STARLIGHT

2.Akiyama Neori

'Oh my God! Are you frickin' serious?' the girl shouted, 'He.....What the hell?...How dare he.....how can he put the phone down?....that too while "I" am talking?!'

'Neori, don't shout! You'll get caught', someone whispered from a corner, 'Minamoto Ma'am is coming, Neori, put the phone away. Quick.'

'Ya. Ya. Whatever... I'm not afraid of any Minamoto Ma'am', Neori, as that was her name, said, disgusted.

Unluckily, Minamoto Ma'am was "actually" coming and had overheard the last few lines which Neori spoke.

'Akiyama Neori', the Principal called out, at which Neori jumped, startled.

'Young lady, in my office now', she told Neori and went off to her office.

Poor Neori didn't know what to do....but she knew she had no option. All her friends ran away hearing the Principal's voice and now, she was alone. She went in the Principal' office.

'Sit!' Principal Minamoto said sternly while Neori quickly sat down, grabbing a chair.

'Hand it over.'

'What, Ma'am?'

'Your phone! Quickly! I have a lot of work to do!' the Principal said, putting out her hand.

Neori slowly took out her phone and sadly handed it over.

'You're not getting it back. Now go. Attend class. Get lost. I don't care. Just go.'

'But Ma'am....'Neori started but was stopped.

'I don't need to hear anything. Out .....NOW!!!'

Neori got up and went out, looking very depressed. She started sobbing when she realized that someone was behind her.

'What's your name, my dear?', a voice said.

Neori turned and saw that it was Hirasawa Sensei.

'Ne...Neo...Neori', she said, stuttering due to nervousness.

'Neori, what's the matter?' she asked kindly.

'No...Nothing', she said, wiping away her tears.

'Come with me, Neori. Don't worry. Come on', Sensei told her.

'But.....I don't need counselling. I'm fine', Neori said.

'I know you don't need counselling. Come anyway, Neori,' she said with a smile.

________

I sat down, thinking about my parents' anger when I would tell them my phone was taken away. It was so horrifying.

'So, Neori. You think I call students here only to counsel them?'

'I.......no.....That's not what I meant', I said, regretting what I had said earlier.

'It's alright. Well, I call students also to learn from them. I also need to know what it is like to be in your place, right?'

I smiled.

'So.......why were you outside the Principal's office, my dear?', Hirasawa Sensei asked.

'Uh....I just needed to ask her something, that's it. Nothing else'. I said, hesitant.

'Don't lie, Neori. You're lying to yourself, not to me.'

After quite a while, I said, 'My phone got taken away.'

'Your phone?Okay. Why did you bring your phone to school? You know it's prohibited, right?'

I didn't want to tell her but I just couldn't lie to those eyes. Damn.... I told her, 'There's this guy I like. No.....I used to like. I knew I couldn't talk to him from home because of my parents so I thought I would talk to him from school. And since we're just having extra classes today and he would be home, I felt this was a good opportunity.'

'So, then what happened?'

'He said he didn't want to talk to me', I said, 'I'm such a fool! Now my parents will come to know and I'll be grounded', I wailed.

'Neori, do you have any hobbies?' Sensei asked, as though trying to change the topic.

'Uh....I guess...' I said, though I wasn't so sure.

'So, what are the things you like to do?'

'I...uh...listen to music...on my phone, I play games...on my phone, I keep up with stuff...on my phone. And now that my phone's gone, I'm not going to be able to do anything', I said, ending with a sigh.

'So, it's good that you like to do some things but do you have that one particular thing you want to live for?' Hirasawa Sensei asked, expecting a great answer.

'My ph...'

'OTHER.... than your phone?' she said all of a sudden.

'Oh....I...I don't know' I admitted, trying to figure out what she actually meant.

'Neori, you must understand that there's more to the world than "your phone" and guys you think you like.'

'Used to like.' I specified.

'Yes, whatever it is. Find something to live for. Find what you're good at. What you love...', she continued, 'So, you have something you're good at?'

'I...I'll have to think about that!,' I said, sounding confused.

It was all too deep- that conversation. I had never before thought about stuff like what I love or what I'm good at or even something to live for!'

There was a long silence. I sat there, helpless! So helpless that I was actually thinking about what to think about. While this blank state of mind existed, I could hear faint footsteps echoing...getting louder and louder...someone was coming.

The door opened and I looked towards the door. There was a girl, crying bitterly. As soon as Sensei saw her, she ran up to the girl and took her to a corner of the room, made her sit and they started talking.

I wanted to know what it was all about but they never went above a whisper. So, I had to be content with sitting and watching the whole silent movie.

I looked at my watch; fifteen minutes had passed since the new arrival. I got bored.

'She must be a really busy person' I thought.

So I plucked up the courage to get up and go to Sensei and merely said, 'Sensei, can I leave?' politely, of course.

'Uh...' she looked at me blankly(I had the feeling that she had forgotten I was in the room), then said, Yeah, Yeah. Sure. I'll call you sometime. Think about it okay.'

I nodded and went off.

I wandered through the corridor while my mind wandered everywhere. Though I was the type to always live life in the air, the last conversation with Hirasawa Sensei sure got me thinking....thinking hard.

'What am I good at?' this question went on and on in my head. Finally, I stopped by a notice board with a colourful poster on it which said,

"Singing competition- Solo, Duet and Group.

Those interested in participating can submit their names to Sawako Hirasawa Sensei."

I stood staring at the notice.

***

P.S.:- Playful, pretty Neori looks like that. (Credits  to the owner)