Morning. At Sneha's aunt's house.
Sneha stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself for a while.
Her body now carried a fullness she could barely come to terms with.
Facing this transformation hadn't been easy for her.
Earlier, her body was like that of her friends - ordinary, unnoticeable, something that blended in.
Now, it had become something that drew attention.
She kept thinking over and over about what would happen at school today.
She had picked up her school uniform but stopped mid-action -
It was slightly fitted, and the outline of her chest became more defined in it.
"Not today, I won't wear this one,"
she had said, handing the dress back to her aunt.
"Why not?" her aunt had asked, surprised.
Sneha didn't reply.
But deep down, she knew exactly why she was afraid of that uniform.
She knew that in that uniform, the curve of her chest appeared more pronounced.
On top of that, the neckline was slightly low.
And when Sir's eyes paused for even a moment on that area, it made her body shudder.
So Sneha deliberately chose to wear a slightly larger-sized uniform -
as if to test the conflict raging within herself.
Earlier, she had one oversized school dress made -
She used to wear it whenever they were taken out to festivals or events by the school.
From today, she thought, she'd start wearing that to school every day.
---
Inside the school.
Around ten in the morning.
As she reached the school gate, Sneha's heart was pounding -
even though the morning air was still cool.
It felt like something with tiny anklets was running wild inside her chest.
She kept thinking - What will happen today?
Step by step, she reached her classroom.
She sat in the corner of a bench and looked outside the window -
where red Krishnachura flowers were silently falling.
But inside her own body, a restlessness simmered -
a shame, a fear, a deep discomfort.
Suddenly, a voice floated from the back bench-
"Look, once again she's hugging her notebook to her chest."
"Sir's going to melt completely today!"
The girls who were laughing as they said this -
even they knew that behind their laughter lay curiosity and aggression.
"What's the drama with the body about?"
"Why is she always acting so coy?"
Sneha stayed quiet.
She didn't speak up, but deep inside, something twisted with pain.
Diya leaned over and whispered,
"Maybe if you weren't around, Sir would've looked at us too..."
Sneha understood then -
the body wasn't just a thing of attraction,
it was also an object of jealousy.
She realized, no matter what she did,
there would be no escape from these taunts.
---
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---
On the other side,
It's 10 AM.
On the second day at school, Anurag Sir couldn't focus at all. There was a strange unease within him due to the events of the previous night and the pressure from his friends. A conflict was raging in his mind-on one side, his serious responsibility as a teacher, and on the other, listening to his friends' request. He quietly thought to himself that he shouldn't have drunk last night. After all, he was now a high school teacher.
Anurag Sir entered his cabin and placed his bag on the table. His forehead was furrowed, and his head seemed to be throbbing. He had drank too much last night. His eyes were red, and deep lines appeared on his forehead. He plopped down into his chair. Sitting back, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He pressed his forehead with both hands.
Just as Anurag Sir sat down in his cabin, a soft sound came from the door. The door opened, and Minakshi Madam entered, holding a thin file.
Minakshi Madam: "Sir? Are you busy?"
Anurag Sir opened his eyes and looked at her, a hint of annoyance on his face.
Anurag Sir: "No... no, come in."
Minakshi Madam entered with a shy smile.
Minakshi Madam: "Sir, I hope I'm not disturbing you?"
Anurag Sir nodded calmly, signaling for her to sit.
Anurag Sir: "No, not at all, Madam. Please sit."
Minakshi Madam pulled a chair and sat down, her face displaying an odd, shy smile.
Minakshi Madam: "So, how do you like this school? I mean... the first day must have been a bit overwhelming, right?"
Anurag Sir: "Yes, there was a bit of work pressure, but... it's good. I like the environment here."
Minakshi Madam smiled slightly and said, "The environment is nice... but aren't we, the teachers, supposed to be the ones enjoying it? You only seem to care about the students. You could care about us too."
Anurag Sir realized that Minakshi Madam was flirting with him. However, he said nothing in response.
Minakshi Madam (tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, playfully):
"Well... since you're new, I thought we could chat a bit. And, you know, it's a bit difficult to get to know someone as handsome, quiet, and serious as you."
Anurag Sir remained silent. His mind was full of thoughts already. On top of that, his headache was making it worse. He didn't respond to her words and simply ignored them.
Minakshi Madam smiled lightly, trying to be a bit more playful.
Minakshi Madam: "By the way, Sir, the girls at our school are quite excited about you. Do you know? They're all saying, 'The new sir is so handsome...'"
Anurag Sir, showing irritation, replied, "I don't pay attention to these things, Madam."
Minakshi Madam was taken aback by his curt response but noticed that his eyes were red, and he seemed a bit sick.
Minakshi Madam: "You seem a bit... tired today. Headache, I assume?"
Anurag Sir (squinting slightly): "Hmm... yeah, I have a bit of a headache."
Minakshi Madam (concerned): "Oh! Did something happen?"
Anurag Sir: "Yeah, I didn't sleep well last night. That's probably why my head hurts."
Minakshi Madam (in a gentle tone): "So, did you have a party last night to celebrate your new joining? That's why you couldn't sleep?"
(With a hint of curiosity in her eyes.)
Anurag Sir nodded slightly and said, "Hmm."
Then Anurag Sir lowered his gaze to the file on the table and spoke,
"Sometimes... mistakes happen."
Minakshi Madam thought he was referring to staying up late for a joining party and nodded as though understanding.
Minakshi Madam: "I see... maybe you had a little too much sweet food!"
Anurag Sir said seriously, "Not sweet, bitter."
Minakshi Madam was surprised.
She thought to herself-who eats bitter food at a party?
The idea that Sir could have drunk alcohol never crossed her mind.
Anurag Sir then looked at Minakshi Madam, his eyes showing both fatigue and annoyance.
Anurag Sir: "I have a headache, Madam. It's better if we talk later."
A moment of silence. Minakshi Madam, feeling a little embarrassed, stood up.
Minakshi Madam: "Oh... okay, Sir. You should rest. If you need anything, let me know. I can send you some tea... Our canteen's ginger tea is really good-it should help with your headache."
Anurag Sir (in a tired voice): "No, it's okay... I'll check later..."
Minakshi Madam felt a little hurt by his words. She noticed that Anurag Sir wasn't paying attention to her at all.
Anurag Sir (without looking at her): "Thank you for your concern. You can go now."
Minakshi Madam (pausing and then slowly): "Oh... alright. I won't disturb you anymore. Rest up. If you need any headache medicine, just let me know. I always have some in my bag."
Anurag Sir: "Thanks. I'll let you know if I need it."
Minakshi Madam left, and Anurag Sir stared out the window, thinking-this school seemed to show a new side every day. The students' madness was understandable-they were just immature. But why was a grown-up teacher like Minakshi Madam acting this way?
To be continued...