Page 28 of Storm
I got engrossed in the students attendance, while waiting for the murmurs to die down and at the same time keeping an eye on Miss Latecomer.
Besides, why she was pretending to read so ardently, when I had not even started taking the class?
Is it really ‘her’? How can it be? Nonetheless, it ‘can’ be!
I had this feeling ever since I heard her voice from the corridor. But, I was trying not to get my hopes up and was making myself believe it was someone else I know.
Not to forget, I was right in recognizing her voice on Zidaan's terrace that day. I might not be wrong again. After all Sani’s voice had been my only solace for a very long time. Things may really be turning on my side. While I had been pondering since the party about how to meet her, universe might have brought her in my close proximity...again.
I knew if Miss Latecomer removed the book, we would be exactly face-to-face.
I guess she was searching something important in that book. Because otherwise why would she hide her face from me, unless of course it was...Sani.
I decided not to bother her right away.
“So, hello and good morning everyone, I am Aariz Deewan and I will be teaching you all Political Science this year which is very important given the fact, that you guys are trying to get through Political Journalism. I know I'm a litttttle late!” I said with a gesture of touching my thumb and index finger, mimicking Miss Latecomer’s crack on me from earlier.
It made everyone chuckle, which was the objective, to make them all relax and comfortable with me.
“All right, fine! I know I'm extremely late, since your classes this year started two weeks ago. Now that finally I'm here, let us start.” I grinned, clapping my hands to get their focus, “Shall we complete the attendance formality first?”
On their nods, I started calling out their roll numbers.
“1- Yes
2-Yes
3- Nod
4-Yes
...”
Every time someone answered, I would look up to see him or her before marking. Just so, I could start remembering my students’ faces.
“6”- nobody answered.
I looked up and realized the person was absent.
“7?” I called,
“Yes.” said a familiar voice.
I found that the book had gone and instead I was facing the same girl, who had been ruling my thoughts since past two days.
To say I was shocked to see Miss Latecomer was Sani would be an understatement. For a moment, our gazes locked and Sani’s eyes widened.
Clearing my throat, I quickly composed my mind realizing I was in classroom.
Yet, every now and then I could not help sneaking a glance in her direction, while calling out roll numbers. Several times our eyes locked and her scared expression showed, what she dreaded had come true. Sani seemed to have realized, I did remember her.
Well, how could I forget?!
Soon the attendance finished and I told the class, since it was my first lecture we all could get to know each other, if they gave me their introductions, but they quickly refused to do that. Hence, I offered they could ask me whatsoever questions they might have regarding the subject matter, before we started studying it.
As expected, only a small number of people had any real questions.
I crossed my arms and assessed each of them looking in their eyes, “Alright then, I better warn you people now than later. This year, as you all know, the grade range to get admission in this major for final year had gotten a raise. Therefore, only twenty fortunate students out of fifty were able to scrape those grades and are sitting here right now. That is, you all.”
