First Meeting

We were heading towards our classroom when I saw some little kids running toward us. A very cute little girl with two braids was about to collide with me but I hold her on time.

She had chubby cheeks and fair color. Her eyes were like black pearls that shined as she giggled.

"Thank you bhaiya (elder brother)!" she hid behind my knees as her friends approached in our direction. When her friends ran away to another side, she came in front of me and thanked me with a smile before running away.

I turned towards my friends who have reached on top of the staircase and waiting for me. I stopped and stretched my left hand to hold the handrail but I felt that someone was hit by the back of my hand.

Next thing I heard was the falling of books. A hand gripped back of my shirt and I lost my balance too. I gripped one baluster of the staircase with my right hand and my left hand quickly grabbed the elbow of the person behind me.

The surroundings became hazy for a moment because everything happened within a fraction of seconds. When I finally restored my sight, I found two bloodshot almond color eyes glaring at me angrily. Her soft elbow was in my hand and she was hanging in the air at 45-degree angle. Bunch of shiny black hair was hanging loosely on her pinkish-white face.

Her eyes were reminding me of someone. I was lost in her eyes for some moments but I break into a sweat when she shouted.

"Andhe ho kya (Are you blind)"

"No" I mumbled instantly like I have answered the same question many times before. A chill ran down my spine when I realized that I have understood each and every word of her question and even the sarcasm in it.

I had no idea that how I was able to understand her language? Neither I have been to India before nor had an Indian friend who could teach me that language then how I found that language familiar. I never came across that Indian language ever in my life then how I understood it?

"Oh! I am really sorry. I have not realized that you are behind me" I apologized to her while holding her midair. I heard Roul and ME rushing towards me.

"Let me stand on my feet Mr." she shouted again and I loosened my grip gently so that she could stand without losing her balance again.

"Are you guys hurt?" ME concerned voice came from behind. The angry girl started collecting her books from the floor and my new friends immediately joined her.

"No ME. I am fine but I don't know about her" I was standing still and mesmerized. Everyone was moving in that corridor except me and my gaze that was fixed at her.

"No, No. I am fine Mrinal. Thank you." she turned towards ME.

"You okay?" Roul was clearly worried. He briefly put her hand on her shoulder. She nodded in yes and he sighed in relief. He took those heavy books from her. His every gesture was showing his concern for her and I was feeling jealous of his concern. JEALOUS?

"You!" she raised her head in anger towards me but didn't speak further when ME approached her. I noticed that ME had a calming effect on her because she became normal in an instant.

"Let's go, we are getting late. We can talk later." Roul suggested and we rushed immediately towards the classroom.

I eyed her and thanked God that she was in my class. But when she approached my desk, I was more than happy.

'Oh, so she is the one, the topper of the school who could be my savior. What was her name? GAY, GARY, GORY' I was laughing in my mind.

'Alex she is possessive about her name.' My inner voice warned me and I stopped my muffled laughter.

I repeated her name as ME has taught me. GAWWW...REE.....GAWRI...YES!

"You said something" she turned towards me with an angry expression.

"I am sorry Gaw Ri" I apologized with extra sweetness and made sure that I address her with correct name with correct pronunciation

"It's okay. That was an accident." She replied without looking at me. Before I could talk further, teacher joined us.

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"Mrinal, MRINAL! What is the central dogma of life?" my body jerked with the loudness of the teacher's voice.

"Mrinal, what is the problem with you. Are you even here??" The plump lady named Mrs. Kaakad scolded my new friend in her booming voice.

"Yes Ma'am" She stuttered and stood up. Everybody was looking at her with an amused expression. Maybe they were expecting that ME would get a scolding soon.

She looked towards Gauri and my eyes followed her gaze. Gawri secretly put a paper behind our desk and my new friend glanced at it. When I tried to peek at it, Gawri rolled her eyes at me and I shifted to my initial position.

"Ma'am! Gene makes RNA and RNA make protein, this is the central dogma of life." ME cleared her throat and answered confidently.

"Good! Mrinal, when have you started studying?" Our teacher and classmates were stunned. They must have not expected an answer from her.

"Ma'am, you teach us so well that we need not study so much" ME flattering words did magic on Mrs. Kakkad because she didn't ask any more questions to her.

Gawri smiled at our mutual friend and gave her thumbs up. I concluded that they were close friends otherwise Gawri would not take risk of helping ME.

When I was staring at Gawri, I was hit with a pencil tip and I found ME with a small flash card with "NO STARING" written over it. I got her silent message and didn't stare again at her friend.