The holidays were over and I had returned from my grandmother's village about two-three days ago. Today was the first day of school after the holidays were over. There was sadness of the holidays ending and also excitement of going to school.
As I was getting ready, my phone rang, and Nami's name flashed on the screen. I answered, putting it on speaker while I continued with my routine.
"You are coming, right?" Nami asked in excitement. She was also happy like me as school was about to open and meet her friends
"Yes, I am just having breakfast, the bus hasn't arrived yet" I told him while eating breakfast
And then while talking I put the phone on the dresser and started combing my hair in front of the mirror
"Alright then, I'm leaving now. See you at school!" she said cheerfully.
"Okay, see you," I replied, hanging up.
Wasting no time, I hurriedly finished styling my hair.
In the distant honk of the school bus reached my ears. It was already here.
"Mumma, I'm leaving! Bye!" I called out, carrying my bag over my shoulder in one swift motion.
Without waiting for a reply, I rushed out, stepping into the fresh morning air as the familiar yellow bus waited at the end of the lane, ready to take me back to the routine .
As soon as I stepped onto the school bus, I quickly made my way to my usual seat, slipping into the familiar comfort of routine. Then , I pulled out my earphones and placed them in my ears, letting the music drown out the chatter around me. The bus was filled with the usual morning energy.....students talking, laughing, and sharing stories about their vacation. But I simply leaned against the window, watching as the city, lost in my own little world.
When we finally arrived at school, an undeniable excitement filled in the school. After the long break, the campus was buzzing with life again. Friends reunited with hugs, laughter echoed through the corridors, and everyone seemed eager to catch up on everything they had missed. There was something special about these post-holiday reunions...the joy of being back with school Friends , sharing stories, and stepping back into the routine of school life.
As I walked toward the assembly area, a sudden realization struck me. "Oh no, I forgot to wear my ribbons!" I speak in low voice , glancing at Nami and Suhina for help.
Nami gave me a pointed look and sighed. "At least today, you should've remembered."
I turned slightly to check the line behind us. The teacher was already making her way through the rows, inspecting every student.
"What do I do now?" I asked, putting on my best innocent expression, hoping for a miracle.
Suhina, unimpressed. "What else? Get scolded, obviously." Her voice carried a teasing sharpness, but I could tell she found the situation amusing.
She crossed her arms and give me a Weird look "Was showing off your fashion more important than following the rules?"
I try to Explain . "It's not like I did it on purpose! It just slipped my mind."
Nami try to control her laugh, nudging Suhina slightly. "Ignore her, she just loves to rant."
Before I could do anything, I felt someone standing behind me.
"Where are your ribbons?" teacher asked, her voice commanding .
I just opened my mouth to explain but the teacher without listening to anything just held my hand and took me towards the principal's office.
"Come with me. Let's see what the principal has to say about this."
I felt my stomach twisting in . "Oh no… the principal is going to murder me," I thought to myself, my heartbeat growing heavier as we neared the office.
The moment we entered, the principal wasted no time. She folded her arms and gave me a sharp look before scolding.
The principal give me a Sharp eye look."again, Aira?"
Not again.
One more slip-up, and she'd be on cleaning duty for a week.
"Sorry"
'Excuses don't work here. You'll be assisting in the library for the next three days. One more late mark, and we'll be calling your patents"
Great. Just what she needed.
"You know the school rules, don't you? After so many reminders, how could you still forget? This is not the kind of discipline we expect from our students. If everyone started ignoring the dress code, would this still be a school or a fashion show?"
"Sorry."
That was the only word I could say.
Every time she spoke, I repeated it like a broken record, hoping it would work on her. But she wasn't done.
Just then, the door opened, and PT sir walked in, dragging a few boys behind him. "These students arrived late," he tell.
The principal, already fuming, turned to them with even more frustration. "Come here!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the office.
Among them were two boys from my class...Rian and Arin. Rian looked unfazed, almost as if he was used to being in trouble.
But Arin… he stood there quietly, his innocent face making it seem like he had been caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The principal's lecture continued for some time without stopping and then after about half an hour he calmed down and then he allowed us to leave. As soon as we came out, I heaved a sigh of relief. "The first day has started so well?" I almost laughed. "It could have been worse than this. Whatever happens happens for good, we just accept this." I shook my head.