Chapter 13 (Part 2)

Nolan

5th August 2017, Saturday
13:25

I sat on the couch that was placed outside the auditorium, not bothering to go in the smelly place filled with disoriented people, clothes and screaming Samaritans. In England, we had our share of annual days but it was nothing like this. I was half confused and half amused at the extravagant preparations for the day of rehearsal, leaving it to my imagination to think what the annual day would look like. Students stumbled in and out of the hall in wrong sized dresses. I made the mistake of pointing out to a mime artist that his tee didn't fit right. The string of curses that followed made my knowledge of Hindi language shrivel up and cuddle in a corner of my brain. I did not dare say anything thereafter.

"Are you going to sit here?" Pankaj asked.

I nodded, shifting on the sofa and making space for him. "We're allowed to, aren't we?"

He smirked. "Teachers aren't allowed to hit students but they do anyway. Things work quite differently here, in case you haven't noticed by now."

I joined in April and I had to say I definitely did not have any knowledge of Indian schools' woking.

Swarm of students rushed out of the Auditorium and spread in both directions, running and walking, shoving and screaming. Pankaj hit me on the shoulder and said, "Just watch what happens." So I did. I watched teachers chase them and grab those who were close. The rush began to subside but it did not disappear.

"They're being kicked out or what?" I asked and leaned back.

Pankaj grabbed a junior by his shirt and repeated my question.

He answered, "Only the students of classes ninth and tenth can go in. Rest are supposed to move back to the class."

This was a very nice way of moving back to the class.

"That's our cue, then," Pankaj said and got up. Noticing me, he gestured.

I shook my head. He grunted and walked to the doors of the auditorium. After knocking for about a minute, he stepped back, stumbling a little and stared in horror.

"But I am in tenth," he said.

I moved to the edge of the couch to get a better look.

"Where is your ID card? No proof, no way in."

There stood the little Samaritan, scowling at him while her glasses threatened to fall if they slipped another centimetre.

"But I am in tenth!"

"Prove."

"Look at me."

She did a look over from head to toe and shook her head. "You're short for a tenth grader."

The door shut right at his face. He mumbled incoherent words and walked back to me.

"Short for tenth grader? I'm taller than her," he said.

I consoled him. "Maybe she meant a short supply of intellect." He gave me a bewildered look. "Just saying. She's known for her comments."

"Is she?" He smiled sarcastically. "I only know her because of you."

He pulled my hand. "Why don't you come with me? You're wearing an ID card."

I shook my head.

"Are you scared to-?"

"Try to go in again. Maybe someone else with a better temper will open the door," I suggested but pulled my hand that he simply would not leave.

"Fine." He walked back and knocked.

The doors opened. "You came back? Did you bring any proof? What do you people even want to see - coloured lights and sequins on the dresses that'll fall off any moment?"

Her rant continued and Pankaj rubbed his arm, wanting to give up but adamant to prove to her he was a tenth grader. I almost told him that she knew who he was, I had told her before but she simply could not allow him without an ID card.

"Bottom line - no." She began to shut the door but I intervened.

"He is of tenth class."

"Are you his..." She turned to me and took a step back. Her expression changed. The confidence she had when texting me vanished just like that."Advocate?"

I opened my mouth but she stepped aside to let us in. Pankaj grabbed my arm and pulled me in, merrily walking over to the chairs, ignorant of the fact that she was looking everywhere but at me. I wanted to wave and say Remember me? Your Facebook pal?

25th April 2019, Thursday
8:00

For some reason, this assembly was too long for my liking. I was a little worried about her. She had said I would see. I stood in a corner and watched Miss Mukherjee give Kiara a smile which she did not bother returning. I leaned against the wall and as she climbed up the stage. To my left, second graders were staring at me with gaping mouths.

"A very exuberant morning to all present here," Kiara said, tucking a hair strand behind her ear. "Dandelion Presidency is proud to announce..."

She went on to describe the competition and steps involved for participation. Nobody was really interested in listening to her and while I paid no attention to her words, her voice drifted in my head like a melody being sung by birds.

"Before I hand over the mic back to the students of class seven, I would like to make an amend," she said with a smirk.

Miss Mukherjee, who stood just two feet away gasped audibly.

"The highest score in SpellBee was 490. We apologize for the wrong announcement."

"Someone stop her," Miss Mukherjee said, shaking the shoulders of the head boy.

"490 out of 500 by Ashiamma Apte." Kiara had the biggest smile I had ever seen.

The juniors, oblivious to the name she just spoke, began clapping. The Principal who stood next to the stage glared at Kiara while Miss Mukherjee shoved the head boy onto the stage. As far as I was concerned, it was difficult to control the laughter bubbling out of my throat.

The head boy murmured something in Kiara's ear and tried to pull back the mic. She shook her head and grabbed the mic.

"Let's give a big round of applause to Ashiamma Apte," she said.

The ironic state of the assembly ground should have put the staff who were trying to cover that name to shame. The claps coming from the front of the ground echoed against the silence of the seniors standing at the back. I turned to look at my classmates and the teachers there. Their faces were stoic yet their tongues were more than ready to gossip the moment they were out of here.

My gaze fell on Vicky who looked calm, almost satisfied and happy with Kiara's announcement. Someone mumbled something and he growled at the person, probably telling him to shut up. A hand crept from the back and grabbed his shoulder. I twisted around to get as clear a look as it was possible from a great distance. As Vicky moved, I found myself staring at Hardik. I narrowed my eyes and turned back towards the stage.

Kiara was beaming as the claps continued. Her gaze met mine and I flashed her a smile, clapping not for Ashiamma but for this girl's courage. The head boy, clearly annoyed by now, pushed her aside and handed the mic to the students who were waiting to continue the assembly.

Kiara happily walked down the stairs and grinned at Miss Mukherjee. "How did I do?" she asked.

"Kiara, sweetheart, you were suspended but I think that'll have to change now-"

"I resign," Kiara announced, putting forth her badge. "I resign from my post. I also refuse to participate in morning duties, announcements and everything concerned with Samaritans."

"Do you realize by resigning you cannot be elected in the subsequent years?" The head boy said.

She snorted. "If you forgot, I'm in 11th. I would spend my next and the last year of school peacefully."

I stood there, dazed by her, torn between appreciating and worrying.

"You okay?" she asked me.

I couldn't help but smile. "That was... whatever it was, I'm speechless."

She shrugged. "It suddenly hit my mind that I had some incomplete business."

"That reminds me, I saw Hardik back there with Vicky," I said and pointed at the back.

"I already told Roy he should be here. It's good. If he wants to talk to him, he'll do it. I don't care anymore."

I examined her face that somehow did not match her words. She cared but she did not want to. It was okay. At least she was trying.

"I'm going to my class," she said.

17:00

A ball hit my feet and a boy came running to me. He mumbled an apology through his toothy grin.

"There you go," I said with a smile and gave him the ball.

After he walked back to his parents who cheered him on, I looked around the garden which was littered with similar scenes. Every corner was occupied by someone. In the centre, the fountains went on and off after regular intervals, changing colours. A little girl ran to them and giggled when the water hit her face. Dad shifted to this side of the city when we came here, soon I followed him when the construction was complete. I never bothered to change my school. Getting into Dandelion Presidency had been easy but it was a struggle to cover 24 kilometres everyday. Sometimes, I considered homeschooling but changed my mind then. Dandelion Presidency gave me a lot of things I could not just let go.

"Stop running. Would you wait?"

I looked up at the speaker. Across me, near the swings, a teenager was climbing up to the slide. Few kids stood with a scowl. My gaze fell on the board that said 'For kids below 10' next to which stood another girl. I did a double take at that face. I lost my breath at the sight of Kiara scowling at the girl.

I walked over to her.

"You're an embarrassment in the name of a friend," she said to the girl who was still holding the kids back.

"I'm enjoying unlike you who's afraid of slides," she shouted down at us.

That cracked me up. "You're scared of slides."

She jumped. "Nolan? H-Hey, what are you doing here?" I did not miss the overall scrutiny her eyes did.

I grinned at her. "Just passing time. My house is two streets away."

She gaped. "Really? I thought you lived close to the school."

I shrugged. "I shifted. But you definitely live far from here."

"The institute where I take tuitions is close by. And you see that lunatic?" She pointed at the girl. "She's a friend."

Her friend screamed. "Get out of my way, kids!"

"Well." Kiara scrunched up her nose. "I mean she was my friend. I vow to cut all her ties to me."

"Do you come here often?" I asked. I would be surprised if she said yes because I had never seen her here before.

"No. You heard her. I don't like swings."

"You're scared of slides, she said," I said with a serious nod.

She frantically shook her head. "I just don't like swings in general. When I was in second standard, I was running around and one of the classmates was on the swings. Our teacher told us to stay away from them but I would be damned if I listened to her. Guess what? The next minute, I was on the ground, howling at the grass that was turning red with my blood. The swing hit my ear and let's just say, stitches are more painful than what Papa told. He's a big liar. The bleeding would not stop and I was sent home with my brother who was pretty calm the entire time. The next week, I went to the swings to just see the ground and if it was still stained. It looked better than me. I gave up on the swings but slides were still there for me. So, two years later, right on that slide behind me, another fiasco happened. As I was coming down, the fabrics of my shorts got stuck in the joints of the slide and the boy behind me rammed right into my head. It wasn't as damaging but I keep my distance."

My gaze travelled between Kiara and the slide behind her which looked worse and abandoned for good. "I don't know who has my sympathy, you or that slide."

She rolled her eyes. "It was abandoned two months later as no one cared enough to amend it."

I had seen it so many times but everytime after today, it would not be the same. I would be reminded of this girl who became its victim. The smile stuck to my lips.

"How about you make her go there?" I pointed at her friend.

Her eyes lit up but her smile fell back. "The slide can collapse. I would have to carry her back home."

I then noticed the two bags she was holding. Her phone began to ring.

"Would you hold this for me?" she asked, offering me one of the bags.

I grabbed it as she took the phone.

"Roy," she said.

Not wanting to intrude, I stepped back and looked everywhere but at her. The slide still cracked me up and I began to inspect it. It did not look that bad but considering Kiara was narrating an incident of fourth standard, I did not want to give the benefit of doubt. My fingers traced the old rusty metal.

Through the bushes that paved the way to an ice cream truck situated at the centre of the garden, I saw another familiar face. It was Hardik. Kiara was still on the phone. Trying my luck, I took another step forward and saw him standing next to another student, Mehak, I remembered correctly. They both seemed quiet, staring down before he grabbed her hand and began talking.

"Nolan."

"I'm coming," I called back to her, unable to look away from those two.

"Aren't you too interested in this slide?" she said with a cheeky smile. "What are you looking at?"

My eyes widened and I blocked her view. "I'm looking at this and thinking about your situation."

She stuck her tongue at me.

"Let's go," I said, grabbing her hand. "How long are you staying here?"

"As long as she continues to claim those slides," she replied and stared down at our hands.

I loosened my grip but she held on.

"Roy said something about Vicky. I couldn't make much but I think I heard Shay at the back. Do you think I should go check out?"

"Did he ask you to come?"

She shook her head.

"I would say no then." When she frowned at that, I couldn't help but ask, "Do you ever rest?"

"I'll just go home and do my work."

"Good."

My gaze went back to those bushes. If it was just as it looked, Kiara needed to stay away. In the morning, she had been crying. Seeing her do okay now was a relief. I could only hope I was bad at putting two and two together. Maybe it was not Mehak with him, I wasn't really sure.

Kiara pointed at the swings and said something with a stretched out grin. I gave a half smile, praying that she would find nothing. It was time she started looking at herself rather than the past or others.