Capricious (Zodiac and me#6) – ASTROBYTE
Chapter 1
The class was filled with usual murmured sounds, a whispered conversation here, an occassional sound of laughter there, as I kept my head down, trying to catch-up on my yesterday’s notes.
“Hey, Capricorn! Come on here, we are playing spin the pen!”, called out my friends from the bench at the very back of the class. I turned around, and saw a group of 6-8 people gathered together, watching a gel-pen spin feebly in the center.
There was a roar of laughter as it stopped on a girl who’s name always escapes me and the guy adjacent to her asked, “truth or dare?” his eyes sparkling mischievously. It did seem like a lot of fun, if only I felt brave enough to risk playing truth or dare.
I lifted my notebook, in answer to her call, and replied, “I was absent yesterday. Economics Miss will kill me if this is incomplete.” Pasting a smile, I turned back to my notes as another round of laughter spilled from the group.
That’s what I get for remaining absent, not that I made a habit of it. A part of me wanted to snap the book shut and walk over to them and play. There were certainly many here who didn’t have a problem letting their notes be incomplete while they sat around together in groups, playing, gossiping or just talking.
I gazed at the group of boys and girls just to my right from the corner of my eyes. There was no way all of their notes were complete, regardless of their attendance yesterday. But they sat carefree, arms thrown around the back of their seats, looking like they had all the time in the world, while I sat there, anxiously checking my watch and counting pages left for me to complete.
It wasn’t like truth or dare was my favourite game or anything. If anything, I prefered not to play it with a group of people I didn’t know very well. But a part of me, my innermost wild side that craved adventure and thrill, that wished I wasn’t conscious enough to be wary of it. That I could not care if anyone laughed at my face, or teased me saying, “isn’t she the girl who got dared to slap the English sir?” Or worse, “backed out of the dare of feeding street dogs?” But the logical part of me has never let me play it, thinking of all the wild dares or hidden truths this game could unveil.
My arm ached and I felt a trickle of sweat sliding down my back as I wrote the last sentence of my economics notes, finally sighing in relief and snapping my book shut, just as our economic professor entered the class.
Chapter 2
“Open your notebooks, everyone. I think we completed till question number 3 yesterday?” Our economic professor asked. She’s usually gentle lady with an even temperament, but she hated it if someone didn’t follow her orders. And I felt, it wasn’t wise to unnecessarily enrage a teacher.
So even though the rest of the class let out a low groan, I stretched my arm, and opened my book again ready to continue, feeling a little better – and smug – about being all caught up on yesterday’s work just so now I can continue and she can’t raise a finger at me.
“Copy the question from text books later and start writing the answers from board”, she continued, addressing the whole class with a stretch of lips that could’ve been a smile. “Be sure to stay with me, as we have a whole chapter to finish by tomorrow. Your tests are nearly here and I will not wait to erase the board if you lag behind,” she issued the warning, glaring at the class before turning towards the board to write.
Before long, the entire board was filled with notes and everyone around me was scrambling to keep up. Noone noticed her wandering to the back of the class until her voice rang out above the murmur of the class, “where are your notes Mr. Cancer?” Every head in the class spun around to watch her glaring over a tall boy sitting near the end of the class, his eyebrows raised.
Then, to everyone’s shock, he raised his textbook and confidently stated, “they are right here Ma’am. I’m marking the answers in the text book.”
It felt like the classroom stopped breathing, because we all knew what was to come. Economics had huge theory answers and our teacher generally cut it short so we don’t have to write unnecessary things. Her only condition for doing this was that we were to copy her notes. It wasn’t an unreasonable condition either. She wanted everyone to have a properly linked answers that made sense to read even after cutting it short, so she took the pains to write it on the board, even though most teachers would just rather dictate.
Breathing deeply through the nose, as if to speak calmly, she asked,”is this your first class of the semester here Mr. Cancer?” The boy opened his mouth to reply, foolishly thinking it was a real question, but she continued. “Do you think the rest of the class is an idiot to write the notes, while you being, oh so intelligent, thought such a brilliant way to do it?” Again, he opened his mouth, but she continued, “do you think, the rest of your classmates couldn’t have thought to do the same? Or that I couldn’t have come up with this system if I thought it was a better way?”
Finally the boy stood, with a indignant expression on his face and my heart sank. He was going to argue, and waste all of our time. What was the point then of me slaving over my incomplete work in a free period while he sat chattering with his friends and enjoying himself, if our time was going to be wasted anyways?
“What does it matter, ma’am? I have all the notes you gave, just in textbook instead of notebook”, he said. Just as I thought, he argued and our economic professor looked like steam was about to blow off her ears. “Do you think I am a fool to go through the efforts to write notes on the board?”
“No ma’am, I just don’t see what difference it makes. What matters is I have the notes.” God, he really didn’t know when to stop arguing.
It looked like she was 2 seconds away from cursing in the class when she slowly enunciated, “get out of my class, and come back when you have a notebook of my notes, completed.”
It felt like we were watching a tennis match, swinging our gazes from one to another. Professor went and stood in front of the class, waiting for cancer to leave. But instead of walking out, he narrowed his eyes and frowned.
“Why will i leave the class? I’ll miss the notes if I do.”
“Well, if you were so worried about notes, you should’ve written them or atleast thought about it before arguing with me. Now, out.”
“Do what you like, ma’am. I’m not at fault here, so I will not leave and miss out on notes.”
All gazes swung to professor, as she narrowed her eyes. Stupid boy! Didn’t he know that challenging a person who obviously had more power than us was never a good idea?
The professor placed her palms flat on front bench and swept a glare over the whole class. In a deceivingly calm voice, she said, “if he doesn’t leave the class in the next minute, I will not only leave, but from now on, this class won’t recieve any explanation or notes for the rest of the year.” Then she straightened and left the class.
Chapter 3
Why wasn’t he leaving? I looked at him and he was gazing around with something like triumph – and overconfidence – shining in his eyes. All around him, his friends looked like they were gearing up to show unity to him, frowning rebelliously and puffing out their chests. Boys. Never thinking with right brains. Can’t they see being stubborn would only cause more trouble? If him going out can solve problem then what was the harm? He can take notes from any of his loyal friends!
No. I will not let him ruin it for everyone. Maybe it was that wild side in me that wanted to play truth or dare, or just indignation at having to complete notes only to get screwed over because of teenage arrogance. Suddenly, I was somehow standing from my place. Without thinking anything – and ignoring confused gazes on me – I said, “what the hell your problem? Just leave the class!” I could feel my face getting hotter as cancer’s eyes rested on me. He was a handsome guy, tall and athletic with a pleasant smile and confidence shining in his eyes.
“Why should I?” He threw back. Was he kidding me?
“You heard why ma’am said. I don’t know about you, but I’ve spent a lot of time and effort completing my notes and I will not let your stupidity get it all wasted!”
A stunned silence followed my little speech, which was soon broken into murmurs. I was usually very mellow and sweet. Never raising voice and never getting into fights. I was stunned just as much as the rest of the class by this unstable, capricious side of me. But this was not done, damnit! He wasted all his time sitting around and laughing while I worked hard to complete my notes. And now thanks to him, the professor might not give us notes at all.
“You are siding with the teacher? Teacher’s pet, are you?” He shot, as if trying to provoke others as well.
But I was past the point of politeness, “No. I am just sensible enough to know when to keep my mouth shut so others don’t suffer because of me, unlike some people.” I shot back, taking him by surprise. I must’ve made a point, because his friends all started telling him to let it go, while others started nodding in agreement. All the while, I kept my gaze steady on his, unwilling to even subconsciously relent. Finally, something close to appreciation gleamed in his gaze as he got out of his seat and moved towards the door.
Most of students around us seemed to have almost forgotten our confrontation, and instead went back to scribbling notes off the board, some whispering and others reopening their books that they closed when professor had left. I could feel my face still hot, and I took my place, on instinct looking up at the door to watch cancer’s retreating form, only to have my gaze collide with his brown eyes.
My face suddenly felt hot for something that didn’t feel like anger as he backed away, facing the class, his gaze never leaving mine as he existed.
