Courage Takes A Little Courage

The bell shrilled loudly indicating the end of another school day. There was that moments silence once the bell had died down and then the classrooms erupted with the usual noise of children screaming, laughing and chattering away. 

Rheeya quickly packed up her belongings, grabbed her water bottle and headed out of her standard III classroom. She drifted alongwith the sea of kids all headed towards the main gate, to board their respective modes of getting home, the school van in Rheeyas case. As always, she slowed as she walked past the vegetable garden that the nuns cultivated, admiring the cabbage patch boasting of fresh green cabbages. The nuns grew so many cabbages, Rheeya was convinced that they ate only cabbage and no other vegetable all the year round! She waved to John the gardener and still smiling to herself, she turned the corner of the garden and headed for the clearing where the school buses and vans were parked.

As soon as she'd turned the corner, she spotted the 'wicked's'. Ugh! The wicked's were seniors from class VI and were nicknamed so because of their reputation to rag the younger students. While they didn't physically harm anybody, they'd mercilessly reduce the younger ones to tears. They seemed to have their current victim surrounded and were busily saying something to her. Rheeya sighed with compassion at the unknown victim but continued on her way. 

As she walked past the group of girls, she was startled to see that the girl being bullied was her classmate Divya. Divya was bravely standing up to the bullies and looking defiantly at the older girls, her stance indicating her refusal to back down. At that very moment Divya turned and looked directly at Rheeya. 

As she held Divya's gaze, something stirred inside of Rheeya. Rheeya was scared of the wicked's. All the little ones were. Part of her wanted to flee the scene, to just run to her van and get home. But a small voice inside kept telling her otherwise! What if she were in Divyas place? No, Rheeya decided. She must help Divya inspite of her own fear. Rheeya thought quickly. She was no match for the girls who were much bigger in size. She was going to need some help. A plan hatched in her mind. She casually turned around as if going back for some forgotten object, and once she'd turned the corner, she broke into a run towards John. John glanced up and seeing Rheeya running towards him, put down his gardening tools and hurried towards her. Rheeya quickly explained the situation to him. He listened to her plan and nodded his understanding.

They hurried back down the path again and just before the corner, Rheeya slowed to a walk. John stayed behind the wall so the girls couldn't see him. Rheeya then turned and said loudly "good afternoon Mr. Braganza". Mr. Braganza was the PT teacher and a strict disciplinarian. John loudly cleared his throat so the girls would hear it. That did it! The girls mistook John for Mr. Braganza and scampered off down the path. Rheeya ran to Divya, grabbed her hand and all but dragged her to the van. Once seated within, they looked for John who was peeking from behind the garden wall and waved with gratitude to him. Then they looked at each other and broke into giggles at how they'd fooled the wicked's. 

And so began a lifetime of friendship between Rheeya and Divya. Little did they know that the would face many such adventures along the way, but that is a story for another day.