The Green Room

Under The Moon

Rohan awoke early next morning and lay in his bed for hours. It was the last day of examination, and after lunch, everyone would be celebrating. Everyone, except him. Holidays were only two days away. He just wanted to see Chandni once more. He had always pictured himself standing behind the Library, watching her as she hugged her friends and bade farewell. They would then see her off to her car. She would wave them good-byes as her car rolled away, not even aware of the boy watching her from the Library. But now, even this dream was shattered. He would not be seeing her at all.

He spent the entire day in bed. He had been kept in isolation on the first floor. Later that evening, he heard noises downstairs. It appeared that a group of students had been admitted to the Infirmary. He wondered what could have happened to them. Anyway, they were not alone like he was. Night fell and the moon shone brightly through the windows. He crawled out of the bed and looked at the Field. The sky was littered with stars. Dark shapes of mountains rose and fell and then mingled with the hazy horizon. The west seemed reluctant to accept the darkness, for it still held on to the dying shades of crimson the sun had left behind. Something flew across the Field. He watched it glide over the Auditorium, and his eyes fell on Chandni; she was standing all alone in the balcony.

He could not refrain himself from running downstairs. Sister was off-duty and was sleeping in her room. "I forgot something in the Auditorium," he told the attendant. "Can I go and get it?"

"Quick!" the attendant replied hesitatingly.

Rohan ran to the balcony. Chandni was leaning against the railing under the full glare of the moon, her eyes wandering aimlessly. "Hi!" he beamed as he breathlessly made his way through scattered furniture.

She jumped around, startled. "Oh, hi!" Her face lit up. "What did you do?"

Rohan told her everything he had seen the previous night. She listened quietly. Her frown deepened as his story advanced. "Of course, they didn't believe me," he concluded. "I had to admit it was some sort of dare."

"This is..." she could not find the right word, and turned away. They remained quiet, looking at the lights emanating from the Staff-Quarters across the silvery Field. "I can't believe it happened in our school," she said at length. "How could they do that to her!"

"They refuse to accept it even now," Rohan said.

"Of course! What you said was insane. I would not have believed you had I not seen her myself. But what about you? Did they beat you again?"

"No, they didn't. Just expelled me!"

"They won't expel you," Chandni tried to cheer him up.

"They already did. I am just waiting for someone to come and take me home."

"No, they didn't. It would only raise questions on the school's security."

"What are you talking about?"

"I met Mr. Lawrence today. He is not going to expel you. But you are fired from the play."

"Really?"

"Really," she patted him. "You can come back next year."

Rohan felt a heavy burden fall off. He realized that she was standing very close to him. Her skin was flawless, smoother than silk. Her face was as white as the moon and her eyes sparkled like stars. A small stone glinted on her ear, and somehow, this small piece of jewelry was more charming than the night itself. He wanted to just stand there and watch her while the universe moved on; watch her till he grew old and died; and he would still be content with his life. But she was sad. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.