Entwined Lives

XI

Saturday. The fateful day of PTM had arrived. The timings for the meet were from only 10:30 am to 12:00 am as the students had regular classes till 10:30.

For the 3 hours of school that they were to have that day, only 3 classes, one hour each had been scheduled - Physics, Maths and Chemistry. Scheduled for official purposes, it had seemed. The whole of secondary wing, didn't have classes that day. None of the teachers even at least attended the classes,the students had been left on their own. The teachers were occupied stacking answer sheets, entering into report cards and thinking of remarks for every student - good or bad. The ever wandering minds got their bodies wandering too. 'The world is my oyster' was rephrased to 'the school campus is my oyster' and students captured the outdoor spaces, in their minds picnicing - shrieking laughter, making up silly jokes to solemn impress, running about feeling warm, boyfriends and girlfriends grateful for some extra time for spending together, less 'everything is perfect right now' students still in class resting in their natural habitat.

Sivi was there too.

There was a boy in the 12th grade who had not a wind of Sivi's existence until that day. Though, Sivi had noticed him. His eyes, the unbelievably black eyes reaching into abyss had got her attention.

Sivi had previously made innumerable inter-related promises to herself. To break free, run after her aspirations like a wild dog, make something of herself. But like any other moment when one wakes up from a dream and realizes the actualities of reality, she shook her head not wanting to be delusional. But on that Saturday, as she sat inside, in her class while most of the others had left 'Sivi's comfortable hiding place' to venture into anything but unknown waters -shallow waters, Sivi realized the very overly dramatic actualities of reality. No one could make the sun not shine for her or make the wind not blow for her, nothing was really changing other than her equation of herself in her mind. Thus reality didn't mean acknowledging and despising and wanting to renovate ourselves constantly, it meant just knowing ourselves and being okay with whatever we are made of. Sivi knew she was shy, she was anti-social, she was not most cheerful, but she also learnt that that didn't have to keep herself bound in hiding. She could always just wander about if she wanted to. And she did too.

That boy, the 12th grader was sitting across the 11ths' corridor when Sivi rushed out of her class smiling faintly. A many had complimented Sivi for her smile; some even stated it was the only beauty she had. When she smiled her lips extended to the left of her face higher than the right, her eyes humbly submitted to crescent slits, an adjusting that was not made for anybody and everybody.

Even if, he was just anybody and everybody, he got the adjustment. That sudden random spotting of him that Sivi's eyes had managed to do was a little too sudden and out of some part of her personality, her identity, her soul she started laughing. Not the loud and oblongata-exposing but the soulful exhumes of fear directed at randomness of situation. He was still busy being alone and in thought. Without a care of what might happen later she went and sat next to him. Surprised at the surprise he too managed a smile and in no time got talking.

'Hey. I'm Sivi.'

'Hi. Poso.'

'You're from the commerce section right? I'm from the eleventh science section.'

'Yeah. So how's science?'

'Hard. Very tedious. Time consuming.'

'Commerce is better that way. A lot better.'

'Ive heard. Anyway, why aren't you outside?'

'Why, do I have to be outside? Like is it a rule or something that I have to be outside?'

'No of course not. I meant why are alone instead of being accompanied?'

'I don't know. It just feels nice, you know, not talking for a little while and just being.'

'I don't know if you're directing that at me or what. Do you want me to leave?'

'Hey no no. That's not what I meant. You can stay. I want to get to know you.' He says smiling half way.

'Okay. Great then. Is there you want to know right away?'

'Hahah. Not something I've already thought of but I don't mind....... Do you like food? I mean... are a foodie?'

'No. I really believe I'm anorexic but none of the doctors seem to think so.'

'Wow. I love food. Anything and everything. Like really, you keep supplying me with food and I'd keep hogging.'

'What's your favorite kind of food?'

'Duh. Chocolates!'

'Thats new.'

'Seen any new movies lately?'

'Seriously? What? You want me start crying right now? I am a science student. I don't have the kind of time so no I haven't. And let me guess, every movie that's come out?'

'Ha ha ha. Very humorous. But yeah, I have.' laughing he says.

'Any one you'd like to recommend?'

'No thank you. I don't think I can trust you with such secrets.'

'I can't believe this. This is unbelievable. We have this generation's Charlie Chaplin. So hilarious and charming you are.'

'Okay shut up non-foodie. What do you like? Anything. Random.'

'This, my answer, is cheesy. Very very cheesy. Dont mind.'

'What? Pizza?'

'Yes. Of course. It's pizza. That's the big answer that I was going to announce.'

'Okay now. You are making me curious. Tell me.'

'I like... your eyes...and kind of have a crush on you.' she says staring at the ground.

'Okay. That was fast. I'm sorry if you think that's why I asked you the question and that's what I wanted to hear. It wasn't, okay?And guess what, I don't really know you enough but I think I'm liking you too... It's funny how I already feel so comfortable around you.'

'Same same.'