It all happened like this, that on one fine day when I was sitting idly in my classroom one of my class-mate approached me. An impish grin was embossed on his face.
“Do you have ten rupees?”
“What for?” I asked with an air of annoyance.
He replied gruffly “Everyone is contributing for Smriti’s BIRTHDAY PARTY”
Hoping to get a real treat for tomorrow, I reluctantly emptied my pocket. A party is something that we people look forward to, since a long time I hardly had a treat.
“Hey, pal! Are you coming to the mall tomorrow?”
“Mall?” I asked amazed. “When and why?”
“Tomorrow morning, we are going for an outing and we are going to celebrate her birthday over there.”
“No kidding?” My face fell “You don’t mean that you aren’t coming to school tomorrow?”
“Not just me, the whole class is in this plan!”
“So nobody is coming to the school tomorrow.” I spoke in a confused tone “A sort of self-proclaimed holiday”
“You are coming or not?” he said impatiently “I’ve other folks to enquire as well”
“I’m not sure.” I said hesitantly “but I dare not skip the school for tomorrow.” I really wanted to attend that party but there was another reason that was luring me to this invitation. I love browsing through the bookstore. I really wanted to buy me one more novel for my book-collection; I had already completed my weekly reading list. But whenever I thought of agreeing to this invitation, an image of my angry brother drifted to my thoughts. He would never like it if I bunk the school for some stupid party besides the city mall was quite far from my home.
“No, never” I mumbled as a silhouette of my brother danced before me “you folks should rather have fun without me”
So, he scuttled off to the group of our classmates who were already coming up with plans and excuses to mislead their parents. Some of them thought of leaving home in school uniform but changing it at their friends’ home and then going to the mall along with the others. I eavesdropped to their conversation that included all sort of trickery and tomfoolery. I wished I had that courage to trick or lie to my brother or my parents. Hence, I let go off my desires and killed my thirst of literature from a library.
But still I’m at home today. Well, since nobody was coming today at the school, I thought I’d do some self study on my own. Around 11 o’ clock my brother received a miss call; it was from our vice-principal ma’am. She was talking about the fact that each of the class-mates was absent. In fact, all of them were absent. She wanted to know my whereabouts and my brother bailed me out.
“No ma’am, he is here with me. He was feeling ill.” He spoke gently “So, I suggested him to stay and do self study at home.”
As my brother is the favorite ex-student of our vice-principal she trusted him. Anyways, it was the truth (except the feeling ill part) so she must believe it. I really pity the poor folks; they are going to have it tomorrow. The vice-principal is a very strict person, she will not spare them. In fact they planned such a venture on the very belief that our vice-principal is out of station.
Well, I’m a lucky person. Hats off to my genius brother. It’s good that I didn’t betray my brother’s faith. It feels good when you are rewarded by god for keeping away from the tempting evils.