I had just returned from my village, and today was the first day of school after the holidays. The morning felt a little different—like the start of something familiar yet slightly distant after the break.
Even after waking up, the dream clung needed
like the mist over the mountains. Saira's voice, Veer's eyes—it all felt too real. She shook her head, pushing away the lingering emotions as she hurried to get ready. School didn't wait for lost dreams.
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're coming, right?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of excitement and urgency.
"Yeah, I'm just having breakfast," I replied, speaking around a bite of bread. Standing in front of the mirror, I was fixing my hair with one hand while holding the half-eaten slice in the other. The phone lay on the dresser, its speaker amplifying Nami's voice into the quiet of my room.
"Alright then, I'm leaving now. See you at school!" she said cheerfully.
"Okay, see you," I replied, quickly hanging up.
Wasting no time, I hurriedly finished styling my hair. Just as I secured the last strand in place, the distant honk of the school bus reached my ears. It was already here.
"Mumma, I'm leaving! Bye!" I called out, slinging 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 I had momentarily left behind.
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. With a sigh, 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 blurred past, lost in my own little world.
When we finally arrived at school, an undeniable excitement filled the air. After the long break, the campus was buzzing with life again. Friends reunited with enthusiastic 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 familiar faces, sharing stories, and stepping back into the rhythm of school life.
As I walked toward the assembly area, a sudden realization struck me. "Oh no, I forgot to wear my ribbons!" I whispered in alarm, 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. My heart sank. "What do I do now?" I asked, putting on my best innocent expression, hoping for a miracle.
Suhina, unimpressed, rolled her eyes. "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 raised an eyebrow. "Was showing off your fashion more important than following the rules?"
I frowned. "It's not like I did it on purpose! It just slipped my mind."
Nami chuckled, nudging Suhina slightly. "Ignore her, she just loves to rant."
Before I could say anything else, I felt a presence behind me. The teacher had reached our line.
"Where are your ribbons?" she asked, her voice stern.
I opened my mouth to explain, but she didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she grabbed my wrist and started leading me away.
"Come with me. Let's see what the principal has to say about this."
I felt my stomach twist as dread settled in. "Oh no… the principal is going to murder me," I thought to myself, my footsteps 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 launching into a scolding.
"The principal's gaze was sharp. ' again, Aira?'
She gulped. 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 parents
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 muster. Every time she spoke, I repeated it like a broken record, hoping it would lessen her wrath. 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 announced.
The principal, already fuming, turned to them with even more frustration. "Come here!" she snapped, 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 lecture continued for a few more minutes before the principal finally dismissed us. I let out a quiet sigh of relief as we stepped out of the office and made our way back to class. "Well, that could've been worse," I muttered under my breath, feeling grateful that the morning's ordeal was finally over.