THE FALLEN DIVINITY

In the meantime, back in the medical room, the class teacher entered with Riya, her steps hurried and her expression filled with concern. As they stepped inside, they found Vani seated beside Sristi, gently stroking her head. Sristi was sleeping peacefully, her breathing now steady and calm.

"Is she okay?" the teacher asked, her voice tingled with worry.

"Yes ma'am," Vani replied as she stood up from the bedside. "She's calmed down. But ma'am, I think she should take the rest of the day off, she could use some more rest."

The teacher nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at Sristi's now peaceful face. "You're right. I'll contact her father and inform him about her condition," she said decisively. "You two should head back to class, the second class will start soon."

"Yes, ma'am," Riya and Vani said in unison.

As they left, Riya hesitated for moment as the door, casting one last worried glance at Sristi. The bond between the two friends was evident in her lingering expression of concern.

Back in the classroom, Manash, Bikram, and Suraj returned to their seats. But unlike before, Akshay took his place in the middle of the bench, sandwiched between Manash and Bikram. It was strange—after everything that had happened in the bathroom, Akshay knowingly chose this spot. His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the tense frustration visible on Manash's and Bikram's faces.

The usual hum of chatter filled the room, but a subtle tension hung heavy around the three boys. Arunika, seated on the first bench, had noticed Manash and the new student leaving together earlier, followed closely by Bikram and Suraj. She had also observed the new student returning alone first, followed by the trio. Something about the sequence didn't sit right with her, but she kept her observations to herself for now.

Shortly after, Riya and Vani entered the classroom and made their way to their seats. As Vani passed Arunika, their eyes met briefly. A silent understanding seemed to pass between them, but neither spoke. Vani picked up her bag and moved to the third row to sit beside Riya.

As Vani settled in, she couldn't help but notice Akshay's peculiar seating arrangement. She glanced at Manash and Bikram, who sat rigidly on either side of him, their faces marked with faint frustration. The unusual dynamic between them piqued her curiosity, but before she could voice her thoughts, the sound of footsteps drew everyone's attention.

A young teacher entered the room, dressed in a crisp white shirt, black jeans, and formal shoes, with a neatly tied blue tie hanging from his neck. His appearance was strikingly youthful, his energy vibrant and refreshing, almost like a peer to the students rather than an authority figure. His easy smile and approachable demeanor exuded friendliness, making it clear that he could easily connect with his students.

As he stepped inside, the classroom fell silent. All the students stood up in unison, a gesture of respect and admiration for the teacher. The chatter faded away, replaced by a sense of anticipation.

"Please, sit everyone," the teacher said as he put his books on the teacher's desk. His friendly demeanor seemed to immediately ease the students

He turned to the students; his eyes scanned the room before landing on Akshay.

"I see we have a new face here," the teacher said with a welcoming smile, his tone warm and inviting. "What's your name?" 

Akshay slowly stood up, steading himself with the help of his crutch. "Namaste, sir," he said with a respectful nod," My name is Akshay." 

The teacher's expression softened, taking a note of Akshay's crutch. "Namaste, Akshay," he responded, joining both of his hand. "It's really nice to meet you. I am Priyam Kalita; I am your English teacher."

A light chuckle escaped him as he added, "Oh… and students here called me by the name, PK sir."

The classroom erupted in soft murmurs of surprise, The students exchanged glances, startled that their teacher was aware of the nickname they had given him behind his back.

"Yes, I knew about it, don't be so surprised," the teacher added, giving a smile of approval. It might feel offensive to some, but PK sir knew that it was there way of showing affection and closing the distance between teacher and students.

Turning back to Akshay, "Please, sit down, Akshay."

Akshay nodded, lowering himself back into his seat. PK sir's friendly manner always lightens up the class, made the students giving attention towards what he teaches even more. Students love to attended his class, regardless of how good or bad they were in his subject.

Despite the lightened mood in the classroom and PK sir's effortless ability to draw the students' attention, Manash couldn't shake his unease.

Manash's thoughts churned as he stared at Akshay. How could he be so calm? So convincing? Manash clenched his fists under the desk, frustration simmering beneath his composed exterior. Everything about Akshay felt off, his arrival, the strange incident in the bathroom, and most of all, Sristi's inexplicable panic at seeing him.

The lesson began, and PK sir continued to engage the students with his characteristic energy, occasionally calling out names to answer questions. When it was Akshay's turn, he responded promptly and appropriately, just like any other student.

The bell rang, marking the end of the second period. PK sir smiled as he collected his books. 

"Okay, students, that's all for today. See you in the next class," he said before leaving the room.

As the class prepared for electives, the students started gathering their things. Akshay turned to Manash without hesitation and called out, "Hey, isn't it time for electives? I have Maths. So, which room do I go to?"

Manash stiffened at Akshay's casual tone. It was unexpected. He had not anticipated Akshay to speak to him so easily after the earlier tension. "The Maths class is in this room," Manash replied curtly. "Students from other sections will come here."

Riya, Vani, and Maya packed their bags and left for their respective electives, Vani glancing at Arunika as she exited. Meanwhile, Bikram and Suraj also left, but not before casting wary glances at Akshay, who was still seated and speaking with Manash.

Manash stayed for Maths, as did Arunika and a few others. The classroom began filling up with students from other sections, the shuffling of seats creating a brief commotion. Deciding to move, Manash grabbed his bag and went to the first bench, sitting beside Arunika.

Noticing his frustrated expression, Arunika leaned closer and whispered, "Manash, what happened?"

"Did you feel anything when that new student entered the classroom?" Manash asked, keeping his voice low.

Arunika hesitated, then nodded. "I sensed something. Just before he entered, I caught a sweet but rotten smell. But…" she trailed off, her brows furrowing.

"But what?" Manash pressed, his tone urgent.

"Among that smell, there was something familiar," Arunika replied.

"Familiar? What do you mean?"

"Familiar… like us," she said softly.

Manash froze, his mind racing. "What?" he whispered harshly. "Are you implying he has some connection to the Devangsh?"

"I don't know," Arunika replied, her tone calm yet cautious. "I'm just telling you what I sensed."

Manash's frown deepened. Of all the suspicions he harboured, the idea that Akshay could have any connection to the Devangsh was the most unsettling. It was something he refused to accept.

His thoughts spiralled further, now tangled in confusion and frustration. If Akshay truly had any link to the Devangsh, it would complicate everything far beyond what he had imagined.

As students from other sections entering the class, two boys sat in the bench before Akshay. One turned around to Akshay, "Hey, are you new?" he asked his tone friendly.

"Yeah, today's my first day," Akshay answered, keeping his tone neutral but polite.

The boy noticed the crutch beside Akshay. "What had happened? you transfer in the middle of a year?"

"My uncle got a transfer here, So I had to come with him," Akshay explained, offering a small, measured smile.

"Oh, I see. I am Raj, by the way," the boy introduced himself, extending his hand.

Akshay shook it. "I'm Akshay."

Suddenly, a middle-aged teacher entered the classroom, wearing a coat over a neatly pressed blue shirt and a tie that hung loosely around his neck. His formal pants and polished shoes added to his professional demeanor.

As soon as the teacher stepped in, all the students stood up in unison. Akshay, though slower, also rose to his feet with the help of his crutch.

The teacher placed a thick Mathematics textbook on the desk and scanned the room. "Alright, let's continue from where we left off," he said, picking up a piece of chalk and moving toward the blackboard. Just as he was about to write, a voice interrupted from the doorway.

"May… I come… in, sir?"

A girl stood at the door, her bag slung over her shoulder, breathing heavily as though she had run to the classroom. Her hair was slightly messy, hinting at a rushed arrival.

The teacher gave her a weary look. "Late again? It's just one classroom to another."

She flashed a mischievous grin. "Bathroom break."

The teacher sighed, clearly used to her antics. "Just take a seat."

The girl scanned the room until her eyes landed on Akshay, who was sitting alone. Her expression shifted to one of curiosity as she walked over and took the seat beside him.

Akshay shifted slightly, creating more space between them.

"Hi," she whispered.

Akshay gave a faint smile, barely turning his head. "Hello."

"I'm Priya," she whispered again, but Akshay didn't respond. The teacher had already started solving a problem on the board, explaining each step in detail.

Priya waited for a response, her eyes still on Akshay. Her gaze then drifted to the crutch resting against his desk. Without a second thought, she reached over and picked it up. "Are you disabled or something?"

Akshay stiffened, his posture tense. "Hey, can you not?" His voice was louder than he intended, and heads turned toward him.

The teacher paused mid-sentence, turning around to face the class. "What's going on back there?"

Akshay slowly stood up, using his crutch for support. "Sorry, sir," he said, his tone measured now.

"What happened?" the teacher asked, narrowing his eyes.

Akshay glanced at Priya, who had suddenly become very interested in her notebook, pretending nothing had happened. 

"Uh… I thought there was a bug crawling on me, sir."

The class chuckled softly, and Akshay inwardly cringed at how absurd his excuse sounded.

The teacher looked unconvinced but decided to move on. "What's your name?" he asked, scrutinizing Akshay.

"Akshay," he replied.

"Since it's your first day, I'll let it slide. Don't let it happen again. Sit down."

"Thank you, sir," Akshay muttered as he sank back into his seat.

Priya shot him a sideways glance, her face a mix of amusement and curiosity. Akshay sighed, keeping his focus on the blackboard, wishing he could somehow blend into the background.

The lesson continued, Akshay kept his eyes fixed on the blackboard, his expression unreadable. Priya, however, was far from discouraged. Leaning slightly toward him, she whispered, "You should really lighten up."

Without looking at her, Akshay replied, his tone firm but low, "Please, just be quiet."

Priya pouted, clearly displeased. Turning her face away, she crossed her arms but refrained from saying anything more.

When the class ended, the teacher gathered his book from the desk and exited. The students stood briefly in respect before settling back into their routines.

Priya began packing her belongings. As she prepared to leave, she turned to Akshay with a teasing smile. "Alright, Akshay, see you around," she said, her tone playful, before heading out of the room.

Akshay blinked, puzzled by her behaviour. His thoughts were interrupted by Raj, who was also getting ready to leave.

"Hey, Raj," Akshay called out.

Raj glanced back, a slight frown of concern on his face. "Listen, try not to get too involved with her, okay?"

Akshay frowned, confused by the warning. He wanted to ask why but hesitated, unsure of what to say.

Raj slung his bag over his shoulder. "Alright, I'll go back to my classroom. You also have physics, right? we'll meet at the 'D' section then." Raj said, before leaving the room

Left alone with his thoughts, Akshay couldn't shake the confusion. Why did Raj say that? Sure, she caused some trouble, but still...

As students from other sections began leaving, those who belonged to the classroom filtered back in. Manash returned to his usual seat as the room started filling up.

Moments later, the bell rang, signaling the start of the break. The air buzzed with energy as students eagerly took out their tiffin boxes. It was a shared tradition among the students to bring homemade food and enjoy it together in the cafeteria or the playground, sharing bites and laughs.

Manash stole a glance at Akshay while unpacking his own tiffin. Akshay, however, remained seated, as most students left for the cafeteria or outdoors.

Manash couldn't help but notice the subtle tension in Akshay's expression, now twisted with an unfamiliar emotion. It made him wonder what might have transpired between Akshay and that girl, Priya. The feeling of unease crept back into Manash's thoughts, adding to the pile of unanswered questions surrounding Akshay.