Kifayat was surprised to hear the news. For a moment she didn't know what to say to him. The air felt suffocating even to her.
she could feel the pain etched in Ishan's heart, the weight of expectations, the fear of failure. He may wanted to say something more, but his words were lost in the tempest of emotions.
"Ishan do you know before I transferred here my grade was not as good as you. Although I was always in top three, my grades were not as stable as now. To me study was something I did because I needed to. Even before transferring here, I heard a lot about your brilliant deed. Classmates would even whisper that your notes are better than text book. You were a legendary figure in my previous school too. At that time I thought it was an exaggeration." Kifayat paused after saying that.
Ishan who was listening to her story, asked, "You don't think that now?"
Kifayat gave a little smile." After coming here, I thought you were strange. Your backpack would always sagged under the weight of countless books. I often found you perched on the sit of the school library, lost in the pages of calculation, scientific journals, and poetry collections. You know your eyes would sparkle with curiosity seeing a new question, and after solving a question your laughter would echo through the stacks of books.
I was wondering why do you study so fervently? What drives you? Then one day I heard you lecturing a junior girl who came to confessed to you."
"Confess to me?"
"You don't remember? It was two years ago after we just finished our junior high school."
Ishan shook his head. He still can not remember it.
Kifayat laughed, "I guess you can't remember anything except studies."
"The girl confessed to you and you said you want to focus on study. That girl was also quite stubborn, she insisted that even if study a little less you would still be able to get into a good university or get a good job. But it is important to enjoy life too."
"So immature." Ishan murmured.
Pfft, it's so you. But your reply that time surprised me. You said, I study because it ignites my soul, not because it guarantees a good university or paycheck. And I do enjoy my life by studying."
At that time, Kifayat's view of Ishan changed. I also started to fall in love with studies too. "Also your competitive spirit, it's rare."
"From them on you started to beat me in every exam, Right."
"Hahahaha," both of them laughed after that. Then Kifayat said softly, I don't know about your parents and I don't have the right to talk about them. But one thing you must know that it's not your fault. Divorce is a grown-up decision, they have their own choices and reasons. Best you can do talk to them calmly. Communication is the key you know. I am sure they will explain everything to you."
"What if things are really serious. They still get divorced."
"Ishan divorce is a hard decision even for adults. It is like choosing between two paths in a dense forest, it's hard for your parents to navigate their own journey, and whatever descision they make, it doesn't diminish your worth."
Ishan looked at Kifayat for a few seconds
"I understand now."
"Huh?!"
"Why you always get more marks in composition than me."
"I was comforting you,yet you can only think about marks."
"Thanks to you. I am very comforted now."
"No need, just Don't surpass me in the next exam."
"Right I will also be more comforted if you don't surpass me in the next time too."
"In your dreams."
"It happens every time in my I dream."
"So you dreamt about me." Kifayat said jokingly.
"I dream of crushing you in the exam."
"It's the same of dreaming about me."
"No it is not." Ishan felt embarrassed.
"Pfft.....you should look at your face. It's look red like ripe tomato."
"I am going home now. It is already late." Ishan stood up to left.
"Hey wait for me."
Then they started walking home silently. Kifayat thought Ishan was still shy about the joke. So she was thinking about how to break the silence. Then Ishan suddenly said, "Thank you, Kifayat."
"What is there to say thanks. It is a minimal a friend can do." Kifayat patted on Ishan's shoulder.
"Friend?"
"What, you don't think me as your friend!?"
"No, no it's not like that. But are not you angry for being rude to you all the time."
"You were never really rude to me." Before Ishan could breath a sigh of relief, Kifayat said, "You are not that capable."
Ishan, "....."
"Although you thought me as an enemy for taking you first position. You have never really neglected your work. You would always do the work of vice president meticulously. You never neglected the assistant monitor duties. You have never left until I finished my work in case I need your help. So you were always a very very good person to me."
"It's just...."
"Just?"
"Working with you gives me too much pressure."
"Then I would try to give you less pressure."
"Haha, it's okay. I was just kidding. I can handle that pressure. You don't have to change."
"I was also kidding."
"Do you always tell jokes like that?" Kifayat asked Ishan.
"Are you surprised at my sense of humor?"
"Yeah, it is funny that your jokes are not funny at all."
"Same goes to you." They looked at each other for a while as if they are at a staring competition. After a while, they both looked away. "I am going home."
"Me too, be careful."
"Same to you."