Arts building, UBH, morning 9.50 a.m

The known university felt so different today as Labanya set her foot at the campus. For the first time the blossoms and their fragrance in campus garden drew her attention. The frequent voice of cuckoos from the cover of leaves reminded her that it's spring. The air around her felt so soothing as never before!

Is this what her friends used to call as 'romantic weather'?

Labanya smiled coyly to herself and the next moment shook the feeling off, looking at the wristwatch. It was already late. As she moved faster inside the Arts building, her eyes suddenly fell on the department of English.

That boy was telling he's from this department, wasn't he?

Labanya paused for a while. How was that boy who saved her yesterday? Had he come to the university today? Or was the injury too serious? Labanya did not know why she was thinking all these.

Gratitude? It must be!

"Kire (What's up)? Why standing here? Won't you go to class?" Someone shook her arm.

Labanya goaded back to her senses. It was Kadambari.

"What made you stare at the English department for so long? Who's there?" Kadambari narrowed her eyes.

"No...no one! Nothing!" Labanya fumbled.

"Nothing?" Kadambari raised an eyebrow. "First period is about to start. And you are here, staring at other department like someone would stare at their lover! For nothing?"

"Bari!" Labanya frowned. "Too much curiosity isn't good for health."

"I see! But Madam, don't forget me after you get a boyfriend!" Kadambari pouted.

Labanya raised her palm to show Kadambari a false slap. Both the friends giggled together.

***

E. M. Bypass road, morning 9.50 a.m

Himanshu was surprised to see his mother calling just within 15 minutes after he left for university.

He quickly received the call. "Bolo Maa (tell, mother)!"

"Tui kothay re? (Where are you?)"

"Just crossing the bypass. Why?"

"That means you haven't yet gone too far. Can you come back once?" Paramita said from the other side.

"What's the matter, Maa?" Himanshu got alarmed. "Anything serious?"

"Arre ar bolis na (what to tell about this!). Your Dadabhai forgot his lunch box at home. So I thought if you could come back once..." She trailed off.

Himanshu laughed out.

"You're laughing?" The mother rebuked.

"What else to do? My innocent Dadabhai is becoming a Bholanath day by day! Ok, no worries! I'm coming!"

Cutting the call Himanshu once glanced at his watch. The first class would go missed if he had to go home now. But it could not bother him much. Dadabhai's lunch was much more important for him.

Himanshu turned to home.

***

New Town School, 10.05 a.m

"There! She will give us a treat!" Computer teacher Barnali Roy pointed to Deepika as soon as she entered the teachers' room after her first class.

Barnali's sudden statement held Deepika in a brief pause, her eyes squinted. The next moment she shook her head with a smile and placed herself comfortably on her chair.

"Only smiling won't help, Deepika!" Barnali said again, giving a sip to her favourite cold coffee. "We deserve a treat!"

"Barnali di, I know you love to eat. But treat without a reason isn't fair!" Deepika rolled her eyes, drawing the bunch of  first unit projects to her table.

"Who says without reason? We all know the grand news!" Barnali grinned, exchanging glance with the other teachers who nodded.

Deepika's hand stopped. She looked up.

"What news?"

"You got an offer from university of Bengal heritage. As an assistant professor." Barnali stared at Deepika. "Am I right?"

Deepika felt embarrassed. Yes, it was true. But she had not told this to anyone till now except to her bestie cum colleague.

Definitely it was her work to reveal it to the whole staff room! Deepika frowned.

"Deepika, you will leave us?" Bengali teacher Antara held her hand, her voice emotional.

Deepika smiled and patted her hand. "I'll be here for another couple of months, Antara. Don't be sad. I'll keep contact with all of you. After all, this is my first job and you all are special to me!"

"We'll miss you a lot, Deepika!" Barnali came closer and hugged her with moist eyes.

"Not only us, even all the students will miss their dear Deepika Ma'am! Who else will be such a rare combination of knowledge, love and strictness at the same time?" Said Antara with a sad smile.

"Don't know about the students, but you all will definitely miss to tease someone all the time!" Deepika softly chuckled, hoping to make the ambiance lighter.

Her colleagues always used to tease her regarding her future life partner, she being the youngest and the only unmarried female teacher of the school. Out of love for her, they once even tried to do some matrimonial services for getting Deepika married soon, but all their attempts failed for some or the other reason.

"Leave us. But it's actually good for you." Barnali said, "Being a doctorate of Sanskrit, you do deserve a job of professor instead of teaching in school. And also, who knows, maybe your Mr. Perfect is waiting for you there only?" She grinned.

"Don't forget us when you meet him, Deepika!" Antara added, "Do invite us in your wedding!"

"Please!" An embarrassed Deepika stared at her. "You are talking like I'm not going to a new job but to a swayamvar sabha!"

"Do treat it like one! How long will you stay single, my dear?" All the teachers joined in chorus.

"As long as I don't find him who is meant for me!" Deepika stated with an expressionless face, turning pages of a project file.

"Don't waste time like this! You're already late. Even your youngers are getting married. It's 27 running and you aren't even trying to..."

"I don't mind remaining unmarried." Deepika smiled. "That's much better than being with a wrong person for the whole life!"

The other teachers shook their heads. Deepika was too stubborn and choosy in the matter of marriage. Only God knew which kind of man she wanted!

"May I come in, Ma'am?" A student of class 12 rushed in, panting for breath.

"Anindya, what happened?" Deepika looked worried. The boy belonged to 12 humanities, her own class.

"Rashmi has fainted, Ma'am!" Anindya managed to say. "Please come once!"

"Oh God!" Deepika sprung to her feet, closing the files in a quick hand.

"How did this happen? Was she ok in the first period?" She anxiously enquired.

Anindya lowered his head. "She looked too weak. Maybe she has eaten nothing since last night."

Deepika sighed. Rashmi belonged to an extremely poor family that could not always collect everyday's meal. Her widow mother worked in other's houses for her school fees.

Deepika did not think twice. She took out the lunch box from her bag, and then rushed to her class.

Her colleagues, who had seen a similar scene several times, wondered once again how a young, unmarried girl could be so motherly!
__________________________________________

Author's note: From this chapter, I will be adding few Bengali words here and there just for giving you the Bengali feel. Everything will be properly translated within brackets. Let me know if you face any problem in understanding the terms.

So, how is Deepika's character? Did you like her?