Ch. 4: At school

‘Oh Riyaa’ is the sound that roars as soon as she gets on the bus. This was a short of ovation by her friends and junior, her co travellers for years. She moves to the last row in the bus and sits right beside Sachin, seat she has sat all her school life. A seat for which she waged uncountable fights with ‘fellow competitors’. She’s very particular about her possession, even be it a seat. So, is the thing for Sneha, sitting to her left. On her right is the notoriously reclusive Sachin. With his head poised towards the window with a hand on his chin, he sits in his usual posture; quite unmoved by the conversations around him. ‘Hey Sachin, cheer up yaar. At least for today…’, says Riya, breaking from her conversation with sweta and Sneha. This sudden intervention left Sachin startled. He replies hastily, ‘ Aree Riya, you know me na. This is my usual self. This is how I am.’ ‘Only she knows you, huh’ interrupts Sumit, sited on the front seat and the bus breaks out in laughter. Sachin just shook his shoulders rather nonchalantly, after a brief yet rare smile. Riya was planning a cheeky response, but it’s just then that they arrived at the School campus. As they entered the School Gate, they were welcomed by their juniors with a ‘gift-bag’ and a small garland. Inside the gift bag were a Momento and a group photo. Just as they were cherishing it, they were guided into their School Auditorium, all set for the program. Decorated specially for the program, at either side of the main stage of auditorium was a big Cardboard. The cardboards were adored by a number of photos of the outgoing batch of students. Captured in different moments such as the ‘Quiz competition’, ‘School day Celebrations’, ‘Excursion trip’, etc, the photos housed a host of memories of the bygone yet cherished memories. This was enough to make all of them nostalgic, even the indifferent Sachin. Just as their eyes were glued to the photos and their mind busy revisiting old memories, a voice interrupts them. ‘Students, We are about to start the function. I want you all to behave as responsible children, particularly you the outgoing batch. I want pin drop silence and discipline here’, roars the School Principal from the podium. The students now move to their seats, some of them visibly irritated. ‘Disciplined and sincere, not today yaar’, whispers Riya amidst her friends as they take their seats.’ Yeah and God knows how he manages to be so serious all the time’, says Vineet seconding Riya. As the hustle and bustle subsides, there appears Cyrus Sir from nowhere at the podium. ‘A warm good morning everyone…’ and here begins the function.