Best Mistake.

Chapter 4

"Ma'am"

"Yes Nandini?"

"Ma'am, I want to change my seat"

"Why Nandini? You sit with your friends and you have improved a lot since the past month, why suddenly? All okay?"

(Now what should I say? Because Manik troubles me? Because he is getting in my head? Because if he stays near me I can break my promise?)

"Ma'am actually I want to sit with Alya. She sits with Vanshika and she is not at all comfortable with her."

"But if Alya had some problem, she would've told me."

(Errrrgghhh!!!! Why are you asking so many questions!? Please change my seat na!)

"You want anything else, Nandini?"

"But Ma..."

"If Alya tells me the reason, I'll see then."

"Ok ma'am, thank you so much."

I come out of the staff room, sighing. Clearly, at that time the only name I could think was Alya. She is a member of our group, but she and I don't talk anything apart from homework. I am always occupied by Radhika and Mukti.  Alya is a sweet girl and trust me she is a lot- lot better than me in studies and stuff but will she allow me to sit with her?

Our class has three rows in which the middle row has three-seater bench, while the rest two rows has two seater benches. The girls sit in the middle row while boys occupy the first side row and last few seats of the third row. I am made to sit with Radhika and Mukti, and Manik forced me to sit on the side, so he can sit on the other row on the end, making us sit side by side.

From where does he get so many ideas? Isn't he only twelve years old? (Excuse ME!? I'll turn thirteen next month!)

(Trust me, boys will be boys.)

Alya sits with Vanshika, the girl who never takes bath. She literally stinks and wears the uniform in the shabbiest condition. Alya actually doesn't like her and is uncomfortable, but doesn't tells to teacher. Scared maybe? I don't know.

I come to the washroom to wash my hands, and see Alya already there.

"Hi, Alya"

"Hi, Ms. Butter... I mean Nandini" she said controlling her smile. Manik, I'll kill you for this!

I look at Alya with a helpless smile. "He troubles a lot, no?" Alya asks.

"Arey don't ask. And I need your help in this, please." I request her. Alya sees me confused. "What happened, all okay?" comes a question.

"Alya, I know you we are not the best of friends. But I can understand your pain that you sit with Bajaj. I want to share your pain, I want to be with you, I want to be your friend..... I want to sit with you!" I say in dramatic way, unintentionally.

Alya chuckles and says "Manik is totally rubbing you off Nandini" and then bursts into laughter. I am seeing her laughing for the first time. She has a beautiful smile.

Registering her words, my eyes widen. Rubbing me off means!?

"Wh...what!? Hey, it's nothing like that. It's just he is my good friend and I really need to get away from him." I say clearly embarrassed from the remark she made.

"Get away? Why dude? All okay?" Alya asks again, now concerned.

"I'll tell that someday later, but right now I want you to tell Roshi ma'am that you want me to sit with you. Pleassseee!!!" I literally folded my hands in front of her.