New Stirring

Life has always been risky but never better when time spent in school for Taaliyah. She loved her school, she loved her new class, she adores her news friends and what more she cannot be happier than this with Derek right by her side.

"Are you guys really close? He takes care of you too well," Bhoomi once said.

"We have been best friends for years now," she said proudly.

"But just oh my god just look at him because you hate being leader, he volunteered for you, and right when you got picked, he has never gone on one leave so that you don't have to take care of the matter, isn't he the cutest?"

Taaliyah blushed and laughed out loud.

"He is a good person Bhoomi, he deserves best things in the world, we should all look after him," Taaliyah said with a smile on her face. The bell rang and the break was over. All got back to their seats. Derek stood in front of the door watching if their second language malayalam teacher coming to class climbing the stairs so as to signal the kids to keep quiet. Then he saw Taaliyah talking animatedly with Emily, Bhoomi, Hera and Ester behind her. Little did he know that they are discussing about him. But he smiled. She looked cute wearing a new earring and a headband. He noticed that. "Liya," he accidentally called her, unaware.

"hmm yes," she turned his way too. Then it struck to them. The whole class were watching them.

"Did he give a nickname? Nobody calls her Liya, and she turned back too," everyone murmured. The girls sat smiling. Taaliyah looked around and so did Derek.

At the right time, Class teacher Dalia walked in instead of second language teacher.

"Wow, so quiet, very well done Derek, you are a great leader," Derek smiled and walked back to his seat.

"What did you call her?" the boys around him began to ask. Fred looked at Derek and Taaliyah but they looked absolutely normal.

Derek glanced at her to see if she is okay and she looked okay. She looked him and smiled.

'What?" she whispered.

"Pen," he lied and asked for a pen. She took a pen and handed him her whole pouch for him to choose whatever. It made him smile even more. All took out their english textbooks and notebook. Preparing for the substitute class. But what awaited them was different.

"Am going to announce something interesting," Teacher said to them.

"What is it Ma'am?" Ryan, the trouble maker of the class asked out loud. Teacher smiled.

"Everyone there is going to be arts festival held soon, I am going to put up the list so decide and give me the names before 30th of this month okay? And remember to practice well, this is going to be a competition between houses and those win first and second will be taken to sub district level youth festival. Inter school competitions. The excitement spread among the students the moment academics became slow and co-curricular activities began for the year.

"But," Dalia said. "We will be holding the Quarterly examinations before the arts festival. So that you can prepare for exams before hand, write them, and then go on your onam vacation. And we will have as usual the onam celebrations on the last day of our exam, afternoon session.

"Noooo," everyone said in one tone.

"Hush.." teacher said. "Silence," she raised her voice. "everyone in my class is always always lazy to study and prepare for tests. Look at division B and C, all smart and enthusiastic, those children learn things easily, look at yourself, reflect and learn better, am not satisfied with the Marks of the midterm test except Derek, you all better prepare well, I need our class to be the toppers among others, you follow me?" she gave a speech about her dissatisfaction for the Class A of 8th grade. Students sat with their heads down.

"Yes Ma'am," everyone said in one voice again.

"Take your textbooks," she said. "Taaliyah," she called. "Read the lesson,"

Taaliyah got up immediately and looked at the teacher wondering. She did not know which lesson. "What? Don't you know the lesson we are learning currently?" she scolded.

"The Little Round Red House," Derek whispered.

"Derek, stand up, you don't have to help her," Derek got nicely.

"Read it Taaliyah, I see that you never concentrate in my class, or are you like this in every class?" nobody responded to it.

Taaliyah opened the page and began to read.

"The Little Round Red House by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey," she continued reading for the next ten minutes.

"Your reading is great, pronunciations are perfect, sit down," Teacher gave Taaliyah positive reinforcement and asked Derek it to read the rest of lesson. He continued reading the lesson.

"I have nothing to say about you, good good, sit down," she appreciated him also. The topper in the class.

"Taaliyah you said he is your best friend, learn from him, ask him doubts he will clear you, won't you Derek?" He laughed listening to her.

"She teach me honestly,' he said looking at her. And it indeed was true, whenever he does not understand things during the class, he clear his doubts from her, especially languages, hindi, english, malayalam and also social science. But science and math always pull her down.

"Really that's news, then why she is still out of the top ten list, yes if top there is top 15 she is one among, but she still is not in top ten, that's sad, work hard Taaliyah," Everybody was looking at her. She flushed red.

Dalia continued teaching the class and have them solved questions with answers to write down in the notebook. Couple of minutes later, the bell rang and everyone rushed out of the classroom to wash hands, use restroom and eat their lunch. 12.05 to 12.50 was the time for lunch break and everyone would wait for it eagerly.

As usual Taaliyah has interesting lunch that day. Wheat Biriyani with chicken. Derek's favourite. she gave his box she packed for him and she shared rest of her lunch with her girls, eating theirs along. Hera had brought rice, curry and potato fry, Bhoomi had curd rice, Emily had idli (rice cakes) and chutney and Ester had rice, chicken, cabbage fry and butter milk. She asked Derek's lunch box to finish it for him so that Amy, his mother does not get angry. He gave her and went with the boys to have food. As usual his lunch was bread, nutella and a banana. The girls shared it among them and comlpeted it for him.

And suddenly there was fight that stirred inside the class among the boys side. "You shut up bastard," She heard Derek screaming and holding the collars of Ryan. The other boys were trying to split them apart.

"Relax, relax," Fred was trying to calm them down.

But Derek kept fuming. Taaliyah stood up and rushed towards him.

"You," she said at Ryan and took what she got in her hand.

"No, Taaliyah," Derek said and stopped her holding her hand and pulling her back. The whole classroom screamed and watched them the two in shock.