Flying High
Beginning
Before going to school...
Tansen
Mom, i have a bad feeling about this transfer.
Mom
Come on, it's nothing. You'll make new friends here.
Tansen
Yeah, but my gut aches...
Mom
Did you eat something late at night?
Mom
Then where's the sugar?
Mom
Now, T. Make some friends and don't freak out. If you wish, play with the girls. They can be less offensive.
Tansen
Yeah, but what if they think I'm a girl?
Mom
Show them you're not wearing a scarf.
Turns around and enters the gate. Searching for class V- Mercury.
Tansen
Now where is my class??
Tansen
AAAHH!!! Why are you barking?
Adnan
You don't belong here, do you?
Tansen
No. I'm new here. But, are you a dog?
Adnan
Wroof!! WHO ARE YOU TO CALL ME A DOG, YOU PIPSQUEAK, TINY DWARF, GOOD FOR NOTHING BABY......
Runs ahead and ignores...
Tansen
God, the boy is a maniac. Oh, I'm here.
Tansen
Whoa...big class. Let's get a seat. I should get a lucky seat. Or else I might suffer for the whole year.
Tansen
Hey, is this seat taken?
Tansen
Hello, may i sit here?
Ishraque
Aahh....what ya yelling? Can't you see I'm napping??
After about a dozen asking, I finally got a seat. Maybe I'm late today.
Tansen
Who's beside me? Hello? I'm Tansen. Nice to meet you.
Jahin
Oh..hi. I'm Jahin. How are you?
Tansen
Well, truly saying, I'm tired of asking people for an empty seat.
Jahin
There's nothing to do about it. You have to do it again tomorrow.
Jahin
Thank god there's no permanent seat rule here.
Jahin
Otherwise, you would have to sit with morons for a whole year.
Tansen
Yeah, but it's a pain in the ***.
Jahin
That's why you need to have influence.
Jahin
Umm, this side is for girls. And you're at the edge of our borders. Boys tend to leave these row empty.
Jahin
Well, unless they are lovebirds.
Tansen
(Love birds?? You kidding me?? My impression will blow up at first sight.)
Tansen
Thanks for the advice.
Biology sir
Good morning everyone!!
Biology sir
Have a seat. I heard that we have a newcomer today. How he like to introduce himself?
Tansen
Umm...yes. I am Tansen. I'm coming from Dhaka. Nice to meet you everyone.
Biology sir
Thank you, Tansen. Sit down please. So let us continue our chapter.
Teacher reaches out into his book. He begins the chapter animal morphology.
Biology sir
So boys, remember anything from last class? Okay, Rubayet. Tell me a name of an animal that starts with 'S'.
Class starts to laugh. One guy is laying low.
Mahbub
Yeah, you got that right. You have a pretty good eye for observing.
Tansen
Nah...it's nothing. I have a lot of practise as I study science a lot.
Mahbub
Yeah, me too. Oh, by the way, I'm Mahbub. Pleasure to meet you.
Tansen
Yeah, I'm Tansen as you know.
The day goes by. And it's over 1 p.m. Classes end. It was really boring. My syllabus is way ahead finished.
I step out to go home. Mom can't pick me up now. Her shift will end late.
Mahbub
Hey man. Want to go home together. I live by 53rd street.
Tansen
Really? I'm at the 2nd exit of the same street. Aspen alley.
This guy is trustworthy. Let me ask him to be a friend.
Tansen
Hey, would you like to be friends?
Mahbub
Aren't we? So you like contracts huh? Okay I sign the deal.
Afternoons
I made it back home. I still had a few hours before mom comes. We usually eat together. So I sit on my pc. and start playing
After an hour or so, mom comes...
Mom
Hi kiddo. How was classes?
Mom
Did ya make any friends??
Wait...did I make one or two??
Mom
Really? Where does he stay?
Tansen
Uh..53rd street. A bit before us.
Tansen
We walked back together.
Mom
Great. Let me get us lunch.
Mom prepares lunch. She doesn't let me eat by myself. She feeds me.
Tansen
Mom, did you pack veggies in them?
Mom
It's a bit. You can eat it.
By the way, I sort of hate the taste of veggies. It's bitter to my tongue.
But, mom has a way of disguising veg as meat and feeding me.
Tansen
Aahh..I'm full. No more...
I step up to my bed, and fall straight to sleep. I don't play at all in the afternoon. It seems a waste of energy for me. I can't play anything except cricket. Plus, I can only swing the bat, but can't make any sixes. So, I sort of slack off the time and sleep.
At 4, the door bell rings...
Mahbub
Hello miss. I was looking for Tansen. I'm his friend at school.
Mom
Oh, come on in. What's your name?
Mahbub
Its Mahbub. I live upstreet.
Mom
Wow! Feel free to come anytime. Tansen is new here. So he might have a hard time here.
Tansen
Who's here? Sis? Is that you?
Mahbub
Man, what are you doing in bed for? It's play time. You grounded or what?
Tansen
Nah...I don't play anything. It's useless.
Mahbub
Well, you don't have any choice. Come on.
Tansen
I was meaning to say I can't play anything. I don't know how to play.
Mahbub
You sound like a cripple. Anyway, we're playing cricket. Come along.
Cricket? No way. I'll be ducked at first ball. I can't go.
Mahbub
You know what? You got two good legs. Use them...
Tansen
Yeah, I use them for walking. Thanks.
Mahbub
See ya at class then.
Mom
He must be tired of all the stress of moving out.
Mahbub
Yes. Okay I'll be going then. Thank you.
Yeah, I am full of stress, and grief. I had to lose a lot by moving here. Important things.
Second things
Today is the second day of school. Mom wanted to drop me off, but I insisted that I go walking. It would help me stay awake at class. I turn into 53rd street...
Mahbub
Hey man, how are you?
Tansen
Oh, fine. Good morning. And you?
Mahbub
Same here. What did you do yesterday evening?
Tansen
Well, I got up at six and studied as usual.
Mahbub
Is it usual for you skip games?
Tansen
Well, I need the energy. And I need it to study.
Mahbub
And you're grades are?
Tansen
Not very good....not bad either.
Mahbub
Sighs...who am I to judge you? I'm an average like you.
Tansen
Yeah. Anyways, can you help me with studies? I don't know how far you've gone in school. I'll do you a favour for it.
Mahbub
There you go again talking like a businessman. Is it hereditary?
Tansen
My mom is a doctor and my dad.....yeah, a business man.
Mahbub
No wonder you act like one.
Tansen
And you act like a staff.
Tansen
Anyways, are we late?
Tansen
Well I have to get a good seat. I don't have influence too.
Mahbub
Duh...the row beside the girls is always clear. Why panic?
Mahbub
Are you embarrased with sitting by girls?
Mahbub
But you talk with Jahin as if it's nothing.
Tansen
Maybe she's different.
Mahbub
Or you assume her different.
Mahbub
Okay, you can sit by her. It won't trouble you.
We reach our class. And we are unfortunately late. I look at the seats.
Tansen
Hey, would you mind sitting before me? I'll sit next to Jahin.
Jahin
You're late as usual.
Tansen
Yeah, guess I have to disturb you again in class.
Jahin
Yeah, good luck with that.
Mahbub
And look out for him. He's in the mood for playing dirty pranks.
Tansen
No...he's just joking.
Jahin
Whatever, hey Rifah. Do you mind exchanging seats?
Tansen
Wait, what?? Did I do anything wrong? Is it my attitude? I have to say sorry..
Jahin
I can't see the board clearly.
Rifah
Yeah, no problem. I was planning to dodge the first class.
Mahbub
Man, the monent is coming. Don't bluff off.
Tansen
Hey, cut it out. You're loud.
Rifah
Hi, you must be the new kid. I'm Rifah.
Tansen
Uhh....hi. I'm Tansen. Nice to meet you.
Mahbub
Hey Rifah, do you know that this guy cuts better grades than us.
Rifah
Really, then you can help me out. I have a bad head.
Tansen
Okay. It will be my pleasure.
Mahbub
Hey your cheeks are red. Are you feeling shy?
Tansen
Uh..no. It's nothing really.
Jahin
Well, I felt the same once.
Mahbub
Not once. A whole year.
Chemistry madam
How are you my boys?
Jahin
There are girls here too.
Tansen
Maybe she supports masculinity.
Jahin
She's a racist to us.
Tansen
She would blow up the girls' side. If you did.
We all laugh. Out of the edge of my eye, I see someone looking at me. It's Rifah. Our eyes meet. And I naturally blush red...
Tansen
I really have something for her.
Tansen
Shush!! I'll treat you.
Mahbub
Okay. It's nothing.
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