Laughter echoed for what felt like an eternity. Shiv pulled out a book and buried his face, hoping to bury the sound surrounding him, sounds filled with mockery and insults.
The door slid open, and all the students' attention went toward it. A female teacher walked in through the door. Her white blouse with black polka dots was stylish but not flashy. The blouse was tucked neatly into high-waisted black trousers. Her right hand's index finger adjusted her specs—the frame made of glass and its joints in golden color—giving her a sense of professionalism.
On her wrist, she wore a simple, elegant watch, suggesting punctuality and discipline. Her hairstyle—soft, shoulder-length, and a bit wavy—gave her a charming look.
Holding a few notes and a book in her left hand, her steps were rhythmic, her heels tapping on the floor, an air of authority flowing around her.
All the laughter and murmurs turned to hush and faded soon after. She reached her chair and put the notes and book on the table in front of her. Her gaze scanned all the students, her eyes lingering on Shiv a few seconds longer than on others.
"Ok, everyone, pay attention." Everyone's attention focused on her, their eyes fixed on her, waiting for her to continue. "From now on, I will be your new homeroom teacher. My name is Priya Jain, and you can call me Miss Jain."
A quiet wave of whispers spread through the classroom, and a student raised his hand to ask a question. Miss Jain nodded her head, telling him to continue.
"Miss Jain, our class homeroom teacher is Mister Sharma. Will he no longer teach us?" A few students nodded their heads, as if that's what they also wanted to know.
Miss Jain adjusted her glasses with her index finger. "I know Mister Sharma is your homeroom teacher—or was used to—but from now on I will be teaching you chemistry instead of him and all the classes he taught in this school."
"Has Mister Sharma moved somewhere?" a student said in a low voice to his friend.
"Or he resigned. He had a very big argument with the principal a few days ago. After that, he hadn't come to school," his friend replied.
Shiv heard their conversation, believing that both could be right. He was also there when he accidentally overheard their argument while walking past the principal's office.
After hearing those words, a wave of confusion spread in the students' minds. Miss Jain tapped her foot lightly on the floor, its sound echoing throughout the class like a small thunder, burying all the noise.
She cleared her throat, grabbing all the attention of the students in an instant. "Mister Sharma has not moved, nor has he resigned." She paused for a few seconds, looking at the students, and then continued, "Last Friday, Mister Sharma went missing. His wife lodged a missing complaint, but the police still have not found him."
After her words settled, an air of heaviness flowed around everyone. Anxiety and nervousness were visible on their faces. But Miss Jain continued after a brief pause, "That's why I will be teaching you chemistry as your new homeroom teacher. So, let's start with a small self-introduction so I may know who you are. As you already know who I am, I should skip my introduction and start with the first row."
"Hello, Miss, my name is Raman Bharadwaj… my favourite anime is Attack on Behemoth and in my free—"
"Bharadwaj," Miss Jain cut the boy in the middle of his introduction and with a sigh she continued, "Your name is enough. We don't have time for a lengthy introduction." A few chuckles escaped from students. "And by the way, I also like that anime, but my favourite anime is Punishment Notes."
Students looked at each other, not believing what their new teacher had said. "Miss Jain likes anime? I can't believe it."
"Yes, I also can't believe it," another one added.
"Now keep quiet and continue with the introduction unless you want me to put you in my Punishment Notes."
She is good, Shiv said to himself, his eyes on Miss Jain. First, after delivering the news about what had happened to Mister Sharma, she asked students to give their introduction to distract their attention. Then secondly, she quickly pointed out that she also enjoys anime, which further lightened the mood and formed a connection between her and the students.
"You at the back in the third row," Miss Jain's voice echoed in the classroom, throwing Shiv out of his thoughts.
"Ye..s yes, Miss Jain," Shiv stuttered a bit and stood up from his chair, all eyes on him.
"It's your turn to introduce yourself to me." Miss Jain adjusted her specs with her index finger.
"Yes… my name is Shiv Upasak and I am seventeen. And live with my youn—"
"Your name and age is enough for now, you didn't have to tell about who you live with or anything more." The classroom burst with laughter.
She looked at him. "As I have already told you, we don't have enough time for the introduction, so please make it short." She reminded the class once again. "Please sit down, Shiv."
He sat down, feeling a little embarrassed.
One by one, students finished their introductions, their voices fading as the lecture started, but whispers of what happened to Mister Sharma still lingered through the classroom.
.
.
.
The cafeteria was buzzing with students, chatting and gossiping about their daily life and other stuff. The atmosphere was hectic and warm. But even in this lively atmosphere buzzing with students, just next to a corner, a single student unpacked his lunch. His hair, black like it was made of darkness, his eyes hiding an abyss, his jaw sharp. His cheeks a bit shrunken, his face immature but handsome nonetheless.
Shiv sat down on the chair, his ears perked up, listening to the conversation of the students next to his table. Talks of what happened earlier still lingered in the hearts of a group of students.
Their eyes darted everywhere, looking at their surroundings, landing a few times on Shiv, their plates full, food untouched. An air of anxiety wrapped around them.
"Cases of missing people are increasing rapidly," a female student with black hair and round glasses said. "A few days ago, a lady who lived just two blocks away from my house also went missing, and police…" she told the group, her voice low, her hand placed on her skirt, pulling it in a mess. "… still couldn't find her."
"Yes! I also know about a man and his son who went missing two days ago," a boy added, his face pale and dark circles clearly visible. "And there was also a reporter who went to his house and interviewed multiple people who lived nearby. It was shown on TV."
Beside Shiv, there was another group of students who were listening to their conversation while eating their food. After finishing his food, one boy stood. His hair was cut in a military style, his height much taller than that of an average seventeen-year-old teen, his belly protruding, his shirt barely holding all the food he had eaten. And a big grin plastered on his face. Even with a glance, one could tell he was a bully.
Every step he took, his belly jiggled a little. He licked his lips as he walked toward Shiv and stood beside him.
"Hm?" With a frown, Shiv tilted his head to look at the boy who casually walked near him.
Why is this douche standing near me? Shiv thought, his eyes moving to the remaining boys who sat at their table. His wavy orange fringe hair looked like a warm fire in a cold dark night, a few strands of red hidden behind the fringe, and his eyes looked like embers. His lips tugged up slightly, an air of arrogance surrounding him.
To his right sat another friend, his messy long dark brown hair just resting on his head as if it had never been combed, a few of his bangs covering his right eye, and his left eye looked heavy as if he had not slept well in weeks. And that eye locked on Shiv.
And the last douche of their group stood beside Shiv. "Hey! Shiv, my friend, how are you?" His voice was friendly, but a hint of mockery was evident in it.
"I… I am good." His eyes on his plate. "Do you need something from me, Raju?" His body trembling a bit.
"Haha… ha." Raju laughed. "No need to be so nervous, ok? So let me get straight to the point. What were you up to last Friday?" Raju leaned closer to Shiv, his hand on Shiv's shoulder.
Shiv's body trembled like a dry leaf. What does he mean? Shiv thought, pondering what Raju had said. Or is this something new they came up with to harass me?
"I don't know what you are talking about," Shiv said as he packed his half-eaten lunch and stood up, slowly removing Raju's hand from his shoulder with his palm.
"Oh! But I know," said the orange-haired boy with a smile as he walked up to his friend Raju and placed a hand on Raju's shoulder. Behind him stood another boy with long messy hair, his hands in his pockets, his back hunched.
"What do you mean, Vansh? Is this one of your new methods to bully me?" Shiv asked, his gaze on Vansh for a few seconds, then he quickly lowered it and looked at the floor.
Vansh noted that gaze and took a step back unconsciously, his heartbeat quickening for a bit. "Hahaha… haha." Calming his heart, Vansh's laughter echoed in the cafeteria, grabbing the attention of all the students toward him, as if that was what he wanted.
"Do you think I need a new method to bully you? Or to punch you? I can do that whenever I want and how I want," Vansh said, his voice low. "I can do that whenever I feel like it. Do you understand?" Shiv's body shook like a leaf under his gaze. Vansh's lips parted, forming a smile while looking at Shiv.
"I saw the look in your eyes when Mister Sharma said something to you," his voice grew louder with each word, as if trying to reach every student, to let them hear what he wanted them to hear.
"How hard you clenched your fist, how you wanted to punch that teacher," he sneered.
"Maybe you are the reason he went missing." His voice, loud, echoed like thunder in the students' ears.
"You cursed him."
"Did you hear that? I have always known sooner or later he would do something," someone said.
"Do you really think that he can do something like that?" a female student said.
"I don't just think, I believe. I have also seen that look in his eyes. Man, it gives me creeps," her friend added.
A wave of whispers spread in the cafeteria like wildfire. Shiv's heartbeat increased, and his heart hammered against his chest. His breath was shallow, every word added fuel to the raging storm in his mind. His gaze darted around; every student's look made his stomach churn.
Smack!! A punch landed on his jaw, taking the wind out of his lungs, and he fell on the ground in pain.
"You should just disappear, Shiv the curse bearer."
With that, the trio turned their backs and moved away, leaving Shiv at the center of commotion, like an object of their hatred and disgust.
"I… I didn't curse him," gasping for air, Shiv said, his voice shallow, barely audible. His body lay on the floor, his breath laboured.