The bully (1419 words)

(This story relates to pre-mobile days)

The final examination for class 12 was just a few weeks away. It was lunchtime. I was sitting alone in the prayer hall where the students assembled daily in the morning

I saw Durai standing outside the prayer hall with his friends, looking at me once in a while and conversing with them. I knew why he was there, but I just ignored him. I must give a short introduction about him, as he plays a significant role in this story

He is a school bully, tall, muscular, with unruly hair and a copper bracelet on the wrist. Except for his cronies, the boys and girls gave him a wide berth. Short-tempered, he was given to picking quarrels for flimsy reasons and turning violent. A backbencher, he fared poorly in studies. The teachers, who knew that his dad was a local politician, generally left him alone. He was proficient in Karate and had a colour belt.

A week earlier, I had warned him to stay away from Sumitra, our classmate. Every time she walked past him, he made some indecent comments or hummed film songs with double meaning, much to the amusement of his buddies and the embarrassment of Sumitra. Sometimes he will try to indulge in silly talk with her. When she could tolerate it no more, she confided in me.

Durai did not like my admonition and angrily shook my collar and. threatened me to mind my own business if I wished to avoid getting maimed for life. He punched me hard and pushed me away as he left with his pals

A brief account of my friendship with Sumitra would be apt here. I have been studying with Sumitra for the last four years, and there was nothing special between us except as classmates till we came to class 12. It was the beginning of the academic year, and as usual, I sought refuge during lunchtime in my favourite corner of the prayer hall. The large hall was practically empty in the afternoons except for some students passing through the hall at the other end. I was sort of dozing one day with my eyes half closed when a whiff of jasmine fragrance wafted across me. I opened my eyes to see Sumitra standing before me with some books in her hand. I smiled at her and arched my brows as if to ask what brought her to me.

“I have some doubts in geometry and am unable to solve a few problems. I was initially hesitant, but decided to come to you as you are a topper in the class,” she said softly

“Sit down and show me the questions” I replied.

She sat on the bench a little away and spread the notebook on her lap. She opened the page in the geometry book and showed me the problems.

They were simple, and I took the notebook from her and drew the diagrams. She came closer to me, craning her neck to see what I wrote. Her hair with jasmine concealed in it almost brushed my face. The intoxicating smell, the proximity of a feminine figure was something new to me, triggering unexplained feelings in me. As I was explaining the diagram and the construction needed to solve the problem, her hand brushed against mine. I stopped explaining momentarily, and she looked at me quizzically.

“I hope you do not mind my troubling you now and then like this, Raju. Things are clearer to me now,” she said with a shy smile

“Not at all. It is a pleasure to help you. You can always approach me”

“Did you say a pleasure?” she said as she flashed a smile and scurried away.

There was a song in my heart as I got up, looking at the receding beautiful girl.

The next day, she came and thrust a notebook, saying, “I have to rush. I have unsolved problems in calculus. I will collect it tomorrow. I hope you won’t mind”

I opened the notebook after she was gone, and a peacock feather fell. I smiled to myself. I inwardly knew that her getting her doubts cleared was only a pretext to be with me.

The exchange of notebooks with rose petals, flowers and small notes with names written graphically became a routine, though we had not mentioned that we were in love with each other. One day, she mentioned she said she would be joining SSM Engineering College and wished that I also do the same. “We can be together for four more years. Choose ECE.”

I asked her mischievously, “What about after four years? Won’t you like to be together?”

She said “Chee, chee “and ran away.

It was on one such day recently, Sumira complained about Durai’s constant harassment, followed by my warning him.

I was woken up from my reverie when I found Durai lifting me by my collar and dragging me outside the prayer hall to the gate. There were his buddies and many students standing in a circle.

“You skinny cheapster, who the hell are you to warn me to stay away from Sumitra? What is she to you? Your sweetheart or lover?” he shook my body violently.

When I did not reply, partly shaken by fear, he flexed his muscles and punched me on my face. There was laughter from his buddies and horror in the looks of other students.

“Are you dumb? Open your mouth if you wish to save your life,” thundered Durai in rage.

I smelt blood and looked around. Another blow landed on me like a sledgehammer. I fell. Someone came running towards me.

” Don’t anyone dare to come near us. It is a private quarrel, or shall I say duel? I have decided to end the issue once and for all,” he roared

Turning towards me he asked, “Is she your lover? How close are you to her, you rascal? Keep away from her. Do you understand?”

I knew I could not fight with him, and he only wanted me to resist him so he could hit me more. My silence infuriated him so much that he kept raining blows on me even as I lay on the ground, cowering in fear. Things turned black, and I felt myself going unconscious.

It was then I heard faintly Sumitra’s shrieking voice, “Stop it, Durai. I had only asked him to tell you. I have nothing for him. Leave him alone”

“Why are you so concerned about him? Are you in love with him?” Durai shouted

“I told you I have no love for him. I feel bad because he gets beaten for what I asked him to do. In fact, I have no fancy for him. He is a puny bookworm and nothing more. I beg you to leave him alone”

Durai gave one final kick and went away laughing with his buddies in the knowledge that Sumitra did not love me. I lay there, shattered not by the blows of Durai but by the hurt and disbelief caused by Sumitra’s words. Are all the exchanges and interactions since the beginning of the year a deception, I wondered?

Both avoided each other studiously, and I could see a spring in Durai’s Walk after that violent incident.

The day after the final examinations were over, Anusha, a common friend, came home and gave me an envelope.” Please read this and I will come in the evening to collect your reply. Sumi is such a nice girl. You will understand,” said Anusha before leaving.

“My dear Raju,

You must be having a very low opinion of me, and I understand that. But I could not bear, that brute hitting you like a murderer, overcome by jealousy that I love you. He has seen us together many times and always talked derogatorily of you. The only way, I felt I could save you that day from being killed, was by proclaiming that I hated you and satisfying his ego.

Please understand and forgive me. These days of silence between us have been torture. I am looking forward to spending four years at the college with you, and who knows, thereafter? Send me a reply through Anusha that you have forgiven me, and that I can always come to you with problems in mathematics.

Love, S”

As I jumped in joy and made a jig, my mom entered the room and asked me, “Why are you dancing, Raju? Any good news?”

I hugged my mom and said nothing except for a smile.