Best Mistake.

Chapter 1

Let me take you all 7 years back. 2013 was the year when everything changed. My parents decided that I should change my school as from middle school the real studies start. Middle school builds up the base of a person of how they would flourish in the future. I was ready to go and explore.

Oh, have I forgotten to introduce myself? (Shit.)

I am Nandini Murthy, 1st year, Astronomy. I have two siblings, a brother and a sister. I am the eldest one. My father, Mr. Sandip Murthy and mother Mrs. Cheryl Murthy. I love Butter Chicken and Armaan Malik. Don't ask me to choose one, because I won't choose.

Continuing with my story:

It was 9 in the night. I was 12 that time, packing all the stuff I thought I would need in my new school next day. I sense my mother coming in room, all smiling with a glass of cold coffee topped with chocolate ice-cream. Aahh! So mom wants to say something important. Regarding school, maybe..?

"Nandu, I have bought you something"

"Yesss...... wow! Thank you Mommy!" I say pouncing on the drink.

"Baby, I have to talk to you. Something important" Mom says gathering my attention which was on the drink.

"Say Mom, I am all ears" I say still eyeing my drink.

"Baby, tomorrow you are joining your new school. Excited?" mom asks smiling. "Yeah, mom. It's going to be great talking to new people and making new friends" my eyes glowing and upper lips covered with the drink I was busy savoring. Mom smiling cleans my face and says "Nandini, you are my big baby. And also being elder, there are certain things you should know." My concentration is on mom now. Though I know it sucks being the eldest of all, but still let's listen to mom. Mom continues "Baby, I have never stopped you from making male friends and I will never do. There are times when we need a male point of view to solve things and it's okay to make more male friends than female friends, but..."

My parents have always been the coolest. They never stopped me from making friends. Although I am only 12, but they told me the difference between male-friends and boyfriends, good touch and bad touch long ago.

"...but, now that you are changing the school, you are going to a place where you are leaving all your old friends behind. The people whom you will meet tomorrow are not the people with whom you have been all your childhood. They are new people. You should know how to differentiate between good company and bad company, people with whom you should talk and whom you shouldn't. You are the eldest and also my pride but now you have the responsibility to pave the way for your younger siblings. They will learn things from you and how you do it. Don't get involved in wrong things. I hope I have made myself clear, baby?" mom ends smiling.

I found it quiet weird as people I'll meet tomorrow are just normal human beings and there is nothing to worry as they will not eat me up. Yet, I still had blur ideas about what mom was indicating.

"Of course mom, I do understand my responsibility. But I am not still clear about what are you talking about" I put up my confusion. "You will, with time, baby. I am there to help when time comes. Don't forget my words, ever. Now come let's have dinner. I have made Rajma Chawal" Mom says and goes. Confused, I come to dining area, take dinner and go to bed readying myself for adventure ahead.

Next day, 7:30 am, School.

It was a freaking sunny day. I was feeling very hot in my new uniform which was a white shirt with grey skirt. Daddy left me at my new school, and went. After the Morning Prayer and a long boring lecture by the Principal of school, I thought I would now be told my class and asked to go but no. A lady came to us where all the new students were standing and took us to a big room. Trust me, I was so relaxed because the room was chilled and finally I would stop sweating. The lady, most supposedly a teacher start taking names and kids sitting near me stood up and a few seniors took them to their respective classes. I was almost only in the class and the teacher didn't take my name. "Did I come to the wrong school? Or worst, was my admission even done or not?" such thoughts started to creep in my mind when finally teacher took my name. "Nandini Murthy, 6B, follow me". Why should I follow you? Are there no seniors for me? I started to walk behind her and she kept going on, on , and on. Where the hell am I? Is this a school or a maze? Where is my class?

The school had two building connected by end in such a way that the whole school was in L shape. Huge corridors and 3 floored building had so many staircases that it was becoming difficult for me to remember the way she leading me to. Finally, at the end of old building third floor, as read on the map while coming, a class stood in the end. Hah! Finally.

Before entering, the class teacher stopped me out of the class and said "Nandini, now you will enter the class and introduce yourself. Not a long introduction, but a small introduction like your name and anything else you want." She was sweet. Big eyes and sugary voice, nobody could tell she was Mathematics teacher. My heart was thumping so loudly that I wondered if teacher could hear me. I was nervous, yes, because it was a new beginning for me and the long-long walk around the school didn't help either.

As I enter the class, I was welcomed by a loud noise coming from the class. The class went dead silent as I entered that the any person outside could get mistaken as if somebody died. People were staring me as if I was some alien. The awkward eyeing session was thankfully broken by the teacher who said- "Class, this is Nandini Murthy. Your new friend." Turning towards me "Nandini, I would like you to introduce yourself".

I gave a small smile to the teacher and took a deep breath. "My name is Nandini Murthy. I am from CMS and I love Butte..."

Shit.

Nandini you don't have to say this you idiot.

"And I love listening to music. Thank you."

There were around 24 students in the class sitting in a way that there was no seat for me. The teacher asked a boy to go and sit somewhere in the back, and gave me a seat to sit in the boys row in the front.

Soon, the teacher left and class started to chirp again. I was missing my old friends. Every year, I was the first person to gel up with the new students of the class, but now I don't have anyone. Though I was feeling terrible, but I had no one to share. I miss Ananya. I miss Gauri. I miss Rahul. I miss Stebin. I miss everyone.

Lost in my own thoughts, I didn't see when two boys came and stood in front of me. They were not in their uniform, so I assumed them they had their birthday. Birthday on the first day of school, not bad.

"Hi, I am Vitish" said a boy with specs.

"Hello, I am Siddarth" said the other boy standing beside him. "Yesterday was his birthday and today is mine so we decided to celebrate together." He completed.

I smiled and shook Siddarth's extended hand. "Hi, I am Nandini. Nice to meet you." They offered me with two chocolates and I took it happily.

When I thought they would leave, I saw them muttering something to each other. "...he asked to give her more..." I heard Vitish whispering.

"Excuse me? You said something?" I say as I couldn't register what I heard.

"No nothing!" they almost shouted together horrified.

"No actually, you are new na, so they thought to shower you with more chocolates" now I hear a third voice which came somewhere from my behind.

A boy came from my behind and stood in front me. Extending his hand he said "Hi, I am Manik Malhotra. Nice to meet you" and literally took my hands into his. Things went super awkward when he was not leaving my hand and went on shaking. "Nan..Nan..Nandini Murthy, Nice to meet you too". Eyeing my hands, he finally left my hands. Ahh! Clingy person.

"Well, it's their birthday today..." and without even asking Vitish and Siddarth, he grabbed handful of chocolate and placed in front of me. "this is for you." He ended up smiling.

"It's their birthday, not yours Manik" I said controlling but ended up smiling at his sweet gesture.

Realization dawning upon him, he looked at me, mouth a bit open, brows a bit arched. "Oh, they won't mind. I have talked to them." He confesses slyly.

"you talked to them, why?" I say confused. Vitish and Siddarth long gone, we didn't even notice. Wait, WE?

I see Manik opening his mouth to say something but finding no words, he leaves smiling at me.

"Manik, chocolates?" I see him deliberately ignoring my words

"Chocolates." I eye them sighing. "Well, not bad either. Why to return them?" I open one eating, while a teacher enters the class.

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A/N:  Well, that's pretty much the first part, hope you like it.

Stay safe.