Love Me

5

The next day, both of them were in the principal's office, and Roshni's class teacher was also there. They all were discussing Roshni's behavior. While Roshni was bouncing her knees.

"Why are they complaining so much? I'll never do it again, I was just distracted," she thought to herself.

"Roshni, why aren't you paying attention in class? You're a bright student, so why couldn't you answer his simple question?" Daksh's voice comes a little softly.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking down. It was the only thing she could do at that moment.

"Sir, any reason why she was absent?" Her class teacher asked as she looked around the office room, not paying much attention to them.

"Look at her, is she even listening?" The teacher said in an angry tone to Daksh. Daksh looked at her.

"Roshni!" He said her name a little loudly and shook her , she looked at him clueless.

"We're talking about you here, concentrate," he said, lightly slapping her head.

"Don't hit me," she said, annoyed that he did it in front of her teachers, even though it didn't hurt.

"Roshni, behave. You can't talk to anyone here like this," her teacher said sternly glaring at her.

"But I didn't say anything to you," she muttered to herself, but everyone heard.

"Roshni..."

"What, Daksh?" She replied with the same tone as Daksh.

"Roshni, talk to him respectfully. He's elder than you," her teacher said.

"I will talk to him..." Roshni was cut off by Daksh slapping her in the middle of her sentence. She put her hand on her cheek and looked at him with teary eyes.

"Apologize right now, Roshni. You don't get to talk to your teacher with this attitude, understand?" Daksh said, grabbing her arms, but she ran out of there.

"Roshni's behavior has changed drastically and I'm not sure if I should tell you this, but it seems like she's becoming attracted to a boy in our class. The main concern is that he's not a good influence. I understand that she's lost her parents and maybe she's just in need of comfort and love, but she's most likely seeking it from the wrong person." The teacher mentioned this to Daksh, who nodded in response.

" Is there were any vacancies for a math teacher. " Daksh ask after having some internal battle.

"Why do you ask?" the teacher inquired.

"I want to join for half a year. I'm a professor in college and I can manage without a salary. Just replace your current math teacher with me," Daksh explained.

"That's a good idea. Our math teacher is going on maternity leave, but you won't be able to leave before she comes back. If you're okay with that, then you can join," the teacher replied.

Daksh nodded and left the office. As he walked out of the school, he saw Roshni standing next to his car, rubbing her eyes with her fists.

"Get in the car," he said coldly to her.

"I'm not sitting in this garbage," she retorted, kicking the car tires.

"I don't want to argue in this hot weather while standing outside. Just get in the car," he said, trying to reason with her.

"I said I'm not coming!" she yelled loudly.

He approached her, standing close to her. "Are you getting in or not?"

"No, I'm not. You promised not to scold me, but you just slapped me like I'm nothing," she said, tears streaming down her face.

"If you're not getting in the car, then believe me, no one will be worse off than me," he said sternly. Scared by his tone, she silently got into the car.

He glanced at her and noticed her looking out the window, tears still falling from her eyes. His gaze fell upon her cheeks, where his fingerprint could be seen.

His phone started ringing bring hik to real world, he answered Ayaan's call, putting it on speaker.

"I have a week off, so should I come home today?" Ayaan asked.

"Not today, come tomorrow," Daksh replied.

"Okay, I'll come tomorrow. Take care of yourself . How is Roshni? Is she okay now? Tell her to talk to me once she comes back from school."

"She is sitting beside me. You can talk to her." Daksh replied and started driving.

"I'm not talking to anyone. I hate you all," Roshni said, crying.

"What happened to her, Daksh? Why is she crying?"

"I'm going to give her more reason to cry. Hang up my call, I'm driving. We will meet tomorrow."

"No, I will be home till night," saying that Ayaan cut the call. Roshni was still hiccuping.

"I hate you all. Drop me at my cousin's house," she said after a minute of silence.

"No, Roshni. He is not good person. And stop crying. Here, drink some water. We are about to reach home."

After reaching home, she ran to her room. After a few minutes, Daksh knocked on her door and entered inside.

"I don't want to talk to you. Get out."

"Roshni, look at me and sit properly. Why are you sleeping? It's still morning."

"Why did you slap me?"

"Roshni, you can't talk to your teacher like this. You have to be respectful." He explained taking her hand in his.

"Still, why did you slap me in front of them? I'm not going to school hereafter," she said, hitting his shoulder with her fist.

"So you think talking to them was fine, with the tone you used?" Daksh said calmly. She shook her head in response.

"Do you think Mom would have liked your behavior?"

Again, she shook her head.

"Will you repeat this behavior ever again?"

Again, she shook her head.

"And if you repeat it ever again, then you will be in this position again, in which you are going now."

She looked at him with big innocent eyes.

"What?"

"Bend down, touch your toes, and stay in this position unless I say otherwise," he said, shocking her.

"I won't," she said, shaking her head.

"Here, on your will. If not, then in the living room. If I have to say more, and I'm telling you, Komal Aunt is still here," he said, taking out his phone and sitting on her bed comfortably.