Three days after the results…
Mukesh started going to school again.
---
The new class felt unfamiliar.
New faces.
New voices.
New noise.
---
Mukesh sat quietly on the last bench.
His eyes moving from one student to another.
---
Will someone talk to me…?
Or will it be the same again…?
---
He lowered his head.
"…It doesn't matter."
---
But it did.
---
First day…
No one talked to him.
---
Second day…
Some students laughed loudly.
Not at him—
but he still felt like they were.
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"…They're not laughing at you."
He whispered to himself.
"…Just sit quietly."
---
Third day…
A boy suddenly sat beside him.
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"Hey."
---
Mukesh looked up slowly.
"…What?"
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"I'm Himal."
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Mukesh blinked.
"…Okay."
---
Himal grinned.
"You don't talk much, do you?"
---
"…No."
---
"Good. I talk enough for both of us."
---
Mukesh didn't respond.
But he didn't move away either.
---
Himal leaned back casually.
"From today, I'll sit here."
---
"…Why?"
---
"Because I want to."
---
Mukesh looked at him for a moment.
Then quietly said—
"…Do whatever you want."
---
For the first time—
someone stayed without asking too many questions.
---
But school…
was still the same.
---
One mistake—
and punishment.
---
Another mistake—
and a hit.
---
Mukesh stood outside again one day.
Hands down.
Eyes empty.
---
"…Why does it always happen to me?"
He whispered.
---
Another hit landed.
---
He didn't react.
---
"…It doesn't hurt anymore."
---
But it did.
---
Inside.
---
That evening…
Mukesh walked home slowly.
---
"I don't want to go tomorrow."
---
The next day—
he didn't.
---
"I'm not going."
He told his mother.
---
"Why?" she asked.
---
"…I just don't want to."
---
And for once—
he stayed home.
---
One day turned into two.
Two turned into three.
---
Finally—
a full week.
---
It was summer.
Hot.
Heavy air.
---
But there were no holidays in school.
Still—
Mukesh didn't go.
---
Instead—
he went somewhere else.
---
Every day.
---
With his brothers.
And a few local boys.
---
To the river.
---
A rocky river.
Clear water.
Strong current in some places.
Deep in others.
---
Mukesh stood near the edge one day.
Looking down.
---
"…This place is dangerous."
---
One of the boys laughed.
"Only if you're scared."
---
Mukesh replied quietly—
"…I am."
---
They showed him a spot.
Where stones were placed below.
Blocking the deeper part.
---
"Here. Swim here."
---
Mukesh stepped in slowly.
---
Cold water.
Flowing around him.
---
"…It's cold."
---
"Get used to it!"
---
Day after day—
he went there.
---
Swimming.
Jumping.
Forgetting everything else.
---
"…This is better than school."
He said one day.
---
"No teachers."
"No shouting."
"No hitting."
---
Just water.
And silence.
---
But his body…
was getting weaker.
---
One evening—
he started coughing.
---
"…It's nothing."
He said.
---
The next day—
fever.
---
"…Still going."
---
Another day—
his breathing felt heavy.
---
"…I'll be fine."
---
His brother looked at him.
"You don't look fine."
---
Mukesh replied—
"…I said I'm fine."
---
But he wasn't.
---
Cold water.
Hot weather.
Weak body.
---
Everything combined.
---
And slowly—
his condition got worse.
---
One night—
he couldn't sleep.
---
His chest felt tight.
---
"…Why… is it hard to breathe?"
---
He sat up.
Coughing.
---
"…It hurts."
---
But even then—
he thought only one thing.
---
"…I don't want to go back to that school."
---
Days passed like this.
Pain increasing.
Body weakening.
---
Until finally—
he fell seriously ill.
---
A condition he didn't understand.
---
But one that would change everything.
---
Pneumonia.
---
And along with the heat—
his body started collapsing.
---
Mukesh lay down quietly.
Looking at the ceiling.
---
"…It's fine."
"…I'll be okay."
---
But deep inside—
he knew.
---
Something was wrong.
---
Very wrong.
---
And this time—
running away wouldn't help.
---