---
Katha lay quietly with her head resting on the desk, pretending to sleep.
But several girls were staring at her with burning, hostile eyes.
Tiyasa—the most popular girl in the class—walked forward.
Curling her lips into a smirk, she said, "Hey Rupsa, did you hear? Katha's mother was serving drinks at a bar last night—wearing a short dress and high heels. My uncle saw her with his own eyes."
Rupsa and Piu pretended to be shocked. "What? Her mother was serving drinks at a bar?!"
Tiyasa laughed coldly. "Oh please—if she were only serving drinks, that would be one thing. Her mother serves her body too."
She burst into laughter.
Rupsa and Piu joined in, mocking her.
Katha felt a sharp ache twist inside her chest.
A girl named Aditi suddenly stood up and pointed directly at Katha, speaking loudly for everyone to hear. "Hey guys, you know what? My mom said she—" she jabbed her finger at Katha, "—tried to seduce my dad!"
Katha's face burned with shame.
The entire class turned toward her and laughed.
Ira immediately added, "I always wondered why that woman dresses like that—tight clothes, high heels. Trying to attract high-class men like your father… uff! Desperate bitch."
Keya scoffed, glaring. "Such cheap mentality, yaar! They think showing their bodies will get them everything. Ew."
Trying to escape the noise, Katha reached into her bag to take out a book.
But before she could, Rudra leaned in from the bench beside her.
Startled, Katha dropped her book.
"Hey, be careful," Rudra said casually.
Then, with a grin, he added,
"I heard your mom brings home a new 'uncle' every day. Have you ever had fun with any of them?"
The class erupted in laughter.
Katha's throat went dry.
Tiyasa snapped at Rudra, "Ugh, stay away from that dirty girl! What—do you have a thing for filthy girls now?"
Rudra chuckled. "Why so harsh? She seems quite nice. A younger version of her mom."
Looking straight at Katha, he sneered, "May I know your rate?"
Katha turned her face away in disgust, staring out the window.
But from the back bench, Ira shouted, "Look at her face, guys—acting all innocent. She's a fucking bitch just like her mother."
"Yeah, she is," someone echoed.
Swarnadeep shrugged. "My mom says her mother flirts with all the married uncles in our colony. They're ruining the reputation of the whole place."
The class buzzed with excitement.
"What?! She lives in your colony?" "Better stay away from her, Swarnadeep!"
Tiyasa smirked. "Better be careful… boys in our class might get influenced by you. Like mother, like daughter."
Neha whispered cruelly, "And she doesn't even have a father… imagine growing up like that."
Suddenly, Neha kicked Katha's bag across the floor. "Oops. Sorry—didn't see it there."
A few students laughed. Someone whispered, "Cheap… just like her mom."
---
The moment the recess bell rang, Aditi, Tiyasa, Rupsa, Keya, and Ira exchanged glances and nodded—as if everything had already been planned.
Katha was quietly taking out her lunch when the girls surrounded her.
"Hey, Katha," Aditi said with a mocking smile.
"Come with us to the washroom. We want to talk."
Katha shook her head. "No… I don't want to go."
Keya's voice hardened. "Don't act smart. We said come."
They dragged her away.
Other students watched from the classroom and corridor, but no one intervened—some were entertained, others afraid. Tiyasa and the others came from powerful families.
Inside the washroom, Keya slammed the door shut.
They had brought Katha's bag with them.
Aditi threw it onto the dirty floor.
Tiyasa opened Katha's lunchbox and dumped it onto the washroom tiles.
The food scattered everywhere.
"Is this what your mother feeds you?" Ira sneered.
"Do you know how she earns the money for this food? By collecting semen from countless men."
Katha's chest trembled violently. "Please… let me go," she begged.
But Rupsa grabbed her arm and twisted it painfully. "Shut up! You and your mother are both disgusting."
Tears filled Katha's eyes as she struggled, but Rupsa tightened her grip.
Aditi leaned close and whispered, "You know, people say your mother gives pleasure at night. Maybe you'll do the same when you grow up."
Katha shuddered in horror.
She lowered her head—but Ira suddenly shoved her from behind, slamming her against the sink.
The sharp edge dug into her waist. She cried out in pain.
Without warning, Tiyasa slapped her hard across the face.
The sound echoed violently through the room.
Katha trembled. Blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
Aditi grabbed her hair and forced her head down toward the filthy washroom floor.
Katha desperately tried to keep her face from touching the ground.
Her eyes were squeezed shut, lips clenched.
On the floor lay the food her mother had cooked.
The girls laughed at her condition.
Finally, Aditi flung her away by her hair.
Katha collapsed onto the floor.
Aditi sneered, "Stay away from our dads, slut's daughter."
Ira added, "And don't you dare think you're one of us. Cheap blood flows through your veins."
With shaking hands, Katha tried to reach for her bag.
Aditi kicked it farther away.
Then they opened the door and walked out.
Once the door shut, the washroom filled with nothing but Katha's ragged breathing—fast, broken, as if the air was running out.
She lay curled in the corner.
She began to cry uncontrollably—sobbing, gasping.
Her fragile, flower-like body shook violently with every breath.
One thought kept repeating in her mind: If Ma finds out… she'll be shattered.
Yet the tears would not stop.
---
Later…
School had ended.
Outside the gate, cars, autos, and parents crowded under the scorching sun.
Madhurima stood there, exhausted—her eyes heavy, her mind already trapped in thoughts of the coming night.
She would drop Katha home and leave again.
She had to take an extra shift tonight.
---
Katha slowly emerged from the crowd.
Her head was lowered, shoulders slightly hunched, her eyes avoiding everyone around her. A loose strand of hair covered one side of her face—intentionally placed there, so no one would notice the faint swelling at the corner of her lips or the dried trace of blood.
To be continued…