Hearing my amma shouting at me 'wake up', I woke up. Looking at the sky I realized, its not early morning. After 7? I took my watch and checked the time. It was 6:48. I got out of my bed, walked straight to the bathroom. Stared at the mirror, looking at my perfect glow when standing under the bulb. I washed my face and got out. Now, I sat on the dining table. There is my achan, amma and chechi and chettan. Chechi looks like she is awake but not. Achan is listening to what amma has to say about the new neighbours. Then achan is telling how his business is going. I sat down. Chettan is on his phone. Normal.
'chaaya' amma said and handed me the tea. I starred at the tea for sometime. Then took a sip and left it there. The only thing I like to drink is milk. Plane milk. My mom always forgets that, and adds tea powder. I started to walk to the dressing room, to take my toothbrush, walking like a sloth.
After all the morning rituals I went to school, in cycle. I have to ride for 30 minutes to reach my school. After the first 15 minutes is over my best friend jaani joined me, as usual. We both were discussing about the new 'music' club our school is going to start. We both love music but we both disagree about this new club. There is already a lot of classes that we can learn dance, music. But we are thinking why aren't they promoting any other skills. For example, jaani likes to learn swimming. And we both likes to learn how to write good, and I, I likes to learn acting too. But what can we do. They took out the suggestion box as my chettan and his friends put a suggestion that there should be winter dance.
Finally we reached school. Said greetings to a cleaner aunt and our physical teacher, then we walked to class. We sat down on the first bench, as usual. Everyone is busy discussing about the new English teacher, who will join today.
'Have you girls heard about the new teacher coming today?' our classmate vinay asked to us. Even if this is what he asked, he asked it as 'haave youuu guysss heaaarrdd abouuuuut' and so on.
'What to hear about, we know that she is coming from dubai, anything else?' jaani asked.
'nah' vinay said and moved to the third girl sitting with me and jaani. She is also sitting in the first bench with us, but she never talks, she can, but she wont. I wonder why. She scores average marks and she is always reading.
'haave youuu heaaard anyttthiinggg? Mithra?' he asked her.
Instead of opening her mouth she nodded up and down. Which means YES. Hearing we all aren't interested about vinay's talks, he moved to the second bench.
'Good morning kids' she arrived!! The new English teacher..
'gooooooood moooooorniiiiinggg maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam' the whole class said. Me and jaani exchanged looks, understanding that this class, will never, ever, change.
'sit down' she said. Before she saying that, the back benchers already did.
'so I am your new English teacher. Revathi. This is my first experience of teaching. Am happy to start it in this very awesome class. 8th. As you all know, I am coming from dubai, but am an Indian native. I grew up here, at Kerala, until I was 7 but then we moved to dubai. So I want all of you to introduce yourself, in detail. Can we do that?'
'yesss' we shouted.
'alright, lets start from here' she says pointing our bench 'you go first' she said pointing jaani.
She went. Stood near to the teacher, facing the whole class. Fearless as always, an exact character of lily moscovitz. Except she don't make fun of me.
'hello. I am jaani.S. I am studying in 8A. I am 13 year old. I am coming from nedumangad. My mother's name is savitri. she is a chef. My father's name is Sandeep. He is a government employee.
I have a brother. His name is gokul. He is studying here, in class 9B. he is 15 years old. My passion is writing. I really like to learn swimming but am not allowed to learn outside and unfortunately our school is not teaching it. I really like to dance and sing, in my own way. AND MY VERY BESTFRIEND IS KRITIKA. We like to spend most of our time together, creating new stories and acting it out. Thank you'. And the end. She exhaled. At sat down. While I inhaled deeply. Because I am next. I walked towards the teacher, faced the class, and started.
'Hey. I am kritika aravindan. I am coming from nedumangad. I am 13 year old. I don't have to say my class as I am standing here at 8th. My mother's name is deepa Aravindan. My father's name is Aravindan.S. my mother is an entrepreneur, she owns a cosmetic company called my style. My father is also a self employee. He owns a clothing store, at lulu mall and another branch near here. named devan. I have two siblings. A sister and a brother. My sister's name is arundhathi. She is 18 years old. Going to college this year. My brother's name is devan. He is 15 years old. Studying here with jaani's brother. Jaani is my bestfriend from 2nd standard. As she said we love to create characters. Thank you'
And next is Mithra. Who refuses to open her mouth.
'I am Mithra s nair.' She said standing on the bench itself and sat down.
Then the whole class. But as the time passed only until the third benchers got chance to say.
'we will surely do the rest tomorrow' teacher said and left.
The next class is physical education. Which me and jaani hates the most. Because its only physical for boys, as they only get balls and all. We girls have to play badminton. Which I don't refuse to say is physical but I refuses because there is only 3 bats and all the 17 girls has to play. Which is very incorrect.
Today, the back bencher girls got the bats. Some others were standing there hoping they will get the bats soon. But we, some others, are standing under a tree, knowing we will not get it in this lifetime.
'Gokul and your brother is going to the mall next day' jaani said. Gokul, her brother and devan, my brother are best friends. Like us.
'I know. With some of their football team friends' I said.
'why aren't we allowed to do any fun things. Am not even allowed to learn swimming' She said.
'At least am allowed to come to your house and you are allowed to come to mine' I reported.
'when I come to your house, your brother will disturb us. When you come to my house, my brother will talk about worldwide things to us, which is really boring' she protested.
Before I could say anything the bell rang and we went to class.