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As Tara entered her new classroom, her eyes swept across the unfamiliar space, taking in the empty, bare display boards hanging on the walls waiting for decoration.

Spotting her friends, she headed toward the back rows where the seating consisted of three attached chairs joined to a single long desk."Itni der ek bag lane mai?" Veer asked, raising an eyebrow as she sat down. But he instantly noticed the faint trace of disappointment lingering on her face.

"Oye, kya huaaa? Abhi tho class teacher ke barre mai pata bhi nahi chla hai, tabhi bhi sad kqy hai?"Receiving no response, Veer leaned in, his voice instantly twisting into a highly theatrical, agonizing gasp

"Omg, don't say Ayan ki koi girlfriend hai aur tune un dono ko kiss karte hue dekh liya hai! Haye, tu tho lut gayi, barbaad ho gayi!" he wailed dramatically, clasping his chest as if he were the one suffering the tragic heartbreak.

"Shut up, suar!" Ira hissed, delivering a sharp elbow to his side. "Jab muh kholta hai, tab ganda bolta hai."Unable to keep it in any longer, Tara quietly recounted the entire disastrous saga of the white envelope and the school circular to her huddle.

A dead silence held for a split second before Veer completely lost it, bursting into a roaring fit of laughter. "Ohhh!" he wheezed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Hahahaa, omg Tara! Hahahha, tera popat ho gyaa... Hahahaha!"Ira tightly bit her lower lip, desperately fighting the urge to smile, but the sheer absurdity of the situation broke her defenses and she started giggling too.

Catching Tara's dark, murderous glare, Ira quickly held up her hands. "Sorry..."

Before Tara could formulate a properly violent comeback, the heavy classroom door swung open, and their new class teacher marched inside.

An instant, pin-drop silence swept through the room, leaving nothing but the dull, rhythmic whirring of the ceiling fan. Tara’s throat went completely dry, and her heart plummeted into her stomach.The teacher standing at the podium was none other than Miss Shah.

“Abb tho pura saal meri watt lagegi…” Tara mumbled in absolute horror, keeping her head low."Goooooodddddddd morninggggggggg, mammmmmmm!" the students chanted in a long, drawn-out chorus.Miss Shah rested her books on the desk, looking over her glasses with a stone-cold expression.

"Ho gyaa? Ga liya gana?" she asked dryly. "Sit down.

""Thankyouuuuuuuuu, mammmmmmm!" the class chorused back, sliding into their seats.

"So, I'm your new class teacher and also your history subject teacher," Miss Shah announced, turning on her heel toward the blackboard.

"Now, I am going to write the timetable on the board. Note it down in your diaries immediately.

"The second the teacher’s back was turned, Ira leaned over toward Tara, her voice dropping to an anxious whisper.

"Abee, yaar... Abb pakka ye ham teen ko alag-alag baithe ko bolengi.

""Han yarr," Tara whispered back, chewing her lip nervously.Veer leaned across the desk, a sudden spark of brilliance lighting up his eyes.

"Ek kam karte hai. Inke aage hum yese pretend karenge jese ham teen ek dusre ko jante hi nahi hai—we are absolute strangers."Tara’s eyes sparkled.

"Vhaaa! Kya idea hai!""Hai nahh? Meri dictionary ke ideas mast hote hai," Veer gloated proudly, adjusting his shirt collar with ultimate arrogance.

Kha se chori ki yesi bakwas dictionary?" Ira muttered, rolling her eyes.Before Veer could launch into a defense, Tara forcefully pinched both of them under the desk. Miss Shah had abruptly turned back around, her sharp gaze sweeping the rows until it locked onto their table.

Tara immediately grabbed her pen, frantically pretending to write as if her life depended on it.Miss Shah’s gaze hovered before picking her target.

"So, Miss Tara, likh liya timetable?" she asked, her voice echoing."Yes, mam!" Tara shot up instantly, standing rigid like a disciplined soldier.

Miss Shah raised an eyebrow, gesturing toward her desk. "Acha? Par apke pen ki cap tho abhi tak band hai, aur diary bhi open nahi hai.

"Tara froze, her mind racing at terminal velocity. "Vo... vo mam, dimag mai likha hai! Abhi copy mai likhti hu," she stammered smoothly.

Miss Shah’s gaze drifted right next to her. "And Veer, tum? Tumne likha?

""No, mam," Veer said smoothly."Why?

Gareebi," Veer replied with a deadpan face.Miss Shah blinked in sheer bewilderment. "Gareebi? Kesi gareebi?

""Vo, mera pen Tara ke pass hai, vo lana bhul gayi. Aur mere pass koi extra pen nahi hai, tho mai wait kar raha hu ki phle vo likh le, phir mai likhu. Tho ye gareebi hui nah, mam?" Veer explained with absolute, unwavering sincerity.

The teacher’s eyes narrowed into slits as she turned to the final member of the trio.

"And Ira, you?""Mam, mai isee pen de kar iski gareebi hata rahi thi..." Ira replied seamlessly, holding up a spare ballpoint.

Miss Shah banged her duster hard against the wooden table, the sharp crack echoing through the room. "Huh! Enough is enough! Abh tum bache nahi ho jo jese lame excuses de rahe ho. Ira, tum topper ho, tho behave like one. In dono ke saath rahogi tho kuch nahi milega!"

she scolded, throwing a hard look at Veer and Tara. "Jaldi se jaldi ise note down karo, mujhe aage bhi kaam karwana hai. Aur next time se mujhe tum teen ki awaz meri class mai aayi, tho phir dekhna... Am I clear?

"A heavy, absolute silence stretched across the room. No one dared to make a sound. Miss Shah frowned, looking at the quiet rows.

"Aree, bolo bhi!"Tara cleared her throat, looking up innocently. "Mam, apne hi awaz nikalne ko mana kiya hai..."A collective wave of snickers and giggles instantly broke out among the other students.

Miss Shah slammed her duster down once more to silence the classroom, and within minutes, the trio quietly caught the real, disciplined rhythm of the academic hour....

Okay… chapter khatam, but your job isn't! 👀

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