---
"Have you lost your mind? You're old enough to know right from wrong!"
The principal's voice echoed angrily through the corridor.
"Oh please! Don't lecture me on right and wrong. You've become arrogant too. Why can't you understand me? I wish... I wish you really knew who I was."
The boy snapped back defiantly.
"Lower your voice!" the principal shouted, even angrier now.
"Why should I? I'll speak whatever I want. I'll do whatever I want. Just leave me alone!"
The boy yelled before storming out.
A loud bang followed as the principal's office door slammed shut. It was Roni.
Riya stood nearby and witnessed the whole thing.
Roni looked at her for a moment, said nothing, and walked away.
Riya stood frozen in surprise-
"Can a student really talk to the principal like that?"
She was there to submit school documents to another department.
When she peeked into the principal's office, she saw him hurriedly hiding something-slipping it into his pocket.
"Sir... I came to submit these documents..." Riya said softly.
"You... how did you come in without permission? You're supposed to knock first! Say 'May I come in.' You can't just barge in like that!"
The principal barked, startled and irritated.
"Sorry, sir... I just wanted to submit these," Riya apologized, nervous.
"Leave them on the table and get out!" he snapped.
Riya walked away, wondering-
"Why was he so agitated? What did he just hide in his pocket?"
---
Inside the classroom, the teacher was addressing the students.
"As you all know, there was a suicide case last week. We still don't know why it happened...
But one thing is certain - we must value life.
The very life we often take for granted is something many people in hospitals desperately pray for."
A student raised a hand.
"Ma'am, how do we know it was suicide? What if someone pushed her from the building?"
"Oh shut up!" another student snapped.
"Quiet, all of you! Start writing now - on 'The Value of Life,'" the teacher ordered.
One girl nudged her friend-
"You're writing too, right, sis-friend?"
But the friend ignored her and said sharply-
"No, I'm not writing!"
"You're disrespecting me," the first one replied.
"I don't care," she shot back, furious.
The classroom buzzed with murmurs and tension.
"Such attitude! Go stand in the back!" the teacher scolded.
"Now, who would like to speak about the value of life?" she asked.
Riya raised her hand.
"Ma'am, may I?"
"Yes, Riya. Please go ahead."
Riya stood up, her voice filled with quiet emotion.
"Life isn't just about happiness. It's also about pain, humiliation, and awkward moments.
It's how we face these things that shapes our life.
Life isn't meant to be lived just for ourselves-it's meant to be shared with our friends, family, and loved ones.
Like you said, those who have life often forget its value. But those who lie in hospitals craving a single breath-they know what it's worth.
Still, some people... they can't handle the hard times and take their own lives.
Maybe they don't realize what their absence would do to the people they leave behind.
When someone dies... it's the ones left behind who are truly shattered.
We need to think of them too..."
Suddenly, one of her friend's sisters shouted-
"Enough! Just stop! I don't want to hear any more of this from you!"
She stormed out of the classroom, furious.
Riya was stunned.
"What did I even say? I was only trying to be sincere...
But now... what can I do?"
---
The classroom scene shifted.
As Riya opened the classroom door, Ankita collapsed at her feet.
"Whoa! What happened? Are you okay? Why are you crying?" Riya asked, alarmed.
"I... I..." Ankita sobbed, unable to speak.
Just then, three girls came up laughing.
"Oh look who's here! Let her be, we've got too much to do.
Besides, she's not even worth our time."
Another girl mocked-
"Yeah, we've got so much 'work' to give her."
Riya asked sharply-
"But will you push her around like this because she's late with your work?"
The girl retorted with disdain-
"And if we have work, what's wrong with that?"
Ankita pointed toward Roni, crying-
"My mom was sick... that's why I couldn't finish his assignment."
Riya gently placed a hand on Ankita's head.
"If your mom was unwell, you should've been home.
Why should you be doing his work?
Can't he do it himself?"
Riya turned toward Roni.
"You're always sleeping, you don't even try!" she shouted at him.
Roni snapped-
"Don't lecture me! She owes me money, that's why she does my work!"
Riya looked at Ankita, who lowered her head in shame.
Riya understood.
"It's okay. I'll do your work," she said softly.
"But Riya..." Ankita hesitated.
"It's really okay. Helping you is the least I can do," Riya smiled.
"You're so kind," kirti said.
The girls mocked-
"Oh look at her! Our noble queen!"
Roni added coldly-
"I don't care who does it, as long as someone does."
---
Outside the classroom, a girl grumbled-
**"Oh my God! His entire assignment is pending!
I'm stuck doing all this and he's... lying under a tree!"
After a pause-
"Ugh, whatever. I'll just get it done.
Wait... what are these weird numbers in his notebook?
God, I just want to tear all his stupid pictures!"
Then in anger, she scribbled on his notebook-
"IDIOT."
Suddenly, she gasped-
"What did I just do?!"
Then muttered-
"No one will find out... no one at all..."
---
Meanwhile, Riya muttered irritably, exhausted-
"School ended ages ago! Why hasn't anyone come to help?
Do the janitors not have any responsibility in this massive auditorium?
Am I supposed to clean everything alone?"
Just then, Roni walked in.
"Oh, you're here too? Well then, I don't have to clean anything today.
You can do my share too."
"Why can't you clean up?" Riya asked, annoyed.
"Seriously? The principal's son cleaning the school? That's just embarrassing," Roni replied with arrogant pride.
"So what? Principal or not, it's a duty. And everyone must follow school rules."
Riya snapped back.
"If you don't clean up for me, I'll make sure Ankita's loan gets canceled.
Now it's up to you."
Roni threatened.
Riya stood stunned.
"He's blackmailing me... how do I even respond to this?"
Roni walked off, smirking.
"Why hasn't anyone come yet...?" Riya muttered, frustrated.
Just then, the door opened. One of the girls from earlier walked in and began picking up the cleaning supplies.
Kirti followed behind her.
"kirti? You didn't go home? How are you feeling now?" Riya asked.
"No, Riya... it was my duty today, but Esha switched her name with mine on the duty list," kirti explained.
"Thank you! Otherwise, the teachers would've punished me," she said with relief.
Esha calmly replied-
"No need to thank me. I didn't have to go home early today.
And I'm not doing anyone a favor - just cover for me some other day."
"Oh, absolutely. Thank you again."
Ankita smiled and walked away.
Riya stood quietly, thinking-
"So her name is Esha...
She hangs out with those three girls, but she's nothing like them."
Riya tried to smile but remained silent and continued cleaning.
After a while, when the two girls entered the locker room and the work was done, Riya turned to Esha and said-
"You're not like them at all... you're actually very kind.
Why do you even stay with them?"
Esha slammed the locker shut and stared into her eyes-
"Mind your own business, okay?!"
She angrily kicked her bag and stormed out.
As she left, a keychain fell from her bag.
Riya picked it up and whispered to herself-
"This... looks like a Saturn keychain.
Wait... I have the same one.
My friend Rimjhim gave it to me...
and only three of us have one."
Just then, Esha came back and snatched it from Riya's hand.
"Don't touch my things!" she snapped.
Riya stood silently, unable to say a word.
But...?
---