Part 1

Written by:- Anu Parshholic

She slightly stumbled upon her feet as she walk dragging her feet over the smoothly concreted floor of her school's cooridoor. Her shoulders stopping low with tiredness and her dropping eyes demand of nothing but a good 8hours sleep. She streched her arms to awake herself, and sighed looking over to the thick books she was holding. She turned her gaze right and glanced over 2 of her friends, walking by her side, who looked as tired as she was.
She was in her 10th standard right now, with the month of January, their boards were hardly 2 months away. And the burden of studies as well the pressure of parents took a troll over every student appearing for boards this year. CBSE! She groaned in her mind and sighed sadly.
She walked into the class, followed by her friends murmuring to eachother the answers of history and formulas of maths.
She moved over to her fixed bench in the class, that was the 4th seat of the first row. She could see her seat-partner bowing down over his table, and scribbling something with a pencil, while his left arm covered the copy(or book) well so no one can see.
He is one hell of a weird guy. She thought and moved over to him. Their seats were arranged and fixed in a weird way, where every seat was occupied by a girl, and a boy. Like why would you do that? Who makes such kind of sitting arrangements with high school students. If it was with the intention of disciplining the students, that's the worst way. She sighed at the foolishness of her class teacher and stood infront of her seat-partner, Randhir, who was still too busy in scribbling something that he was yet to notice her. She wasn't sure what it was, but his gestures showed of his utmost concentration.
"What are you doing?" She asked casually before taking up her seat beside him.
And as if someone just placed their hand over his shoulder while he was in the middle of watching the scariest scene of a horror movie, he shrieked in fear and widened his eyes at me. Quickly closing his notes copy he threw it in his bag, as if protecting his country's secret from the enemies, and shuttered at me.
"H..huh? Ah n..nothing at all." He smiled an awkward smile and cleared his throat out of embarrassment.
"What the hell was all that?" She asked her eyes still wide from his previous actions.
He just shrugged casually in response not intending to explain himself.
"And what were you even writing on that so secretly?" She narrowed my eyes not letting him off the hook.
"Ah, it was just the some important notes I made from the lesson" he answered finally gaining back his composure and confidence as he pointed at the science book left open on the table.
And that's when she drew a conclusion on why he did that.
"As if I would have stolen or copied your notes" she glared him, hard this time.
"You may, I'm the topper afterall" he smirked his famous one
She twitched her lips and discarded his comment. Yes, he topped this mid terms and she was one on the second, and look at the difference, she was only a 0.2% behind. Only if I would have not missed that 1mark question, she sighed.
"By the way, if I'm not wrong that was your maths copy." She pointed out casually not wanting more debate on the topic anyway.
Why would he even make notes from chemistry in his maths notes, she knew he lied. While he just gulped at her observation power but said nothing.
The rest of the day went by smoothly with them paying their utmost concentration to the teachers who gave them some last minutes tips for the exams, and they in breaks bickering in themselves like a habbit.

Within days their pre-boards approached consuming more than half of the January and by the time they were done with exams it was already time to bid a bye to 12th standard and to shut down the school for 10th and 12th so they can prepare well for finals.

It was their last day before the revision holidays began. A lot of students from the town would be changing schools and leaving town to have a better education and to be able to choose any stream of their choice. To most of them it was their last day in school, making them sigh with sadness over the thought of never returning back again. Their class teacher gave them a short speach about being successful ahead in life and cherishing these moments forever.
They all sat on their respective seats reminiscing the last 12years hear.

"Ahem" Randhir cleared his throat and turned to Sanyukta sitting next to him, who looked lost in deep thoughts.
Breaking out of her deep trance she turned to him. "What?" She raised her eyebrow at his sudden interruption.
"You are leaving too, aren't you?" He smiled sadly.
"Delhi" she nodded. "What about you?"
"Kota" came his short meek reply.
"Ah. I guess then, we may never meet again" she gave him a sad smile. A smile that said that no matter how much he annoyed her, she will still miss him.
"Probably" he returned her smile as he felt a lump forming in his throat.
"Well, though you are super annoying" she giggled as he started to glare her "we have been seat-partners for 2 years, it would now kind of feel weird to not have anyone...to bicker with. I think, I might just miss you, a tiny bit." She made that tiny gesture with her hand and smiled as she felt tears welling up her eyes slowly.
Before he could reply to her sudden confession, her friends came and took her with them, leaving him behind all alone. I might just...miss you too, a tiny bit. He breathed in to calm down his accelerating heartbeat and aching heart.

---------------------------------
To be continued....
(Based on a microtale)