Heya! Hope you all are doing well and safe. Honestly, I had completed three - fourths of chapter before Ganesh Chaturthi. My plan was to finish it before that and to upload it. But, I had my hands full, so I couldn't give an early update. Hopefully, you will like reading the chapter.

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I gulped nervously. Compared to the previous school, this school is big. Very big. Mummy said that I had been to this school before. When did I go to such big school? I don't remember. Hmph! Standing in front of the huge gate, holding Mummy's hands, I looked at the crowd of kids standing. There were many kids, some of my age, some older, some younger – but most of them were either on crying or verge of crying. But I still didn't feel like crying yet. The school gate was still closed, so probably I didn't feel like crying.

A man in blue uniform opened the gate. I felt very nervous, almost on the verge of crying. But Mummy pressed my hand and asked, "My Anu has become a brave girl. She didn't cry while going to school. Am I right?"

Had she waited for a second, I would have cried. But now after saying this, I felt I cannot let her down by crying. I gulped and stood still. I looked at her and nodded. She gave a big smile and instructed, "You must go inside and tell you're in senior kindergarten A division. I had taught you this, will you remember this much?"

I asked, "Mummy no come in school?"

"No Anu," she replied and pointed at the man in blue uniform. "That watchman won't allow. So, you will have to go. You're a brave girl, kada?"

I nodded. She left her hand from my grasp and handed over the school bag that she was holding. Wearing the bag, I took some steps, very nervously. Climbing the steps didn't seem much of a bother. I spotted a lady, wearing bright red lipstick, wearing an ID card like I was wearing. Though hers was different, I wondered if she was a student. But even Daddy wears an ID card. He is not a student; he goes to office. Even if she is a student, she will know where my class. Mustering every ounce of courage, I walked up to her.

"I want to go senior kindergarten A division. Where is?"

She scanned me a few times and pointed out. While walking to the class, I realised I hadn't thanked her. Mummy had taught me to thank! How can I forget? Somewhere in the back of mind, that lady gave same vibes as my previous school teacher. I just prayed that she shouldn't be my class teacher.

As soon as I reached the class as instructed, I quietly entered the class. Gathering some courage, I went to the girl sitting on the first bench and asked her, "Is this senior kindergarten A division?"

She nodded. I saw the place next to her empty. I asked her, again, "Can I sit next to you?"

She nodded again. I gulped and sat on the bench. The bench had quite a lot of scribblings, including the ones with pen. We both sat nervously looking at the class. The class teacher entered inside and I felt her smile was exactly like Mummy's. She made everyone introduce themselves and that's when I got to know that the girl next to me was Asha. I nervously introduced myself too. Maybe, I should have introduced myself.

The whole day went on quickly, Asha and I became friends. I hoped our friendship would be different from Lakshmi and mine. Along with Asha, there were other people with whom I spoke. When the classes ended, it was a dull evening sky with a few birds chirping. No sooner did I reached the gate, I spotted Mummy. I ran to her quickly hugged her legs.

With her warm smile she asked, "How was the first day of school?"

"Very nice," I replied. Mummy turned towards a small group of people gathered. She introduced everyone to me, including Samarth and Anjali Aunty. Mummy says that I know them very well, but I don't remember who they are. Then there was Diya Aunty and her son Saswath. The young me didn't know that these two people and their mothers would give me the worst nightmares to the old me.

There were other women and their children whose names I didn't bother to remember. They all spoke for sometime until I said I want to go home. Within minutes everyone dispersed and while walking back home, we bought two packets of milk, some vegetables and fruits. My legs were paining yet I managed to walk back home. Near the society, I saw many kids playing, including that Manvi. Quickly, I changed my clothes at home, drank a glass of milk and went to play.

I was kind of relieved that Manvi had gone back home. In the school, I got to know that classes from Nursery to Fourth have afternoon batch. But in Manvi's school, it was in morning. Then Mummy explained that many schools in Mumbai adapt to the morning and afternoon school batches once school becomes famous. Though I didn't understand completely, I nodded. The next time Manvi tried to belittle my school, I said that her school isn't as famous as our school. She stopped teasing me for that.

Someone in the building told my mother that there was a drawing class nearby. Mummy decided to put me in it. For the first day, Mummy and I quickly went to shop to buy a drawing book and wax crayons. Then we quickly walked back to the class and ringed the bell. A thin lady opened the door and adjusted her spectacles. She welcomed and Mummy spoke with her for some time. Then Mummy said, "Anu, I will come back after an hour. That lady is teacher so listen to what she teaches."

That day, all I did was draw lines – straight lines, sleeping lines, slating lines, circles, chakli-type spirals and some triangles. The next day class was same too. I felt very bored to do the same thing again. Then on the third day, she taught me to draw a beach ball. She was quite specific about the type of ball we were drawing, though I didn't know there were types in it. As the classes progressed, I was taught different things and I started enjoying them.

Meanwhile, my school continued to teach things in a super-fast pace but Mummy at home didn't even let me suffer my pace even once. But Fridays were relaxing, since I had ample amount of time on Saturdays and Sundays. It was one such Friday when I came home late, I see Diya Aunty and her son Saswath sitting. Next to them there was another small chubby kid whom I found to be very cute. She was actually Saswath's sister.

That's when Diya Aunty said, "Beta, go fast and study. Your mother told you still didn't complete your homework yet."

Though I felt odd that she was telling me to do homework instead of Mummy, I said, "Aunty, I will do tomorrow."

"Nahi beta, this is how procrastination starts."

Pro-pro what? Why is she ordering me? Who is she to tell me? I looked at Mummy and she said, "Go Anu, first finish your homework."

I protested, "But-"

"Beta, my Saswath has finished with his homework. He is free for next two days now," Diya Aunty said.

"If he is, why no playing?" I asked.

"That's why beta, I am telling you to go and study. At your age my Saswath was speaking English fluently."

You probably don't know anything because he hasn't spoken a word! Hmph!

"Anu, just go and finish your homework," Mummy warned. Grumpily, I washed my hands and went inside to start writing my homework. Since I had a lot of Hindi homework to do, I sat down to write the Hindi consonants. That's when Diya Aunty walked into the room and said, "It's quite important for you to learn the difference between pronunciation of all the words."

Her sermons went on for a long time until Daddy came home ringing the bell. She took both her children and ran off. I sighed and hugged Daddy extra tight today. After he freshened up, I explained to him everything Diya Aunty said.

He explained, "See Anu, like our mother tongue is Telugu, theirs is Odia. They don't pronounce some words like the way we do because in their script it is missing."

"Script?"

"Okay, for you let's take the language you are writing. You said you were writing Hindi consonants, right?"

"I nodded."

"Similarly, compared to Hindi letters, Odia has a few letters less. That's why their pronunciation might sound different."

I nodded.

"Why am I telling you this? Because you need to understand where the people are coming from and to never make fun of them."

I nodded again.

"But again, don't take them too seriously. If this Diya Aunty you are speaking about is so particular about pronunciations, why didn't she name her son, Shashwath? Because she can't pronounce that properly. Letters and sounds of 'Sh' are not there in Odia. That's why they call their son Saswath."

I looked at him confused.

"Don't worry too much. Why I explained this to you to capture the parts that you think are necessary, ignore the rest of them. From her sermons, there must have been at least one line which was useful. Focus on that. You don't have to focus on rest."

I nodded.

Translations:

Kada: Right in Telugu

Thank you for reading!