A next door fairy tale (part 2)

Part 1 || Part 3

 

Maybe I was in the same school as his but the timing were different and I could hardly see him. The first day was pathetic. I was one week late and was the only one not in the uniform. I was yet to buy the books for the year and I didn't know anyone at all in the class. All the faces were new to me. I was nearly in tears, trying hard to hold them back. I said myself I can be independent and with all the courage I could manage said a weak 'hi' to the girl sitting near me. Exactly the bell rang and everyone ran off outside the class. I couldn't understand what to do. I came out, stood in the corridor and looked around. I couldn't find even one familiar soul nearby. And at that second the tear tap in my eyes opened. I couldn't control myself, I couldn't stop. Then a teacher helped me. That evening in the school bus I felt very tired and slept off very well ending up back in the school. It was the worst possible first day experience any 5 year old can have.There was no sleeping time, no fun time. We did have play time but the games were played properly by rules not like how I used to play in my previous one. I hated the school, I hated the atmosphere, I hated it all. I decided I will not make any friends, I will not talk to anyone in that school. I stopped sharing anything about my school with Karthik too. He seemed to like the school a lot. He always praised it and I never understood why for long.

And then I entered 4th standard. Things staterd changing - a lot. I had the same school timing then as of Karthik's. He was always with me - in bus, in school (his class room was just opposite to mine), in break and during after class coaching (we had an hour after school where we can meet the seniors or teachers and clarify our doubts). He was a very studious guy. He still is the same. He always helped me with my homework and taught me every-day's portions. Given that both my mom and dad were working, he was the one I could rely on.

We went to early morning karate class then I had my gymnastics class (he had his skaters class) after class coaching. Then I went to music class in the evening when he used to play cricket (I LOVED playing cricket with big boys and sometimes I would act like I'm asleep, miss the music class by 5 minutes and then go play with them). My weekends went in kho-kho coaching and shuttle coaching in the school and he went for swimming. He was like a big brother like figure to me then. He taught me how to ride a bicycle, how to play cricket etc. And this is how it was till I reached my 6th grade. Then everything between us changed little by little.