Us │✔

20│Colors Of The Wind

Jivika~

"Children, take out your pen and paper," Lata ma'am almost sang, her excitement on giving us a test, highlighting loud and clear through her actions. Hands drifting in the air, she made her calculations, before switching our seats.

"Shreyansh next to Kiara, Rhea next to Kajal, Maahi next to Prajakta, Lavanya next to Krish, Parth next to Laysa, Amaan next to Jivi—"

She took a pause. Evaluating the risks.

"No, no. Amaan next to Amaya."

Did she really think that making him sit behind me rather than next to me would stop us from cheating?

As for cheating. Well, I was a good student. Always. One of the students in the top brackets of the class. But, Social Studies was clearly not my game. What was the point of cramming up dates and names? What was the point of memorizing which crop grew where? Also, its not 'the board exams'. Its just a class test, a bit of cheating cant do any harm.

"First question, name the iron ore belts in India, three marks. Second question, why is the manufacturing sector important? Five marks. Third, write a brief note on the cement industry. Three marks again. Last question, define intermediate goods, one mark."

Cement industry? Was that even there in the syllabus?

My mind which was already undergoing panic on a different level, had forgotten all about its misery, when the pain in my leg shot up. All it could scream was, 'Ouch, that hurts!'. Turning around, I have a glimpse of my prey. Anger at the tip of my nose, I whispered.

"Abey, laakh kyu mara?"
["Hey, why did you kick?"]

Giving his 'sorry — not — sorry' grin, he proceeded with his doubt. Eyes drifting towards the teacher, he asked, "What happens in the cement industry?"

Great. Even he doesn't know.

Here we are, not able to fill this single sheet and there we can see Laysa, Maahi, Prajakta and Rhea, scratching and scribbling, writing out a five hundred volume book. As I said, if this were Math, then my condition would be the same as them. Lata ma'am was very strategic. She made them sit with students who were just as good as them, and needed no help. Thus, making the chances of us asking them answers, almost close to nil.

And what's the use of cheating with people who know less than you?

Turning back, yet again, I discussed the paper in a hushed voice with Amaan and Amaya, as I was left with no choice but to ask them for help. Days when we were in sixth grade skimmed through my mind, when the three of us were in a similar situation during exams. And surprise-surprise! Even then, this was the very same subject with which we used to struggle.

That year, Amaan was seated on the first bench, with Amaya behind him and me diagonal to him. And that's how we survived Social studies exam in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. I used to study Civics, Amaya used to prep up for Geography and Amaan for History. We would only prepare that one particular book, relying on the other two for the other books. Somehow, that system helped us survive for three years. Somehow.

"Amaya, what have you written for cement industry?" I asked with some hope.

Resting her pen, she proudly proclaimed, "Oh! I have written: Cement industry is the industry which produces cement."

"And ... ?"

"That's it," she replied casually, waving off her hand.

Now, I have lost hope.