Part -2
In Part 1 you read Prem , Teena’s teacher , used to make advances towards her ……
Misandrist - Male Hater
One day Prem said to Alok “ Sir, both myself and Teena go to the same school at the same time also . I go by scooter . Teena goes by rickshaw . Why is she wasting money unnecessarily? She can come with me , if you don’t mind .”
“ It will be another obligation . ‘
“ No sir, it will be my pleasure .What a beautiful company I am enjoying with you people . “
Teena started going with him. Prem used to drive fast and then suddenly take a break so that Teena gets a jerk and comes closer to him. He said “ Hold me tightly , then you won't fall down . “
When other students saw her on Prem’s scooter they often used to tease her . She also noticed that some boys often jostled her in the classroom - sometimes intentionally pushing or touching her body with elbow and then they said sorry . She started developing hatred towards boys and men .
Though Teena didn’t like Prem’s advances she had kept mum . She decided to stop going to school with Prem . Her mom asked “ Why ,he is a nice fellow?'' He has helped us in many ways . “
“ Mom, my friends taunt me daily when they see me on his scooter . Please get me a bicycle or I can manage on foot . “
“ Is there anything else ? “
“ No . “
After that Teena used to avoid going into Prem's room to serve tea etc. Now she was in tenth grade and her board exam was due within six months . Often she used to send her younger sister . Even for her own science studies she rarely went there.
When Alok asked her daughter “ Nowadays you are not taking Prem’s help for your science subjects . “
“ Actually he has taught me most of the lessons . I can surely manage at least 60 percent . And above all I am not going for the science stream after tenth grade. As I told you earlier, I will opt for the arts . “ she said
“ As you like . “
One day Prem heard a man talking to Alok “ You didn’t pay your monthly amount due against the loan. At least pay me the interest .”
After a few days Prem gave Rs. 20,000 / to Alok and said “ You can keep it and adjust it in monthly rent . This amount is surplus for me and I don’t need them at present. If I keep them I will spend them in extravaganza unnecessarily while you can repay some of your loan . Why do you want to pay interest ?. “
Teena also heard this conversation . Next day she was looking at some flowers in her lawn when Prem tapped on her back and said “ Today I taught about the reproduction system in class . You know just like human reproduction plants too reproduce with seeds . If you have any doubt come to me I can explain it again . “
Teena said “ No , it’s clear to me . I have no doubts about that . “ and she murmured to herself - I have no doubt about your intentions also .
On the last day of school before break for board examinations , the school had arranged for screening a movie . It was being screened in the auditorium . Teena was sitting in the corner and a chair was vacant next to her . Prem came around and asked “ Can I sit here ? “
Teena didn’t say a word, just nodded her head. After some time when the hall was dark Teena felt that Prem’s fingers started exploring different parts of her body . She got angry and without thinking further she pinched him with her extended nails . It hurt him so much that he immediately withdrew his hand and started jerking his wrist . Someone from behind teased him saying “ What happened sir. The girl gave you a high voltage jerk . “ then said to Teena “ We also deserve a chance . “
“ Shut up nonsense . It was a mosquito bite . “ Prem said
Teena left the hall midway without seeing the movie till the end .
After a few months her board exam was over. It was a hot day and there was no power in her area due to the burning of a transformer. Her distant cousin had come to her house. He was two years younger to Teena . The whole family was sleeping on the terrace. Her cousin’s finger started crawling on her body . She woke up and was surprised and equally angry at her younger cousin . She slapped him and asked him to move away . All were sleeping and none knew what happened that night . This made her male hatred increase to a great extent. She thought all males were the same . However she kept mum though things were getting out of her control . She didn’t wake up anyone else .
In the morning when her mother asked to come for breakfast with her cousin , she abruptly shouted “ No , enough . I don’t want to see his face . Ask him to leave our house right now. “
Her mother was astonished at her behaviour . She asked “ What happened? Did he hurt you ? “
She broke down . With tears in her eyes Teena told her mom what happened last night. Incidentally Teena’s father was not at home. The cousin was asked to pack up and leave the house immediately . After he left she asked her mother “ Mom , are all males same in this type of behaviour ? I dislike all males and don’t want to see any boy or man nearby me . I can’t bear it anymore . “
“ No , why are you equating all males to be the same ? Most people are good . “
Then Teena told what she had been facing with Prem . Richa took a sigh and said “ Why did you keep mum so long ? You should have told me earlier ? We could have asked him to vacate . “
“ How could I ? I knew our financial status . Prem had already given us a handsome amount of money as advance . To repay him Papa would have to take another loan . I know our family can’t afford it. Even now, I think even if we adjust his advance in monthly rent , he can live for two years without paying any rent. So I kept mum and started keeping a distance from him . “
“ Oh , my little girl is so mature . Ok , onwards we will manage the things without bringing the matter to your Papa’s knowledge. I don’t want to hurt him . “
Contd. -
