Nim arrived at school and began searching for her classroom. She spotted a sign reading "12 Sci A" on one of the doors. As she opened it, she saw that her classmates had already gathered. Quietly, she slipped in and found a seat in the corner. The first day was far from enjoyable for her. Instead of engaging, she buried herself in a novel she had bought during the vacation.
"Oh! Hey, Nim. So you actually made it to class 12, huh? I thought you'd be stuck in class 11 forever," said Achoor, the most annoying guy she knew—and the one she disliked the most. He was a skinny, arrogant-looking boy with a dark complexion. Achoor loved to make fun of her and constantly looked down on her. Although he wasn't particularly good at his studies, he was very talkative, which endeared him to the teachers. They treated him well and often used him as an example in class.
Nim felt her frustration rise at his comment. She wanted nothing more than to slam his head against the table, but she said nothing. She felt utterly helpless, struggling to cope with such an obnoxious classmate. She was just being badly harassed.
As Nim tried to ignore Achoor's irritating remarks, the classroom door creaked open, and their homeroom teacher, Mrs. Dema, walked in. She was a middle-aged woman with kind eyes but a no-nonsense demeanor. The class immediately quieted down as she placed her attendance register on the desk.
"Good morning, everyone," Mrs. Dema began, her voice calm but commanding. "I hope you all had a restful break and are ready to tackle the challenges of your final year."
The students murmured their greetings in response, and Mrs. Dema started calling out names from the register.
"Nima Tshering?"
"Present, Ma'am," came the response from a boy near the front.
"Tashi Lhamo?"
"Here, Ma'am."
The roll call continued, and Nim felt a knot in her stomach as her name approached. She didn't know why, but she always felt a little anxious when her name was called.
"Nim Seldon?"
"Present, Ma'am," she answered softly, hoping not to draw any attention.
Mrs. Dema nodded and made a mark in the register, then continued down the list. Once the attendance was complete, she closed the book and addressed the class.
"This year will be challenging, but also rewarding. You'll need to stay focused and work hard if you want to succeed in your exams. I expect nothing less than your best effort," she said, scanning the room.
After a brief introduction to the syllabus and some words of encouragement, Mrs. Dema handed out the textbooks and gave the students some time to skim through them. Nim tried to concentrate, but her mind kept drifting back to Achoor's earlier comment. She hated how easily he got under her skin.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of introductions and brief lessons, each teacher giving similar speeches about the importance of their final year. Nim kept to herself, barely speaking to anyone, and spent most of the time either reading her novel or pretending to take notes.
Finally, the last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Nim let out a sigh of relief as she packed her bag. As she exited the classroom, she noticed Achoor lingering by the door, chatting with a group of boys. She kept her head down and hurried past them, not wanting another encounter.
Outside, the sun was already dipping towards the horizon, casting a warm glow over the school grounds. Nim walked home slowly, her thoughts a jumble of frustration and exhaustion. She knew this year wouldn't be easy, but she resolved to keep her head down and focus on her studies, no matter what.
As she reached her house, she felt a little better. Maybe tomorrow would be different. Maybe she could find a way to ignore Achoor and the other things that bothered her. With a deep breath, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, ready to put the day behind her.