I wanted to talk to Mia. I did not miss her or anything, just that certain things had to be closed. Officially.
I asked Nic to convey my message to Mia. I wanted to meet her outside the campus. Not in a public place; it was too risky to be spotted with her. But not in a closed space too; I did not trust her anymore. After much deliberation, Nic suggested we meet at Ozone, Verona's famous food joint located not far from the school.
She had a Scooty, so reaching the place was not a problem for her. When she came, her face was covered like a dacoit – you couldn't see anything other than her eyes. This appearance was a popular summer delight in Verona, though. It helped Verona girls protect themselves from tanning and at the same time hide their identity.
From my seat, I watched her as she unwrapped the scarf, slowly revealing her face. Taking a look around the room, she walked towards me, her long legs clad in dark blue jeans and the soft yellow t-shirt clinging to her taut chest.
'How are you, sir? Where are you these days?' She hugged me as she asked.
I did not reply. In fact, I was fuming with anger. She was still wandering in her juvenile carelessness. In spite of her smart dress, she did not look attractive to me. I looked at her eyes. I had only hatred for her in mine. I so wished now that I should have controlled my desire back then.
'I have not come here to share my whereabouts.' 'You seem angry with me, sir.'
I could see fear in her eyes and knew the reason behind this fear. 'How would you define our relationship?'
'You are my favourite teacher.' She had said the right thing.
'Then what made everyone talk about our m ore than f riends status?'
'We are girlfriend-boyfriend! Are we not?'
This was not going anywhere. She did not understand the logic of love and lust. I thanked myself for not being involved with her any more than I was. I tried to moderate the intensity of my anger and requested her to sit. Ordering a cup of natural mango ice cream for her, I asked, 'Did I ever say that I loved you?'
She thought for a few seconds, 'No.'
'Have I ever said we would be good as a couple or girlfriend and boyfriend?'
'But what is the problem? If… suppose… we think in that direction…?'
I took a deep breath. Deep breaths help to control the mind. I emptied the glass of water in front of me and used a tissue to wipe my lips. Mia was silent. She had stopped licking her favourite ice-cream.
'I am eleven years elder to you. Currently I'm jobless… we do not have any future.'
'Not in a job means…?' Her response was not what I had anticipated
'I am on notice period because you… or your family member complained about me... that I molested you in my staff quarters.'
'Oh! And no, my family never made the complaint,' she shook her head vehemently.
'Then who did?'
She shrugged. That's all. As if that was all she could do about a punishment that came to me because of her in the first place. She was lost in her own assumptions and said things that mattered only to her, not really answering me.
'Sir, could you help me in getting 11 th final exam papers? Math is the toughest subject. If you don't help me, then I will fail.'
'When did I say that I may have access to the paper and I would share them with you?' I asked incredulously.
I got an understanding of something which was another aspect of the human behaviour. 'You have come to me because of those exam papers?'
She was so lost in herself, she did not reply. But she didn't even deny it. Sometimes absence of denial is also acceptance.
'You know, I did not top the class just because of maths,' she said, as if admitting to something shameful.
I held my head. My life was at a crux and this girl was talking of unimportant things like maths papers and topping in school exams.
'Well done, sir!'
Her tone was like a movie climax's dialogue when everyone starts to clap just to support the main character. I didn't reply to her sarcasm.
'You used me and now you have found a new girlfriend,' she said with teenage anger bubbling around her.
'Used you! Are you insane? And who is my new girlfriend?'
'Don't act innocent! The same girl whose house you've happily shifted in.' She looked away, I thought in disgust, and I didn't know what to say to this childish behaviour.
'Lexi…?' Incredulous! She nodded.
'She is not my girlfriend!'
'Stop taking me for a fool, sir. The entire school knows about her. She has had her eye on you forever. She always talks about you, even though you never taught her. And now you have shifted with her, in her own house!' Mia's tone was accusatory.
'I don't want to get into any discussion. But there is nothing between Lexi and me. Is that clear?' I raised my voice.
'Oh yeah? Then why did she complain about me?' 'She complained… about you… for what?'
'Principal ma'am called me to her office. I found out Lexi had complained that I was getting tuitions from a teacher. I saw the complaint letter as well. She clearly mentioned my name, but there was no mention of your name, sir ,' she ended sarcastically.
I was shocked. It was Lexi! Oh god, that girl had almost ruined me. And here I was, thinking she had been great help. 'And from where did Lexi find out that you were getting tuitions?'
She hesitated, shifting her focus to the ice-cream.
I understood her discomfort. 'Can you please tell me from where she got to know about our little study arrangement?'
'I might have uttered it… in a heated argument.' She could not see me in the eyes.
'Could you elaborate what the argument was about? And why name was dragged into it?'
'Lexi was asking about you, so I said, you and I were friends. She began arguing… for no reason. She was unstoppable. I was so fed up of her prattling… just to shut her up I told her you were giving tuitions to me.'
I rolled my eyes in anger, confusion and disgust, each emotion competing with the other to be on top. 'Let me clear one thing, you are not my girlfriend. In fact, there is nothing between you and me.'
She did not reply.
'Is that clear, Mia?' I asked sternly.
She looked at me for a few seconds and gave a sarcastic smile. 'Congratulations on your new and sick girlfriend.'
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