Anika [On Hold]

Chapter 2.18 Nursery Drama

I looked at the children around me with uncertainty. Either they were crying or looking at someone else crying. I was amongst the second lot. If no one turns up in this room, I am planning to join the first lot. Mummy was forced to leave my hand at the huge gate. Some ladies, standing near the gate, were distributing children in the groups.

On top of the uniform that we were wearing, Mummy had pinned some long string. It's when I went to the class, I saw everyone wearing the same colour long string. I flexed my arm as the lady who put me in this group stretched my hand like it was some elastic bands.

"Supriya! This is your class. Check if everyone has orange ribbons on their uniform," some lady screamed. I caught a glimpse of the lady and I was sure to be scared for rest of my life. She had painted her eyelids, lips and parting of her hair. Between her eyebrows started a long bhindi which almost went till her hair parting. Her dress was reflecting light. It would take me years to understand that this was her 'Komolika' look but this lady had started it before the actual Komolika could.

The lady who was left in-charge, smiled warmly at us. "Good morning children! I am your teacher, Supriya ma'am. Let's introduce yourselves."

She opened a book and started calling out names of children seated and crying. When she called out my name, I stood up and looked at her. She asked, "Are you Anika Reddy?"

I nodded. She instructed me to sit down. I duly sat down and looked at the girl sitting next to me. I was so focused on listening my name that I had no clue whether her name was called or not. Still, I asked her, "What name?"

She looked at me suspiciously. I tried smiling but she turned her face away. Even I turned my face angrily. After sometime, Sujata ma'am made two lines of girls and boys. She took the girls' line to the washroom to wash our hands. The same was done for the boys' line. When everybody was seated, she said, "Okay children, now it's break time. Open your tiffin boxes and eat carefully, without spilling."

I knew what to do. Mummy had taught me that I must eat by myself because in big schools nobody cares if I've finished my tiffin box or not. I am not sure about what has to be taken care of. I opened my tiffin box to see white idlis in it. In another small container, there was green chutney. As I touched the idli to take a bite, I felt them cold. Ignoring it, I took a bite anyways.

Why is it this cold? It is not nice. I remembered Mummy's words, 'If you don't eat your food, you're a bad girl'. I knew what it meant. I had to eat no matter what. I can't go back home with idlis. I saw the girl next to me eyeing at the lunch box. I saw hers; it was some chapatti rolled. I had no mood to eat mine. I pushed my box and asked, "You want?"

She replied, "Yes."

I pushed it little more. "Eat it."

She tore a piece and ate it. She looked at me and said, "It good."

It tastes better when warm. I asked her, "What name?"

She replied, "Shalvali Patil."

Shalvali . . . it is a big name to remember. I hope she won't be sad if I just called her Shalvali. She asked for mine. I replied, "Anika Deddy."

Sujata Ma'am came over to our bench and exclaimed, "Sharvari and Anika! You two girls are fast! Already became friends and sharing food."

I kind of got that she was appreciating us but I had no idea for what. After eating Shalvali ate my tiffin box, everyone was given a sheet of paper with a circle in it and a crayon. After colouring it, we were asked to take our bags and make a line.

We were walked to a different gate and there I saw Mummy standing. I was about to run when Sujata Ma'am stopped me. She screamed, "Please children, wait here. I want either your parents or drivers to come to us teachers and personally take the students."