School

School

Everyone was happy. There were celebrations all around. Neeti and Priyank were on the seventh heaven. They were proud parents of the moment. Their son was going to attend the first day of school tomorrow. Neeti insisted that they throw a small party to make the event memorable. Few close friends came. Everyone told Raghav how great he is going to feel at his new school. Raghav looked unconvinced. Everyone took turns to instruct Raghav, to which he nodded obediently and nervously. Priyank was looking at all this from a distance. He could clearly make out the anxiety and apprehension that his son was feeling. It was like a déjà vu for him. His son’s drawn face took him some 25 years back.

*---*---*

New dress, new books and new water-bottle thrilled Priyank and kept him busy for a few hours, but as the day passed and the street lamps turned on, a sinking feeling set in. The fear of unknown started to build up. Before this it had never occurred to him that he would leave his house and parents to go to school. That he knew absolutely nothing about what school was all about created jitters in him. Fortunately, his mother called him for dinner after which he got busy and thus, forgot about his feelings.

“Priyank, come on get up”, his mother woke him up lovingly. He felt a little sick, but got up nonetheless. After getting ready, his mother took him to the bus stop. At the sight of the bus, he felt as if a huge monster was coming to gobble him up. He hid behind his mother but boarded the bus when it arrived. The first step of the bus was the most difficult one that he had ever taken: literally also. The bus started to move. He looked towards his mother with pleading eyes. She too had a similar expression. He thought that she will call him back. She didn’t. The bus moved ahead leaving his mother behind. He kept looking in that direction till there was no trace of her.

Finding no better option he moved towards a free seat. The big heavy bag, the water bottle and the heavy heart made it difficult for him to walk properly in the swaying bus. Somehow he got a seat. There were more children of his age sitting there. He looked at them with an expectation to find atleast one who felt as unsure as he was. There was none. Every other child was bubbling, laughing or talking. This made Priyank feel further lonelier.

All this, together with the crowd on the bus and the fumes outside made Priyank feel nauseated. He tried to control but couldn’t. His entire trauma came out through his mouth in the form of yellow-white foul-smelling liquid. The children sitting next to him ran helter-skelter. Everyone screamed. The once crowded seat suddenly got empty. The whole bus seemed to be staring at him, accusingly. The once controlled flood left his eyes and rolled out. They never stopped till the bus entered the school and an ayah took him to change his clothes. That was the most embarrassing day of his life.

*---*---*

He smiled at his memories, and looked at Raghav who was looking totally lost now. He went to Raghav, and gave him a tight hug. They went for a walk. He decided to talk to Raghav. More than talk he wanted to listen to him, about his fears and apprehensions.

When they returned, Raghav looked more peaceful. He knew that he was not the only one to be feeling like that. His feelings also came out through his mouth but in a different way. The school didn’t feel that horrifying now.

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