Wednesday 7 December 2011

The Favourite

Aakash was a sharp -witted,brilliant,exceptionally talented student whom others were envious of.He would score an A1 grade in all the subjects and was the teacher's pet.He would enrich the class with his witty questions and sparkle the entire teaching -learning process with his superbly intelligent remarks .Yet he lacked only one thing- a knack for Hindi.But slowly and steadily,he worked on that as well and became a formidable competitor for everyone in his class.

Ms Stuti became his favourite teacher since the day she joined.She  was slim,tall and pretty.Above all she had a hold on her subject.He longed  for the first period to get over to attend her class.As he had recently shifted from kolkata  and had a better hand at the English language than the entire class  , he started  to enjoy more and more attention in her class .It was here that he was the king . He could defeat any Tom,Dick and Harry and reign supreme.Ms.Stuti was not only impressed by his grammatical accuracy but also his flair and vocabulary in writing skills .No doubt he was the best.

"Please pick out the error in this sentence",Stuti announced one day during verbal revision before the Cycle Tests,"I did not finished my work ".
There was complete silence in the class till  secomds ago but now it was as if a hell had broken loose.Amidst the chitter-chatter,there was one conspicuous hand decently raised .It was Aakash.As any sensible teacher would do in such  a chaotic ,noisy situation;Stuti  asked  the most suitable one .He answered in a confident tone ,"I did not finish my work".He further explained to the class that it was a gross  error to put a past tense with did.Did was always accompanied with the root form of the verb. 
Stuti smiled with her dimpled cheek flushing with joy and satisfaction  at the response.She was sure that atleast a few would explain the rule.She was sure that Aakash would.

Each passing day saw a bond being developed between the teacher and the  pupil.Stuti would ask more and more questions to Aakash and he would (rather he could )never be wrong.She nick-named him Mr.Encyclopedia as he would hunt down all the information on each author that they did.

Everything was going fine with Aakash but never did he realise that he was falling in love .Ms.Stuti was his first love.He would peep through the staffrooms to have a glimpse of her glowing ,pretty face. Her soft smile and perfect intelligence had left him smitten.Like a lost lover,he would mumble at his friends' jokes about his plight.All could see into his innocent yet soulful loving eyes.

His condition became more and more deplorable.He started neglecting other subjects for the love of Queen's English.He would meticulously plan what might be asked the next day in Stuti's class.He would get up early in the morning to scrub his sweet face with his mother's walnut scrub and gel his dark hair with his father's gel.He wanted to grow into a man and hold Stuti's hand .He desired to be his saviour ,the knight in the shining armour who would treat her as a princess.

One fine day while Aakash was coming back from the Music room, he heard someone  congratulate Stuti.He thought it was her birthday .He rapidly rushed back to the classroom and sneakingly drew a lovely birthday card for her Stuti ma'am during the boring Social Sciences period.He also planned the way he would give her a red rose,(kneel down ) the next day and apologise for not knowing her birthday date.

Finally the sixth period arrived.
Ms.Stuti entered the classroom .The entire class rose to wish her a good afternoon in a monotonous sing-song voice.Like always,she also replied in a musical tone,"Thank you children.Sit down".
She looked exceptionally beautiful today with a bright white salwar kameez ,matching high heels and and open wavy hair.Her ears were bedazzling with small diamond earrings.
Aakash shyly took his card and went up to her idol.
"Happy Birthday ma'am.May you have a great day".
"It's not my birthday Aakash.Why did you think it's my birthday today?",Stuti exclaimed in startling surprise.
"Maam ,everyone was hugging  and wishing you  in the corridor. And you are not married so it can't be your anniversary.I thought it must be your birthday."

"Oh Dear !! It's so sweet of you Aakash  .You are right that I 'm not married so it can't be my anniversary but you forgot that it could also be my engagement  that they can congratulate me on.I 'm getting married in the month of February.",Stuti shared with her favourite student.

Aakash was  silent,he quietly moved to the desk assigned to him.

The next day when Stuti looked for Aakash , he was not there.Some days passed and still there was no sign of Aakash.
"Is Aakash not keeping well?"she asked the class finally.
Aastha who was the most hyperactive of all spoke",Ma'am Aakash has changed his school."
He has got a scholar badge too.He's now in D.P.S."
                                                                     * * *
Stuti was teaching class IX when somebody knocked at the door.There was a tall,dashing  man standing outside,waiting to be recognized.
"Is it you ,my dearie Aakash  Banerjee?
Yes ma'am ,That's surely me.I'm glad you recognized me.
How could have I forgotten you?There's no one like you even though scores of batches have passed out"
"Did I never tell you?"
"What ma'am?"
"That you were my favourite ".

Aakash quietly opened up a paper bag and took out an invitation.Ma'am I'm engaged.You have to attend my wedding .

There was a smug solace on their smiling faces.

8 comments:

  1. Do you know any real life Aakash or Stuti??? ;) ;)

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  2. oh please radhika..there are so many of them..the first crush of growing boys and girls is always their favourite teacher:))

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  3. a b'ful story mam.
    nd to add to ur last comment, usually d attractive, fascinating teachers appears to be d english one. :)

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  4. thats a nice story mam... true... boys tend to like their english teachers... well written..

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  5. 'smug solace' ;D Beginning is funny, real and corny. The end killer!

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  7. That's because in school, we can only relate love with the english language so it doesn't come as a surprise!

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