Chapter - 2

The sun shone brightly on the heads of children as they stood in their respective lines in the assembly as the uniform checking was going on. A tall boy stood out from the line of his fellow mates as his eyes began to search here and there trying to find someone and when he turned straight there he found her.

Ishitha.

Ishu Agarwal, who has been his crush from past one year. She was coming down from the stairs like an angel she is to join in the assembly and bless him with her presence. His eyes followed her as she ran to the back side of stage and discussing regarding something as she does the prayer everyday morning in the amplifier while others follow her words.

Even his place was on the stage side to her to sing national anthem along with all. But it became problematic for him to see her directly and he found her uncomfortable with his constant stare on her. Hence he quit the position and stood in the assembly like a disciple of a goddess who is standing on the stage praying for her while the school prayed to the god.

Taking his chance he set his all eyes on her and stared to the fullest as the prayer began and he didn't close eyes for a second. Her long hair was tied up in pig tails while her fair skin shone on her face and the black dot on her forehead adored her beauty. She never wore any kind of make up or accessories for the school even on school functions. Heck her presence is quite questionable when it comes to school functions. So her mere presence in the party is enough for him to have a flood of love and excitement in him.

The prayer ended and she quietly joined the line as his line was passing into the classroom. In the way to the classroom he locked his hands back and was doing un as his hands slightly brushed with hers and closing his eyes he snapped open as he took a deep breath and smiled and pooled back at her to see if she was looking at her bit she is busy in taking to her friend with a bright smile plastered on her face.

*****

On the several benches back he sat there looking ahead with his brows drew together looking concentrated on the lesson the teacher is teaching. The teacher twirled around to write on the board and his brows loosened as his eyes snapped at her and the smile grew.

She sat straight on the bench with a notes infront of her and a pen in her hand. He stared at her actions as she noted down the notes that the teacher wrote on the board.

His eyes peeked about what she is writing and saw the title of the lesson in a beautiful handwriting and then saw her again who is listening to the class attentively. A smile played on his lips as he leaned back again looking at her.

But the teacher voice drew his attention including others who were whispering to their friends.

"Today the lesson is about gender inequalities. The author is Williams Tyson. And before we dive into the lesson let's go trough some question to understand the lesson better. So.. i want to ask boys who knows cooking ".

Her question was followed by hands rising as she examined them and spotted a boy who she helds a grudge.

" You". The teacher pointed the book at the particular boy and he immediately fuck his head and put the hand down.

"I still can see you. Stand up". Said the teacher and having no choice he stood up reluctantly.

"Tell me. What could you cook"?

The boy looked at his friends as they giggled for no oblivious reason and he too began to laugh for no such silly reason.

"Stop laughing and ANSWER".

The class became silent and the boy looked at the teacher with his hands folded and said the answer.

"I know mam".

"What do you know"?

"Cooking".

"Cooking like"? The teacher questioned again and he answered.

"Boiled egg".

Everyone burst into laughter as the girl stifled her laugh with her face facing down and her soul admirer smiled looking at her laughing face. The teacher looked at all with done expression as the laugh went exasperated by boys.

******

The school was finished and everyone were in the buses way to their home and he sat there in the back seat as she sat in the third seat in the left row while he sat on the right side. He saw her talking, laughing, explaining, zooning out but he was no where near to be tired looking at her.

His eyes held devotion for her as he secretly prayed to her in his heart as if she is his goddess. The woman who deserves his whole respect, love and attention.

But not long as on Saturday's bus trip was other way around ahd the journey time is too long she dozed off to the window.

From the back seat he leaned to the window diagonally opposite to her and looked at her dreamily as a little smile stretched on his lips.

There is an involuntary tiny pout as she slept with her brows drawn together as irritation creeped into her sleep because of the shaking bus.

Not long her stop was getting nearer and he grew attentive as she wasn't awake yet. Getting up from the seat he walked to her seat and looked at her for a second before tapping her shoulder.

His tapping didn't helped her as she still was asleep and on seeing her bus stop coming more near he shook her slightly and like a thunder jolt she sat up awake making him flinch at her sudden action.

She blinked her eyes and looked out of the window registering the place and she immediately looked to her other side to see the person who woke her up.

"I guess it is your stop. You were sleeping".

He said hesitantly and gulped as he felt more nervous and attentive at her gaze.

He doesn't know why but he was always afraid at the possibility that she might burst out at him though she isn't such type. It's just he is paranoid of getting his heart a wound. And that paranoia always put him away from approaching her.

"Oh". Came her small voice as she immediately got up and began to wear her heavy bag on her shoulders and he moved away silently giving her space for exist.

"Thanks a lot".

Was her words as she got out of the seat and stood near by the stairs ready to board at her stop. Soon her stop came and she ascended down and his gaze moved along with her.

All of sudden as she felt his gaze she looked at him trough window from outside the bus and his body stiffen at her sudden eye contact.

She smiled and mouthed thankyou as the bus started was kicked to put in rush. His smile slowly twitched trying to give her smile as he is still grasping the fact that she just smiled at him and talked to him.

... Well. Thanked him.

At the end he returned her a smile and waved his hand as a good bye and she returned him the same making his eyes go wide.

She turned around as she went and the bus was off to next stop and he still froze in his spot. Closing his mouth with his hand he looked around particularly nowhere with joy.

His excitement took him two steps ahead and then back and then again to his seat as there is a wife smile plastered on his face.

"She just said bye to me"?

He asked to himself.

"She said bye to me. For which she doesn't say to others. Am i- Am i a little bit special for her".

Was his words as happiness swirled around him and he fist bumped in the air and fall back in the seat with joy.

But next second the thoughts changed as he realised that his thoughts are being so exasperated.

But the silly him refused to let that smile go away from his face. Turning back he looked out where the path is running away from him as he looked at the invisible traces of her foot.

Missing her already he was still looking back when the bus cans to halt and his bane was called.

Turning to the voice he saw his stop and he immediately put on his bag and boarded the bus.

*****

Monday~

With pencil in his mouth he but the back of the pencil reading the content on the paper that his hand spoke.

Reading it again and again he gently bought down the pencil to the paper correcting the mistakes.

But soon voices started to reach his ear as the murmurings collectively became loud. His friend shook his shoulder and asked him to look forward.

And there he found her and a boy standing facing each other and the atmosphere didn't look as if it is a casual. It looked alarming for him.

The boy is hesitant and she have that confused look on her eyebrows as she looked at the boy infront of him as he is taking little too much time when he said he wants to say something.

"Ishitha. I'm a great follower of you. I admire you a lot. I admire how you are so good at studies, how you get ranks with good marks, how you are so strict at discipline, at how you are good at sports and allrounder....

Gulping in between he dared to speak out his heart cleanly.

" And you even look beautiful and cute. I-i like you a lot" .

Her eyes became wide as she looked shocked at him while his body straightened listening to him as the pencil fell down from his mouth. He felt as if his heart is falling out from his mouth. His friend looked at him in alert and patted his bank to make him strong.

"I-i don't know when but i-i started to like you. I admire you a lot and i swear i don't look at you with any other intention but only devotion. If i have a chance i will take care of you like a goddess you are. P-please. You understand what I'm saying. W-will you p-please accept my love".

He said and she still looked at him with stunned eyes. She is totally out of so called love scenarios and a love proposal to her is completely blow to her. She is strictly against love and he just bought it out on her face.

He knows what kind of a girl she is. She is such type of a girl who would go to teacher to complain if someone proposed her. And today his instincts became true.

"Is this why your parents are sending to school. To stare at someone and love them. Don't you have studied to take care. Why don't you put this intrest on your studies. I'm not intrested in such stupid things. I earn you to stay away from me and stop whatever you have for me. Or else I'll complain to teacher".

After her words the boy who proposed to her went out of the class room and she angrily took her seat with irritated expression and he stared at her back school uniform drowing in deep thoughts.

The murmurs again started to cloud his ears and he looked around to find all of them about how she rejected him and other murmurs that she deserve a better man like themselves. And other murmurs that they lost their chance while others murmured they don't dare to propose.

On that day he understood that he is not the alone person who likes her. They are plenty of them. Plenty of fish.

A thought struck in him as he again looked at her. Bending down he took his pencil again to pour out his heart insecurities in the book.

In the midst of ocean

Can a peral of droplet be seen,

In the storm of fire

Can a flicker of flame be seen,

In the galaxy of universe

Can a star of clusters be seen?

In the world full of admirers

Can she see the love in me

-Anurag.