The next morning.
Anurag Sir woke up a little later than usual today. The soft rays of sunlight filtering through the curtains fell on his eyes, and he sat up. The room was silent, but an odd laziness seemed to linger in the air all around.
As soon as he got up, he noticed that the door to Anirban Sir's room was still closed. No sound came from inside—just a heavy, sleepy stillness that enveloped the entire space. In his mind, he thought lightly:
"They must have been… busy all night. Now they're exhausted and sleeping. After last night's performance, they didn't even let me sleep…"
Anurag Sir walked toward the kitchen.
Cooking was usually Anirban Sir's responsibility—he was an excellent cook. Anurag Sir's cooking, on the other hand, was strictly functional—just enough to fill the stomach, without much flavor, aroma, or presentation. Still, today he decided to try making something himself: simple fried eggs and tea.
While standing by the stove, whisking salt and chili into the eggs, about half an hour later he heard a knock at the door. Anirban Sir emerged—eyes and face still heavy with sleep, wearing a loose T-shirt, his expression full of awkwardness. He yawned and walked toward the kitchen.
"Looks like you slept well?" Anurag Sir said in a slightly teasing tone.
Anirban Sir replied shyly,
"Anurag, honestly… I didn't realize things would go this far. I just couldn't stop myself…"
Anurag Sir said sternly,
"There's a lot of risk in this relationship of yours. If you really love her, you should have made her understand properly."
Anirban fell silent for a moment, then said,
"I'm sorry… I got carried away by emotion…"
Anurag Sir replied,
"Why are you apologizing to me? I'm just worried about you. That girl studies at your school… you're her teacher…
Anyway, it's not right to keep her in the flat. You should drop her home. If her parents find out, do you even realize what could happen to you…?"
Anirban Sir stood with his head bowed. The silence in the room grew thicker.
After a pause, Anurag Sir asked,
"You used protection, right…?"
Anirban looked at him with innocent eyes and said,
"No."
Anurag Sir's eyes widened in shock.
"Go to the medical shop right now!" he almost shouted.
Without wasting a single second, Anirban Sir rushed out of the flat, practically running.
Anurag Sir stood frozen, staring at the pan on the stove.
---
Pratapnagar Girls' High School.
Every morning, Sneha comes to school and goes straight to Anurag Sir's cabin first. Because Anurag Sir had clearly told her: "When you come to school, come to my cabin first."
After that, Sir himself carries her bag and escorts her all the way up to the third floor.
This morning too, Sneha came and knocked gently on the door—
Knock knock knock.
From inside came Sir's voice: "Come in, Sneha."
She entered quietly.
As always, her face carried that sweet shyness.
The moment Sir looked at her, last night's events flashed through his mind. The intense excitement of Anirban Sir and Basundhara's intimate moments had reminded him of Sneha.
After a slight hesitation, he asked,
"Did you like that locket I gave you?"
Sneha replied shyly,
"Yes, Sir."
Anurag asked,
"Did you bring something sweet with you today?"
Sneha nodded gently and answered,
"Yes, Sir."
Anurag Sir:
"Did you get your blood sugar level checked?"
Sneha nodded again, replying in the obedient tone of a good girl,
"Yes, Sir."
Anurag Sir always keeps a special eye on Sneha. Even in class, he pays her extra attention.
As soon as she arrives at school, Sneha goes to his cabin.
He even carries her bag for her. Because of these things, a rumor has started spreading in school: perhaps something is going on between Anurag Sir and Sneha.
The jealousy among the girls is obvious, and even the young female teachers who like Anurag Sir have started resenting Sneha—because she gets to go to his cabin.
Despite being mature and sensible, they have begun to dislike even this innocent teenage girl.
*********
At the end of the eleventh-grade Chemistry class, Anurag Sir announced a project: "Organic Compounds and Their Uses."
As per the rules, everyone had to pair up in twos. The girls quickly formed pairs—some grabbed their friends' hands, others had already decided in advance who they would work with.
Sneha sat quietly. As always, she was alone—no one called her this time either.
Anurag Sir was calling out names. Suddenly he paused.
"Sneha, don't you have a partner?"
She slowly shook her head.
After thinking for a moment, Sir said,
"Then do the project alone. And if you don't understand anything, come straight to me. I'll help you."
Sneha was startled. Her throat went dry.
Ria—the most envious girl in school—had already started twisting the situation in her own way.
"Look at her! Using the project as an excuse to go to Sir! I'm telling you—she has nothing but her body!"
*****
In the afternoon, Sneha went to Sir in a quiet corner of the laboratory.
Holding her notebook, she asked in a trembling voice,
"Sir, can you explain this reaction? Here, with the hydrocarbon…"
Anurag Sir stepped closer, took the notebook, and began explaining.
But suddenly he noticed—Sneha was standing very close. Her breathing was heavy, her cheeks flushed. For a fraction of a second, Sir's eyes drifted to that forbidden place—her chest. Not even a full second, but it was enough for Sneha to notice when she lifted her gaze.
Their eyes locked.
No words were spoken, no touch was made, yet in that moment, an invisible boundary was crossed.
Sir quickly composed himself and handed the notebook back.
"Do the project well. Let me know if you need anything."
He tried to keep his voice normal, but there was a different shadow in his eyes.
Sneha said nothing. She only nodded. Inside her chest, waves of a shy yet magnetic feeling were surging.
To be continued...