

"My name's Ajay. I'm a member of a non-profit organization catering to global environmental changes"

"I see" the principal beckoned his fingers, surprising Patel who waited across with his tea platter

He motioned him to leave.

"Sir, we all know how our environment is changing with the rise of global warming and pollution. As we always do, we have selected your school to hold a seminar regarding this, would you give us the permission?"

"That would really be helpful to all of us" He smiled, writing down the details and agreeing for their presence in his school.

The last three classes were cancelled the next day. The children waited patiently for the upcoming seminar, talking amongst themselves about it. Khushi left Karan's haughty banters and pushed Budh and Badri across their row to make space for herself.

"Badri, what happens in a seminar?" Budh scratched his head.

He threw a sly gaze, "Have you heard of the Char minar?"

"Char minar? Yes!"

"It's the same, char minar, se-minar!"

"No you douchebag!" Khushi corrected him, "People come in a seminar and teach us about something"

"Were the school teachers not enough that they called extra people to ruin our lives?" Badri giggled when he noticed Khushi opening a notebook, "What's that?"

"I've made a list of all the places for ghostbusting" she said while turning the pages.

"That's too long!" He exclaimed, watching her read out the names of the places, strikng a few out to ease their work.

"Now that's too short" Budh remarked.

"Still easier" Badri replied, "Easier than level nine of Mega Robot!"

"Nah, no ghost likes the presence of humans" she spoke, "Unless they're reaaaally very hungry"

Her words sent a shudder down their spines.

"So... we'll be going?" Budh asked, chewing the end of his pencil.

"Sunday at five" she declared, "I'll be waiting near school, don't be late"

The boys showed her a thumbs up each.

The seminar finally began. A man and a woman entered in the class, the principal and a few teachers behind them. The man looked to be in his late twenties, having a somewhat ruddy skin tone, with almond brown eyes with crew cut hair with a frail beard. He wore a white shirt, neat and ironed, with and brown pants and shiny belt.

The woman was petite; with high cheekbones, thin lips and sharp eyes. She wore a green kurti, white leggings and worn out black stilettos. She looked slightly older, her hair was tied into a messy bun and a pair of red, square glasses sat on her nose.

The man introduced himself as Ajay. He opened a PowerPoint presentation and began explaining several climate calamities and awareness, how to help others and how to reach for supplies. He shared the various emergency numbers for the hospital and police station as well.

The woman kept quite the entire time, her eyes moving around.

The two boys feel uncanny.

"Global warming? More like she's warning us about something" Badri whispered to his friend, with hands tucked under the desk.