The Mathematical Mishap

After trying, and failing, for a week to study maths, Rafiqa and Dahlia were now counting on Priya, a mathematical genius, to help them pass the upcoming exam. Only she could save them!

The question paper they got had four questions for five marks each, totalling up to twenty. Priya started solving the questions right away and Rafiqa- sitting behind her- started copying her answers.

Meanwhile Dahlia, seated in front of Priya was following the cough-code they had decided- question number equals to the number of coughs . She coughed once. But just then, even Rafiqa coughed once for real. Question number two, thought Priya. Subtly, she wrote the answer on a chit of paper she had prepared and passed it to Dahlia, who happily copied the wrong answer.

Just then, Rafiqa whispered to Priya, "Idiot! Don't write so small! I need second problem's answer!"

Slightly annoyed, Priya slid her answer-sheet with the solution under her table, towards Rafiqa. Then, as Priya started the third question, their invigilator started to walk around the classroom.

And she was nearing them!

Panicked, she whispered urgently to Dahlia, who was peacefully drinking water,

"Ma'am is coming! Create a distraction or else she will find my answer-sheet with Rafiqa and we'll be in trouble!"

The teacher was very near now. With a mouthful of water and critical mission to accomplish, Dahlia started coughing violently, thus, spilling water on their invigilator. Seeing that, Rafiqa and Priya could not help but laugh, but soon started coughing as well when their invigilator looked at them.

"What's happening here?" Demanded the invigilator.

"Actually, Dahlia had a cold and we three had been studying together, so we caught it too." Rafiqa lied fluently and the trio coughed again to emphasise their point.

Rolling her eyes, the invigilator moved away. Relieved, Rafiqa returned Priya her paper. Later, Dahlia finished copying the answer from the chit and, without looking, threw it back to Priya. Instead, it landed on Rafiqa's table.

The chit, Rafiqa thought, probably had third problem's answer. Still, to confirm she asked,

"Is this third problem's answer ?" She asked, referring to the chit.

"On the paper?" Priya asked, referring to her answer-sheet.

"Yes."

"Yes."

"Stop repeating what I'm saying!"

"I'm not! It's my answer!" Priya whisper-shouted.

"Oh!" Rafiqa replied, copying the wrong answer.

And just when poor Dahlia asked for the second answer, ding dong! The time was up! Papers were collected. Dahlia had left three questions while Rafiqa and Priya, one each.

Once outside, after talking about the exam, the trio realized the grand blunder they had made. It was clear now that Dahlia and Rafiqa would be failing with a zero and an eight respectively.

"Well, at least I'm getting a sixteen!" Priya chirped happily.

And there! She had triggered the ticking-bomb inside Rafiqa and Dahlia by rubbing salt on their wound.

That's how Priya ended up getting a bright-red hand imprint on each of her cheeks that day.

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