The soft chime of the school bell echoed through the corridors of CPS, signaling the end of the long-awaited Science exam. Students quietly filed out of the exam hall, tired but relieved, their faces reflecting the exhaustion of a battle fought and survived.
After a brief hallway discussion about tricky questions, everyone began heading back to their respective classrooms, murmuring about mistakes and missed steps.
Amrit leaned toward his friends, excited.
"Question five was ridiculously easy!" he said, eyes bright. Laughter rippled around the group, releasing some of the morning tension.
At the back of the classroom, Sudhanshu quietly returned to his seat. He didn't reach for his tiffin. Instead, he sank into his thoughts, every nerve alert, every muscle tense. The exam was over, but the storm that followed was only beginning.
Nearby, his friends whispered nervously.
"My head spun during the last numerical," one murmured.
"Same, man… I messed up the steps," another admitted.
Sudhanshu, calm on the outside, leaned slightly to respond.
"Guys… it wasn't that hard. You just flipped the logic," he said softly. Inside, however, his mind raced, calculating what might come next.
The silence of the classroom was suddenly broken by the sharp, piercing gaze of Dubey Sir. His eyes locked on Sudhanshu with the precision of a seasoned detective.
"Sudhanshu… what are you doing?" Dubey Sir's voice was calm but firm, carrying a weight that immediately filled the room with tension. One look was enough to stop the world around them.
The lunch bell rang — "TRINGGG!" — and the usual rush began as students hurried toward the hand-wash area. Amid the chaos, Amrit moved quickly to Sudhanshu's side.
"Come on, let's go," he whispered urgently.
Dubey Sir raised his hand, blocking their path.
"You. Go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Amrit tried again, polite but insistent.
"Sir… can I go with him?"
Dubey Sir's eyes sharpened, patience thinning.
"YOU. Go," he repeated, final and strict.
Amrit exhaled, irritation flickering in his eyes, but he stayed respectful.
"Sir… I won't go then," he finally whispered.
Sudhanshu's gaze remained fixed ahead, internal tension coiling like a spring. What happens now? How do we handle this? The calm exterior masked the storm within, every second stretching like an eternity.
TO BE CONTINUED
Written by : AKS Zonz