Robin looked inattentively at Mrs Patranobis. She was in no mood to understand the Pythagoras theorem. It had been drizzling for the last twenty minutes of the math class and Robin longed for the lecture to end so that she could run out. Couldn’t they see they were missing out on the beauty of nature, stuck within these four walls?
Robin wanted to feel the soft drops of water caressing her skin, getting entangled in her curls and nibbling at her lips, just like John had last Saturday when they went for the dance.
Robin smiled at the thought and Mrs Patranobis took that very moment to look in her direction and address a question. "Yes, Robin what is the answer?” Robin kept smiling, impervious to the stern stare of Mrs Patranobis and the gentle nudge of Silvia. "Robin!" shouted Mrs Patranobis in her shrill voice, making her jump. “We are waiting for your answer” "Yes, ma’am,” blurted Robin, not knowing what the question was.
If only her best friend and class partner, Rita was here, she would have whispered the question and the answer. But Rita had not turned up for class today. That was another thought troubling Robin, apart from the fact that Mrs Patranobis was now giving her the stare which made you feel small and incompetent.
The next few seconds passed in silence and then the bell rang. All the girls yelped in joy as they rushed out for lunch. "Phew! Saved in the nick of time,” thought Robin as she rushed out towards the canteen.
"Robin, the principal is looking for you," Miss Primrose called out as Robin skidded past her.
“What? Oh lord, not the Princy. If this is Mrs Patranobis’ doing, she is in for a rude shock in her next lecture,” thought Robin as she huffed away to the Principals office.
She knocked twice before the stern voice of Madame Mahapatra called her in.
“Please take a seat Robin,” said Mrs Mahapatra. Robin detected a faint softness in her usually firm voice, which was surprising. "Robin, your classmate Rita is unwell and has been asking for you. So I am giving you the rest of the day off to go visit her. This young boy here is Rita’s family member and will accompany you to her home. Please convey our good wishes to her," said Mrs Mahapatra as she gave a small smile and a little nod to indicate that we could leave.
Robin gaped at the Principal. “What? Rita unwell, how serious is she, what happened,” Robin wanted to ask, but could only look shocked. “Now go on dear, I am sure everything would be fine,” the Principal said, closing her office door.
Robin walked out towards the main entrance. She was still in daze, when a male voice said "Rita is not exactly ill. This entire sham is just to get you out of school"
Robin twirled around to see that the source of the voice was a tall, good looking man wearing a dark suit and aviators who also had a mocking smile on his face. “Young boy indeed,” though Robin, “He would be at least ten years my senior”.
“What do you mean Rita is not unwell. So what was the Princy saying and who are you anyway?” charged Robin, even as she got more and more uncomfortable under the stare of his deep dark penetrating eyes.
“Wow! So many questions,” said the man. Well okay young man and also kind of cute, if only he would stop looking at her so keenly as if she was a piece of puzzle he wanted to solve, thought Robin.
“Why don't you come with me young lady and let me explain,” he said, giving her another of those mocking smiles. “I am Rita's brother's friend, Roy,” he said as he led her towards the parking lot. “Rita has a mild flu, nothing serious, but she knew how much you would love to bunk school so we planned to get you out,” explained Roy and then burst out into a hearty laugh.
Robin was first relieved to hear that Rita was not serious and then she turned red thinking that everybody including this cute, yet arrogant young man thought she was a class bunker.
Robin did not know how she had reached the conclusion that Roy was arrogant, he just seemed like that!
