Rohit and Jai walked down the school corridors, Rohit talking nonstop about how fabulous Sam was. Jai said nothing.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been real quiet… I mean, more than usual.” Rohit said.

“Well, yesterday my dad beat me because he found the first couple of chapters of a novel I’m writing.” Jai said. Rohit could see his brown eyes were moist.

“He BEAT you? I mean, like, physically?” Rohit asked.
“Do I have to draw you a picture?” Jai asked, his face looking menacing. His face had never ever looked like that. Rohit would never forget that expression. Jai’s medium length black hair, along with his almost round spectacles and that expression made him look strange, almost maniacal.

Rohit cringed. “Whoa! Just making sure, dude. What are you going to do about it? Stop writing?”
“I wouldn’t stop writing if he said he would kill me,” Jai said, spitting his gum into a dustbin.

They opened the door to English class, and found the Principal leaning back on the desk. The teacher was nowhere to be seen.

“Come in,” he sneered.

Rohit and Jai entered the room, looking at each other. They had never done anything serious enough to be faced by the principal. In fact, neither of them ever recalled having talked to the Principal one-on-one, and they had been at this school for fourteen years.

“Stand here, so the whole class can see you,” he said in a falsely sweet voice. Rohit and Jai took their places without a word. They looked up to see the class of thirty-five looking back at them.

“What?” Jai mouthed to Athira, a girl sitting in the front row, pointing his thumb at the Principal behind his back. Athira shrugged.

The Principal adjusted his glasses, and Jai noticed that his face was very much red. He was very, very angry. Until now, he had managed to hide his anger, but now it had obviously become impossible to hold back.

“These two brilliant…” he trailed off, looked at Jai and Rohit, and continued, “musicians, have turned the school bulletin boards into hoardings with their advertisements. In case any of you didn’t read it, drummers, bass guitarists, and what not can contact these two if they want to form a … BAND.” The word band oozed with hatred.

“Sir, we didn’t realize it was a, uh, crime to use the bulletin boards to find students interested in music,” Rohit gathered the guts to say.

“THIS IS A SCHOOL! NOT A BLOODY PLACE TO FIND STUDENTS WHO’VE WASTED THEIR LIVES!” The principal bellowed.

“Wasted their lives? What do you mean?” Jai butted in.

“Meet me in the office. As much as I’d like to, it’s not right to speak my mind in front of other students!” The principal straightened his tie and left the room.

Rohit bit his lip, and followed the principal. Jai, in turn, followed Rohit, as they shut the door to their class, and found the English teacher standing sheepishly outside.

__________________________________________________________

Short chap, but intense (I think).

Drk thanks for the comments... I've taken them seriously. Please don't refrain from making comments, good or bad.

Thanks a lot, peace.