The Unsaid

Chapter 19

"So Pallavi, are you going to take MPC or BiPC?" Swapna whispered in Pallavi's ear

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know? When are you going to decide?"

Pallavi clutched her pen tighter, her eyes looking ahead.

"BiPC. Dad's been dreaming about seeing me as a doctor."

"Are you sure? Didn't you score better in Math than Biology last year? Are you taking this just because your Dad wants it?"

Pallavi shook her head.

"He didn't put any pressure or anything. But I can see the twinkle in his eyes whenever he talks about the possibility of me becoming a doctor. It's very difficult to get a free seat, but he is prepared to send me to a good college with donation. But he still asked me to choose. Anyways, you know how much I hate maths."

Swapna laughed. "I think out parents are very clever. They make us think in the direction that they want us to think."

"Yeah. Actually, I scored much more than average in languages right. So I wondered if I should take up BA (Bachelor of Arts)."

"What? Seriously? What will you do by doing that degree?"

Pallavi rolled her eyes. "I don't know... Become a language teacher I guess. My parents reacted just like you. They thought I was joking. Then my dad said that I can always pursue my interest in arts as a hobby, even after I became a doctor on engineer. So yeah, that really made sense to me."

Swapna nodded. "But then why BiPC instead of MPC?"

"I guess I hate Math more than Biology, that's why!" Pallavi laughed.

"Phollobhi! Shwopna! Stop Bwhispering and sthandhup," Miss Panda screamed.

"Sorry Madam," they replied in unison.

"Hmm... Phollobhi! Dhid you dhecide bhwhat you are going to take up? MPC or BhiPC?"

"BiPC madam."

"Hmm..Ghood Choice. Now that you are going to leave the school, can you sing that long you sang last year?"
"Bhich Bhone, Madam?" (which one Madam?) Pallavi replied inadverdently.

The class laughed as Pallavi clutched her skirt at her slip of tongue.

To her relief, Miss Panda laughed. "You are so naughty Phollobhi! Shing the Bhone phor bhich you got tho bhirst phrize last year."

"Yes Madam."

"Pallavi!"

Pallavi jerked into the present.

Her mother in law was looking at her with concern.

"Neellu pothunnai. Em aalochisthunnavu?" (The water is running. What are you thinking?)

"Are you feeling good?"

She looked at the running water and quickly shut it off. "I... I am fine."

~

Prithvi looked at this watch. It was only 4pm and the sun had not even set. But then, he had been so restless that whole day, thinking about Pallavi and how she was coping. Nisha should also be on her flight back. She had texted him today morning. He opened his messages and his finger lingered on her message. "Boarding the flight now. Take care." Perhaps this would be the last message that he would ever receive from her. His eyes became moist at the thought as he sat on a stone and reminisced his past.