Few months passed by and the next semester just crept in. It was the time of term tests. Though not many take it seriously, the staffs count them towards the internals. A couple of days before the tests commenced, Aarthi got a sheet of questions, for one of the subjects, from her friend. Next day at college, everyone was found to have the same set of questions and were curious, whether it was the actual questions, for the test.
“How did you manage to get it?”, asked Aarthi to her friend.
“All the efforts by our hero, Rakesh?”, replied her friend.
“Our hero?!”
“Very sorry, my hero”
“What?!”
“I know he has got a girlfriend. Still he would be my hero. What if he breaks up with his girlfriend? Then, I can take over her place. Even if I don't, he will always be my hero”, said her friend and sighed.
“You have gone nuts”
“When life sucks, you go nuts”
“c'mon don't be stupid. Are you preparing only these questions? I don't trust this question paper”
“All right. Don't trust. You study the whole syllabus. Anyways, you would have prepared everything, by this time. But don't you dare talk about this, to anyone, outside our class. If my darling gets into trouble, you are sure to be murdered, by me”, warned Aarthi’s friend.
“Don't I have anything else to do? I am least bothered. Don't blindly trust these questions and lose your marks”
“You don't worry. If I don't trust my hero, who else will?”, said her friend and winked at her. Aarthi nodded her head thinking how hopeless, her friend is.
On the day of the test, everyone hurried into the classroom and took their seats. There was anxiety in the air, about the question paper, they are about to receive. Aarthi had a paper, rolled up in her arm. She threw it away, out of the window, as she took her seat, hoping that it would land amidst the bags, that her classmates had left. But, it rolled down into the middle of the corridor and unfortunately, Aarthi did not notice that. A staff who walked by, picked up the paper and was in shock.
After the tests, the whole class was happy, as they gave the test well and almost everyone thanked Rakesh. After sometime, their HOD and few other staffs, marched into the classroom. This puzzled everyone and again, anxiety filled the air.
“Aarthi, what is this? From where did you get this question paper?”, asked her HOD and unrolled the paper.
The paper that Aarthi threw away, was the set of questions, that she got from her friend. She least expected, to get caught. She hung her head low and felt ashamed.
“Will you please explain this Aarthi? Will anyone of you tell me, what is happening? We checked all your answer sheets and looks like all of you had done, incredibly well. Answers in same sequence and of course same answers too. Can somebody explain this? Aarthi, we thought you were our pride, but you have disappointed us”, shouted her HOD.
Aarthi could do nothing, but to cry. She had no words to explain and it would be ridiculous, to give an explanation, for such a big mistake. The lecturer in charge was fierce as well, as she was in big trouble.
“Aarthi, why don't you open up and say something? From where did you get this question paper?”, insisted the lecturer.
Aarthi hung her head low and kept crying.
“It was me, ma'am”, interrupted a voice. Everyone was stunned to see, Rakesh.
“Ma’m, I took the question paper. On the other day, you let me access your computer, to fetch some programmes. But then, I came across this question paper and copied it. I know you trusted me and gave access to your system. But, I misused it. The fault is mine. Not anybody else’s”, confessed Rakesh.
Nobody expected this from him. Aarthi could hardly believe this.
“Ma'am, it was totally my fault. No one else was involved in this. I shouldn't have done that. I leave it to your discretion and accept my fault”, continued Rakesh.
“Both of you, walk to VPs room”, said their HOD and off they went.
After an hour, Aarthi and Rakesh returned to their class. Almost, every single soul in the class, was angry with Aarthi. Rakesh has been suspended for a week and Aarthi was spared. Even her bestest friends were upset with her. But, Rakesh stayed calm. He is paying for what he did. His only concern was his mom. She would be terribly sad, to see him suspended.
“Mom please stop crying. I know I have done a big mistake. But, please don't make a big scene. Just one week suspension”
“It's not about just one week. It's about your credentials. What will everyone talk about you? Are you an useless brat?”, she asked sobbingly.
“Why don't you leave him alone? Many get walked away for biggest crimes. He did not do anything serious. Stop your drama”, said his dad and continued watching television.
Rakesh came back to his room and stood near the book shelf. He kept staring at the ceramic boy. He was feeling bad that knowingly or unknowingly, he made Aarthi cry, again.
“But, I am glad for one thing. You accepted your mistake and faced the consequences. You made that innocent girl cry and never apologised. Now, God sent you a big bundle of punishment, through her. At least,be good from now on”, said his mom, as she came in and placed a cup of milk, on his table.
No comments:
Post a Comment