𝑩𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 |18+

92) A Heart That Remembers

Rani Laxmi Bai School was a government school, neither too popular nor entirely average.

Last year, three girls from this school secured ranks in the top ten of the tenth-grade board exams, which led to the school’s quality of education being rated higher.

Aadya was in seventh standard.

After Abhimanyu's parents passed away, he could no longer afford to admit Aadya to St. Xavier’s, the school where he had studied. He planned to eventually shift her to a better international school, but as he struggled with his business paying such high fees would have been a burden. So, it was Aadya who decided to join this school instead.

The infrastructure was alright, classes were clean, education and teachers were actually great but it was the students who took a toll on her mental health.

The girls in the school used to bully her, which mostly included name calling, bitching behind her back and stirring untrue gossip about her.

Aadya consistently ranking among the top three in her class only added to the number of her haters.

Although she often came second or third in the quarterly and half-yearly exams, records proved that since class 5, she had always topped the annual exams by a significant margin making her the overall rank 1 student in her class.

Girls talked about her even now as Aadya emptied another pen and filled another supplementary sheet.

“I don't know what she writes so much. It is her third supplementary sheet,” the girls talked outside the class as they filled their handbags with exam boards and compoxes.

Aadya was unaware of her surroundings, which was a completely empty class with only an invigilator. Her entire focus was on finishing the six mark answer she was writing about natural vegetation and wildlife.

Aadya had a smile of satisfaction on her lips as she completed the exam without leaving any question.

In the previous exam, due to time constraints she could not complete her long answer, which was left unfinished. She cried her eyes out after reaching home alone as her brother was out of the country because of his new business venture.

After submitting her answer paper to the invigilator Aadya walked out of the class and packed her belongings.

She had a white shirt and blue skirt as her school uniform.

The white shirt was full sleeved which dangled loosely on her thin frame making her look more thin than she already was.

Her skirt reached her knees, but since she was a tall girl it was starting to look shorter. She pouted at the thought that she would now have to get a new skirt for grade eight.

As she passed through the school hallway she saw groups of girls talking to one another, discussing what they were going to do in the summer vacation, where they will go and which place should become their hanging spot.

No one came to her even to say bye.

It used to hurt her more, but now… it still hurts just not as much as before.

She adjusted her ponytail on her shoulder and gave a sweet smile to the janitors. As she passed by the staff room of the aaya mothers, she did not forget to hug them goodbye.

They had always treated her like a daughter. The eldest aaya maa reminded Aadya of a grandmother so she did not hesitate to kiss her on the cheek as a farewell.