CHAPTER-37
CUTE PUNISHMENT
Chapter Highlights...
“Punishment?! Sir, please…I’m sorry…”, pleaded I.
“Yes sir, you are absolutely right. Naomi must be punished. Bunking classes isn't accepted in our esteemed university…especially your class, sir. How could one even dream of bunking your class?”, emphasized Sana. Ruhi folded her hands, leaned on the backrest, and offered a wicked smile at me. She turned back and whispered something to Tina.
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Naomi’s POV
“Darling! How could you sleep without wishing me a good night?”, he dragged, as I rushed into the washroom. I locked the door behind me and squatted leaning on the commode’s bow. He lay on the bed. He was naked except for the underwear. He raised his eyebrows and moved his camera slowly across the body.
I closed my eyes and turned away. What is this? Where am I stuck? Yuck! He was creepier than one could imagine.
“Darling! Look at me”, his sharp voice pierced through my earphones at which I suffered from a slight panic attack. I nodded and faked a smile.
“What’s this new deal of good night? We never wished, right? This isn’t fair”, I complained, with a trembling voice. He gave a wicked smile.
“Darling, don’t be scared. I’m not a bad fellow to blackmail you with such sudden surprises”, said he. No sooner did I sigh with relief that he gnashed his teeth and yelled, “That doesn’t mean you can take my flexibility for granted. How dare you talk to Akshat even now despite my warning?”
I bulged my eyes.
“Haha! What? Do you think I’m oblivious to not seeing you hanging out in the library and in the art room? I have more than these two eyes that you can see. Haha!”
“No, Shashank…please, you’re mistaken. I had a doubt and sir was occupied..”
“Call me darling!”, he yelled again. I shrank my eyes and removed one of the earphones. Eww, all that he could gift a person were instant goosebumps.
“Sorry, darling. I will never meet him…not even greet him and have already started bunking his classes…”
“That's my good darling. Haha!”, said he, offering a flying kiss. He forced me to offer one. I denied it right away. But, why was I comfortable kissing Akshat? I hadn’t kissed anyone before Kiku. A scene of me kissing Kiku during the lunch break when he stayed alone in our classroom-my first kiss, flashed in my mind. Please help me, Akshat sir...Please…
“Naomi, looks like you don’t care even if I post your cute kissing video with Akshat on the college’s official insta page. Fine! Why should I care when you don’t?”, Shashank yelled.
“Nope, please..”, begged I. I felt Akshat’s face on the wall behind the separator glass to distinguish the bathing area. I smiled, brought my right hand closer to the lips, and kissed my own fingers hard. I blew it towards the screen but my eyes were elsewhere on Akshat, waving and blushing, from the wall.
As soon as I wiped my tears and sobbed, in solitaire, with the locked mobile in my hand and walking towards my bed, having hardly any energy, I felt someone pat my shoulders. I turned behind and bulged my eyes.
“Vyomi! You? Weren’t you fast asleep?”, I exclaimed, as she frowned at me. She grabbed my phone at once and threw her mouth open at Shashank’s name in the recent call history. I hugged her and wept bitterly.
“Dude, what happened? Is he still bothering you? Wait, why didn’t you let me know before?”, she enquired, in her usual fast tone.
“I’m done, dude”, cried I, trembling further as I knelt on the floor. She sat down and rubbed my palms as I continued weeping. “I would have been happy if it was only me being washed away by the strong tsunami waves.” I slammed my forehead, completing, “But, so selfish of me! How could I pull Akshat along and drown together?” I closed my eyes and soaked her lap.
“Dude, don’t blame yourself”, she consoled me, as she massaged my head. “Shashank is torturing you by calling you at untimely hours and why are you silent? You were never this way, Naomi…”
“Only to save Akshat sir and myself. To save the both of us”, I revealed. I played the video which served as Shashank’s weapon to blackmail me.
“Oh boy! It's incredible that guys of our age can be so dangerous”, commented Vyomi, as I sobbed to the fullest.
“Dude, but you too are wrong”, she cited at which I shrugged. “Why don’t you let Akshat sir know about this? Poor thing I can’t even imagine how you have been dealing with the bloody creep for the past two weeks…”
“Akshat will be in trouble…”
“No, see, this is where you are going wrong. It's not only your problem but also Akshat sir’s. Are you kissing alone in the video? No, right? Akshat and you kissed each other-a French kiss, I understand the severity but we must consult Akshat sir. Stop blaming yourself. Inform him tomorrow as soon as we go to college. Got me? This is serious. You must do something about it before things go down the line”, she hurried.
“Thanks for always being with me, dude. Thank you!”, I hugged and thanked her. She smiled and patted my back as Akshat’s words “let's clear the mess together” echoed within my heart.
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“...So students, NHRC, SHRC-powers and functions, jurisdictions in detail. That's your assignment to be submitted by Monday”, announced Mishra sir, with his dragging voice suddenly hitting the peak and falling back to almost zero volume, as he disconnected his pen drive from the laptop to invite the blank projected screen.
“Thank you, class”, he concluded, carrying his laptop and wires, as the short and spectacled senior lecturer left the classroom. I looked around to spot most of my classmates resting their foreheads on their desks as soon as Mishra sir left the class. There was hardly a vacant bench for none dared to bunk a strict lecturer’s class.
Karan turned back and let out a yawn as big as the serpent residing in dense forests to swallow its prey.
“Dude, neither can we skip his lecture, his assignments nor the sleep he gifts us with his tone. Urgh! I’m exhausted!”, complained Vyomi, leaning to rest her head on my shoulders. I chuckled and shook my head.
“Naomi, you’re indeed a superpower”, commented Tanvi.
“What! How?”, I exclaimed.
“Of course. No doubts. How do you manage to stay active after Monster Mishra’s class? Seriously dude?”, questioned Vyomi, in her hurried tone. Diya too turned back and nodded along. I shrugged and chuckled.
“Naomi!”, Diya exclaimed, staring at a new notification that just made her mobile vibrate.
“What happened? All ok?”, asked I, gulping a mouth of drinking water from my bottle.
“Phew!”, exclaimed Tanvi, gazing at Diya’s screen and smiling. “There is always vegetation after a disastrous drought”, commented Diya. I raised my eyebrows and shrugged.
“It's Akshat sir’s class now, dude!”, shouted Diya, shaking my hands and throwing a wide grin on her face. Ruhi turned back and frowned at our gang.
“Yep! Finally, today’s hour has come”, whispered Vyomi, “Dude, tell sir everything. I’m sure he will help you get out of it.” I rubbed my palms against each other and sighed hard.
“Exactly, Naomi. Five problems and one solution…”, began Karan.
“Oh, wait! Isn’t that the ad for L'oreal Paris?”, Vyomi interrupted, shrugging along, at which Karan chuckled and nodded.
“Similarly, Naomi has one problem which just has one solution that's in Akshat’s hands”, he completed. Diya and Tanvi cheered a ‘Waah-Waah’ at his words. Vyomi too wow-ed and applauded once. “Oh, look at who is convinced, for the first time!”, said Karan, getting up and bowing at her. I blew hot air into my palms covering my lips. I continued to be in a new dilemma to approach Kiku.
Love is so blind that it just happens unexpectedly.
You may fall for anyone!
Would you let go of your policy if you fell for someone you shouldn't? What would you choose-your policy or your beloved?
“No no, I don’t think I’m prepared to face Akshat sir. I need to leave before he comes”, said I, grabbing my notes and packing them into my bag. My friends began convincing me with a variety of sweet words. I shook my head and waved.
“...Dude, listen to me. Running isn’t the solution”, Vyomi spoke up, to stop me.
“No, I am going”, I refused, turning back while walking in front. I felt as if I had dashed someone. I turned in front.
“Akshat sir!”, I exclaimed, at him, chuckling and blushing. Oh God, where did I land up? I wanted to escape but he caught me, right on time. Urgh! Kiku, why do you always pop up, even when I don’t want to bring you into the picture? We looked into each others’ eyes as I took a step or two backward.
“Ouch!”, I exclaimed, as I was about to stumble on the dias behind me.
“Hey, Naomi!”, Akshat exclaimed, wrapping his arms around my waist. I blushed as he sighed and shrank his cute tiny eyes. I released myself to stand erect. I rolled my eyeballs hither and thither, looking into his eyes.
“Sexy! So, this was how you sneaked out of my last class. Another plan to bunk but gone wrong. Right?”, he asked, in his meek and hesitant voice.
“Sir…but…like I mean…”, I stammered. He displayed his right palm and gestured for me to stop.
“I didn’t demand any explanation from you, Naomi. Now, it's my turn to punish you.”
“Punishment?! Sir, please…I’m sorry…”
“Yes sir, you are absolutely right. Naomi must be punished. Bunking classes isn't accepted in our esteemed university…especially your class, sir. How could one even dream of bunking your class?”, emphasized Sana. Ruhi folded her hands, leaned on the backrest, and offered a wicked smile at me. She turned back and whispered something to Tina.
“Moreover, she is our topper”, roared Tina, “Often, students look up to students like her. Imagine if bunking is perfect in a bright student’s eye!”
“Sexy! Perfect points”, said Akshat, turning back at me, busy requesting for him to forgive me.
“No way. In fact, you’re the first student who has bunked my class”, shared Akshat, getting onto the dais, as Karan and Rohan grew engrossed in establishing the projector’s connection. “If I ignore your fault, my other students will consider bunking to be cool. Yesterday you bunked…”
“And was about to bunk today too, sir”, added Ruhi, as the three musketeers chuckled among themselves.
“Yes yes and tomorrow two more students will bunk, and so on. I prefer to maintain an amicable relationship with my students. Bunking a fruitful lecture will cost”, concluded Akshat, directing me to settle down. Karan and a few other guys whistled and cheered at his words. “Akshat sir is Akshat sir! Wohooo!”
“All set, sir. Is this today’s lecture? Can you please confirm the projected slide?”, enquired Karan. Akshat nodded at the slide number displaying a ‘10’ at the left bottom corner of the screen.
“Thanks, Karan and Rohan”, thanked Akshat, bending a little forward to wave at Rohan standing on the other side of the lecturer’s desk. As I sat and opened my notes, looking down and frowning, Akshat chuckled, starting his lecture.
“So, did you catch up with the last class?”, he asked, flipping the pages of a red-bonded textbook declaring Public International Law in a bold black capital font, on the very first page.
“Naomi!”, shouted he, at which I bulged my eyes and stood up. “Sir!” He chuckled and shook his head. “I was asking you. Did you figure out what we discussed in the last class?”
“Oh..yes, sir. I learned from Vyomi’s notes and…”, I replied.
“You don’t have to tell me everything, Naomi. Neither will I force you to. I leave it to you whether you prefer to hide or reveal”, said he. Aww, I knew that he was referring to what had happened yesterday. Kiku, I’m sorry but I feel I should hide although everyone else wants you to solve it. He gestured for me to take my seat.
“Dude, look at how considerate Akshat sir is. Please tell him and free your worries, as well. I wonder what’s stopping you. He will sue Shashank in no time”, highlighted Vyomi, whispering in my ears. “Why were you running away once again? Dude, how much did I lecture you last night and nothing…”
“Let's concentrate”, I whispered, taking running notes as she shrugged and returned to her notes. I paid attention to his class as usual, after quite a long time. He was busy joining the key points put up on the screen and describing every non-trivial detail, as he stood upon the dais or sometimes rested his hands on his desk and leaned to the left, rolling his eyeballs from corner to corner within the entire class.
A while later, he turned off the system and began questioning. I too answered every question with clarity, this time. Besides, I raised my hand and volunteered for a question or two.
“Sexy! My…Our old Naomi is finally back. Hmmm, now did you get the importance of attending lectures? No matter what else is pestering you in life, attending a lecture and learning a new interesting topic is at least a form of refreshment if not anything else”, said he, giving me a token of appreciation. I sat back as his words echoed in my heart: “My Naomi! My Naomi! My Naomi!”
“Sir!”, called Ruhi, raising her hand up. Akshat gestured for her to speak up, as he closed his textbook and placed it on the desk behind him. “You haven’t yet told what Naomi's punishment is.”
Akshat shrank his eyes and blushed at me. I shook my head rapidly.
“Yes yes, how will I forget Naomi?”, began he. I looked away and blushed to myself. “Huh…Naomi!”, he called, at which I turned to face him. He gestured for me to bring my notes along.
“Did you make running notes for today’s lecture?”, he enquired, nodding as he flipped through the pages of my book.
“Yes sir, I learned yesterday’s as well”, said I, at which he shook his head.
“I have told you already…I won’t ask. I’m sorry”, he repeated. I swallowed my tears of guilt. Sorry if I’ve hurt you, Kiku. I want to tell you but I’m scared. I will digest it even if you screwed me after hearing the truth. But, what if you loathe and neglect me forever? No way, I can’t lose you. I love…No, I can’t love you but still, I can’t lose you either. Your affection towards me, who stayed in solitaire throughout her life, is unforgettable.
“Aye, what’s this, Kiku? You left a point here. Sexy!”, he whispered, hitting my shoulder with a closed fist. I blushed, staring at his fair face, blushing a bit, as he wrote down the point and circled it on my notes.
“Now, coming to the punishment”, began he, at which the three musketeers nodded readily and my friends exchanged puzzled faces at each other, “You should follow me to every lecture I take today, attend those classes and make running notes which I shall check at the end of the day. You missed one lecture of mine, in return for which, I demand an entire day of yours. You should know how much I matter…” I lifted my notes up to cover my face. “I mean the topic I discussed in the last lecture, matters”, he completed.
Aww, Kiku, I can feel how much you would have missed me in the last class.
“Sir but…”, began I.
“No buts anymore, Naomi. I have given you enough freedom. It's your duty to ensure that my flexibility doesn’t force you into trouble. Also, you won’t miss any lectures today as the noon session is just soft skills and free hours. Now, follow me!”, ordered Akshat, blushing and heading towards the door.
“What sort of punishment is this!”, I heard Tina and Sana whispering to Ruhi.
“Urgh, what else to expect from Akshat sir when it comes to Naomi?”, whispered Ruhi. “A cute punishment. I don’t know!”
They frowned at me as Vyomi helped me grab my bag and blushed, gesturing for me to leave and inform Akshat of everything by the end of the day. “Don’t miss the golden opportunity, dude”, advised Vyomi, bidding me at the door.
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How will Naomi manage the punishment?!
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