N A T U R E - I S - C A L M

OR A TREASURE THROWN DOWN UNTO HIM, OR WHY HATH HE NOT A PARADISE FROM WHENCE TO EAT? AND THE EVIL-DOERS SAY : YE ARE BUT FOLLOWING A MAN BEWITCHED!

Jenna's eyes closed as she sat there trying to make out what the teacher was talking about. She couldn't understand. So, she stopped listening to whatever he was saying about. She layed, on the table trying to tune out from everything surrounding her. She didn't want anything to do with this world. She gazed out the window and wondered for a moment why was it so important for humans to exist. And as always she couldn't come up an answer.

The bell rang and all the students got up and went to eat their lunch or whatever they do in their lunch break. She sat there and sighed. What a day, she thought as she looked at the plant's wet leaves which twinkled like precious jewels.

"Wake up, Missy." the familiar voice of her best friend broke her out of her reverie.

Jenna smiled sheepishly and looked at her friend. Her friend's black mane of a hair was tied into a thick braid. The hair seemed as if it was about to come out of the elastic band, but somehow was trying to keep it all together. As always there was a olive glow on her skin making her an attractive gal.

She didn't want to get up from the table. She just wanted lay there and think of things that people never think of. To give a second glance to everything that no one took notice of. Just like her. She tilted her head and yawned.

"Quit yapping and get your lazy butt out of this class."Her friend taunted her in malayalam.

Jenna loved it when her friend became all dirty and scolds her like that. She liked to be told what to do. Because if no one told her what to do she might have been just sitting there and wondering about nothing.

Jenna got up and stretched her lazy muscles, popped her hand. Then she and her friend walked out of the class, arms around each other's hip trying to be as close as possible. Jenna placed her head on her friend's shoulder as they headed for the washroom.

"Nithya, I don't think we need to wash our hands." Jenna said, her eyes batting slowly as if everything was at peace.

Nithya didn't respond instead she just smiled and glanced at the muddy ground of her school. The rain had been falling without any mercy on the land for many days now. She just hoped that this year wouldn't be the same as last year. Her home was alright last year but she had little faith this year as the rain is at it's maximum.

Lord, have mercy.

The big flood that killed many lives last year was quite a devastating thing that happened here. After almost eighty years, it had returned. Let the nature remain in it's deep slumber.

-

As clear as day,Zaya's skin glowed just the way it had everyday. She felt proud for maintaining such an awesome figure. Like everyday she had admired herself in the mirror. She had worn makeup in the faintest as if to show that she was effortlessly beautiful. Which she was. Her black mane was covered in a scarf that was a part of her uniform. Her light brown eyes glinted like there was no tomorrow. Her amazing lips curved into an adorable smile that every girl longed.

She entered her class and sat on the table with the girls who are eating their lunch. She took part in the heist, eating like her every move was being watched. Which in fact was, and she was very aware of it. She enjoyed the long in the eyes of the boys as she passed them in the verandas. But she gave them no notice as she already had her man. Who was just like her, Catching everyone's attention and cute.

Everyone agreed that they'd make a cute couple, she was satisfied with life she had s the queen bee. The ugly laughter of someone snaps her attention away from her self-deserving thoughts. Her head snapped in the direction of these ugly laughter.

The girl who was laughing was none other than the infamous Jenna. She looked as ugly as a duck that had come out of a pond. Her face would have looked good if she had put some effort. But she didn't care. It was a if school was her second home. Her olive skin was a dry as salt. Her eyes had bags under it. To make her look even worse she hadn't rolled her a hijab, instead she wore the scarf we asked to wear in elementary schools. Some girls would look alright in it. But she was far from alright.

Beside her was the beautiful Nithya. She would look cute without trying. If she made an effort she could look gorgeous. But Zaya is far from admitting that. She was aware of her beauty unlike Nithya. Which was a relief for her because Nithya had the guts to take her seat away, Which Zaya didn't encourage.

Zaya got up from the table and sashayed her toward the door past Jenna. Whom she gave a slight push, as if she did it accidentally. She knew that Jenna would have definitely noticed that. Just what she wanted. Jenna mutters something under her breath, but Zaya being Zaya just batted her eyes as if to apologize and then went on her way to her man. She smiled and sashayed to claim what was hers.

-

Anandu was trying to avoid him again when the devil came right in front of him. Not again, he thought to himself. He had snuck into the library soon after finishing his lunch, but apparently someone was already there waiting for him. He was about to turn around and return way the he came when his name was called.

"Anandu!" The deep voice of his fellow classmate send a shiver down his underfed body." Da, come here."

Anandu reluctantly turned around and kept his face as calm as possible. As he walked to the famous boy, Nishan, He wondered why was he so afraid of this guy. Nishan was a boy with white skin and got girls easily on his toes. Being aware of his looks he had took advantage of it. That disgusted Anandu. But the reason he was scared because he saw one day that guy beating another guy to pulp and then after the fight he helped the poor guy up, asked him whether he was okay. That guy seriously had a screw loose in his head. I mean, who asks such a dump question to someone after beating him with his own hands.

Spoiled brats.

Keeping his own unwelcome thoughts to himself, he asked. " What's the matter?"

Nishan runs a hand through his black hair and takes him time checking out some girls walking into the library before answering." You know the usual."

Ah..the usual. Why? That thought never crossed my mind since I was busy avoiding you.

"Yeah right." Anandu muttered under his breath and starts walking away. He shakes his head ashamed of again falling for the rats trap. Numerous times had he willed himself to stand up against Nishan in his head, which always ends up him getting the equality and Nishan dying of shame. But Anandu didn't have the nerve to face him.

Yet.

He sighed as he entered his classroom and went to open Nishan's bag. He took out Nishan's math note and went to sit in his place. He took his own note and started copying down his answers to Nishan's note, which had mostly his handwriting and occasionally -as if shy to show itself - Nishan's.

"Da, Potta." The familiar but irritating voice made him scowl. " How many times have I told you to not let him make you do this, again."

He doesn't look up and continued writing as the voice rambled on. Him being used to it, tuned himself out of the voice and focused on the task at hand. Next period was math and if he didn't finish it by then, he could only imagine what would he have to face afterwards.He internally gulps.

Like always, he couldn't tune the voice long enough for him to finish it. Which made him get up and stare into those mock glinting eyes.He was glad he was an inch taller than head. "I get it, Jenna. But that doesn't it will have the same outcome. And I don't want a girl to defend me."

"I feel offended." She said making a fake hurt expression.

"You were meant to be offended," He retorted. " I am only tolerating you because of my Chechi."

"I feel proud to be with Nithya," Jenna shook her head in fake dismay as she said. " Poor Nithya. How could she have such a lame excuse for a brother?"

Jenna sauntered out of the class before Anandu could say some nice comeback, Which like always, He didn't have. He clenched his fists and sat down, continued to write. He looked at the cloak in his class and found that he only had five more minutes before the devil returns.

Being me sucks, he thought to himself.

-

Akhil being Akhil enjoyed being the forgotten guy in the back of the class.The one that no one cared enough to be nice to. So, he also returned the courtesy. Everyone avoids him as he loved to annoy anyone in sight. Mostly girls. It was so easy to get on their nerve. Some girls were kind enough to hang around him. By some it was only one : Jenna.

She came out of his class as he was about to enter. He smiled before patted her head in a not so friendly way which earned him a smack in the leg. He rubbed his leg with the other even though it didn't hurt that.

"Next time won't be that soft." Jenna said and pointed at my leg.

Akhil put his tongue out, even though it seemed immature. Jenna was his neighbor since his childhood. He was used to her wacky behavior. She was like a sister he never had. Being under the constant lecturing of Jenna was the only thing he approved of his life. She walked away from him to her and he went to his. The boring life of a school student is yet to end.

As soon as Akhil had secured his seat in his van a body pushed him aside and claimed the seat. He looked at the daring eyes of Jenna and grimaced. If she wasn't a senior class student, he would have taken his seat back. Even though most of the students had no respect for their seniors, Akhil had a sisterly respect for Jenna. He looked at her like a defeated puppy.

"You sat here this morning." She said and gave him a thumbs down.

If you look at it like that, Jenna was rightfully sitting in that seat. He wrinkles his nose and glare out of the window like an two-year-old. After taking count to check whether everyone is aboard, the driver started the engine and Jenna started her watching.

"Aren't you even a least bit ashamed to sit here and gawk at strangers as if you met an old pal?" He asked her the same question he asks her most of the time. The rain continued through it all, a back music filled with pleasure of welcoming cold.

She looked at him and then bites her lips as if she was making a really hard life changing decision, then finally she said, "No."

"Took you long enough." He crossed his arms and leaned back on the seat. He and Jenna were the only elder student in the van and the rest were below fifth grade. So, he could only have a sensible conversation with Jenna. Which is close to nothing. He closed his eyes to gain the sleep he lost yesterday night.

Soon it was their stop to get down. Jenna got down first followed by Akhil, who jumped straight into a muddy puddle. Jenna snickered and laughed whilst Akhil looked himself up and down with pure self-pity. The rain had stopped for the time being.

"It's alright,Akhil. Its just mud." Jenna said in mock comforting tone.

That's when he smiled like the devil and gave her a creepy look. She was too late to realize what his creepy smile meant. He swung his feat in her direction. The bottom of her top and her pant got wet and that's when hell broke loose. They both started splashing muddy water a each other with their legs and soon both a soaking wet not fully but almost.

They stopped the water fight and looked at each other, both of them smiled like an idiot. They looked at themselves and again at each other before Jenna spoke." Do you have five rupees?"

"You owe me from yesterday." He didn't want to give his money to her today. But the look that she gave him made him take ten rupees from his bag and handed it to her.

"Aw, thank you, mwathe." She said with a grin. " I only asked for five but you gave me ten. Such a sweetheart you are."

"Yeah, I know." He accepted the compliment before he retorted, " One for me too."

She gave him a look and headed towards the tea shop to which she always went to buy two vadas. She returned not soon after with two vada. She was staring at both the vadas in eye level and giving a look in this and that angle. She stood in front of him and continued checking the vadas for god-knows-what.

"What are you doing?"He asked her not able to contain his curiosity.

"Deciding which one is bigger." She said it as if that was the hardest decision she had ever made. Maybe it was. Akhil rolled his eyes and snatched a vada from her.

"Da, potta." She exclaimed and Akhil bit the vada, a smirk on his face.

Jenna looked defeated as she bit her vada slowly as if eating it like that would make it last longer.

This girl loved vada more than her own life, He thought as they both walked to their home completely soaked which earned  many glances from bystanders.

****

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~Minha Mehrin