When I looked at Rahul's painting, I was speechless. It was a painting of a girl in a bikini running towards the beach, but only her backside was drawn. I grabbed my phone and sent a message to Shruti. "Shruti, are you okay? Did that pervert do anything weird to you?" I asked.
Rahul sneaked a look at the message. "Pervert?" he said, looking at me.
"What are you asking Shruti?"
"I'm asking if you did anything weird to her," i replied. "You were drawing a dirty picture of a girl in the art room."
Rahul defended himself, saying "That's a false accusation! I didn't draw anything dirty."
Just then, I received a message from Shruti. "Rahul didn't do anything weird, but he wanted to irritate you, that's why he drew that." When he was laughing and mumbling to himself, I recorded his voice and uploaded it to a voice-to-text site after he left to submit his artwork to you. The text read, was "Laughing... I'll show you how to tease for real. I'm drawing a girl in a bikini and then submitting it to you, teacher. Just you wait... laughing."
As I read the message, my anger intensified. "I'm accepting your artwork for the competition, so congratulations," I said sarcastically.
Rahul's face turned furious, with a hint of fear in his voice. "What? Are you nuts? This artwork is a walking sexual harassment case! If you submit this with my name, I'll be done for life."
I glared at Rahul, my anger still simmering. "Watch your tongue!
I didn't do anything wrong. Please believe me."
Rahul's face grew paler, and I signed to Shruti to bring water. "Hey Rahul, take a long breath. I'm not going to submit it, okay?"
Rahul's expression changed to one of relief, and he asked with a bright smile, "Really?"
"Drink some water first," I said.
Rahul accepted the water, laughing and telling Shruti something in sign language. But I noticed the sweat beads on his forehead. For seconds I thought.....
I'm having it, your artwork.
i said to Rahul
For what? Just destroy it Rahul Said looking at me.
I like the painting so I'm having it I said while laughing and Shruti brought a water bottle
Rahul went towards his bag, took out something, and drank it with water. I noticed he was looking at me, but I acted like I didn't see anything.
"Hey Rahul, do you want to eat ice cream?" I asked.
"Yes!" he replied with sparkling eyes.
"Then go buy us ice cream. I want a vanilla flavor. Take Shruti with you, and here, take this money," I said, handing him a 200-rupee bill.
As they left the staff room, I confirmed they were heading towards the shop. I snuck towards Rahul's bag, intent on investigating.
Meanwhile,
me and Shruti were walking towards the ice cream shop. "I forgot my phone in the staff room. Will you wait for me here?" I signed, checking my pockets.
Shruti nodded, and i dashed back towards the staff room. As i approached the staff room I moved quietly, trying not to make any noise.
I opened the staff room door and found the teacher rummaging through my bag.
"What are you doing, teacher?" I asked.
The teacher looked up, caught red-handed. "Y... you ate earlier... Paroxetine," the teacher stammered with shocked expressions.
I narrowed my eyes and replied."Yes".
Do you know what it is? The teacher asked me with hesitation.
"It's an antidepressant medicine." I replied. The teacher's expression turned stern and I continued with
"Don't ask me anything about it. Why I take it, and everything.
Just give me some water to drink. Teacher said
I handed the teacher a water bottle and left the staff room, returning to Shruti, who was waiting for me. I was deep in thought, unable to believe what I had just witnessed. A 20- or 21-year-old kid taking antidepressants? What had happened to him? What kind of life did he live? All these thoughts swirled in my mind, clouding my thoughts.
A sudden voice broke my train of thought. "...Cher teacher."
I turned to voice, it was Rahul calling me, i responded with a lifeless voice, "Huh? Oh, you're back? Let's eat the ice cream then."
Rahul handed me my ice cream and the change. I looked at him; he was smiling and eating his ice cream as if nothing had happened.
I just stared at him, unsure of what to say. We parted ways, and Shruti left in her car. I was at the bus stand with Rahul.
"Don't think too seriously about me, Mayuri teacher," Rahul said, smiling at me.
"You think it's cool acting like everything is fine?" I asked, my voice was serious.
Rahul looked into my eyes and said, "I've seen guys in worse situations than me. The medication doesn't work for them. I'm lucky that it works for me."
I was at a loss for words. "Is that so?" I muttered.
This kid, with his whole life ahead of him, was comparing his tragedy to someone else's to feel better. I just wanted to forget what I had seen and heard from Rahul.
The bus arrived, and I hopped on. Rahul stayed behind, waiting for his bus at the stand.