{Ranting Night}

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We are in the midst of October, and here sitting in my balcony's hanging chair with a coffee mug in my hand on a Saturday's midnight. Reminiscing about the past month.

It went in a blur with lots of stress and the problem of settling in. However, I can conceitedly admit that I did it. I get through this oblivion state of mine, where I was nothing but a lost child.

I know each and every place in my school now, that I can give a tour to a newbie. Not that anyone would join in between the second semester. Mishika helped me a lot in the past month and we became good friends. I like to call her Mishty that name suits her better.

I just kept myself engaged with Mishty that I never felt the need of getting close to anyone else.

People in class get familiar with my presence, so do I. I no longer feel alienated, but if anxiety or insecurities hit in, I blocked all the people out.

Due to my different accent and American ears, I was impotent to pronounce some names of the students in my class and that led to one of the most embarrassing moments.

That moment's humiliation was fresh in my memory like it was just a moment ago.

When I shouted and swore at Aditya Singhal, I also called him a pervert. Turns out to be he wasn't asking me out or flirting with me, but his surname was S-I-N-G-H-A-L, and I heard single, which led to my very drastic humiliation.

I regret calling him a pervert and swearing at him, so I did apologize but you know what happened next was unexpected.

Let me quote his words, he said "Miss Buffett, you might be getting ahead of yourself and misunderstanding this all. My last name is Singhal, not single. I can spell it for you. It's S-I-N-G-H-A-L. Now do you want to repeat your words?"

Even though I was at fault, I got the nerves to call him a jerk. Dude, no one, and I mean it, no one got the guts to humiliate me like that, even though I put myself in the situation, but it was too much for me.

The worst first day ever. Mr. Samar entered the class, as it was lunchtime, which interrupted the conversation to go on. My bond with Aditya isn't typically the best one, but yeah he got over it.

Although he used this incident to pick up on me, sometimes when I am forced by Mishty to talk with him. She says I shouldn't have any bitter memories of India, and even made Aditya apologize for his disreputable behavior.

I did call Lex that day to complain about the unfortunate day. The moment she picked up the phone I filled her with the whole incident, not even leaving a word out.

The next moment I know she starts swearing like a sailor and that really made that day a little better for me. She did lecture me on how not to make enemies already and blah blah blah...but at last she just cheered me up.

We changed the topic to a lighter one where I told her about the new things I learned that day and the prank Arnav pulled on me.

Of course, she laughed her arse off knowing the little cute boy, put me in trouble. She is obsessed with his sassy yet classy nature.

I was way too fatigued from the things that happened the following day that I nearly forgot about Arnav's misleading me about the things. I didn't realize that I ended up ignoring him unintentionally, which resulted in him keeping nagging me for the whole day for forgiving him.

Lex and I get in a routine to talk daily for hours. Usually, she would start filling me in with things. It's good to know that I am not missing out on the hot news. Then again, I would tell her about my whole day, things that I learned, and the things I found totally absurd.

One thing I concluded in this past month, the Indian education system sucks for me. I have to read those subjects, I don't want to. I reckoned that it is a good thing to know about a basic idea of all things, yet it's hard for me.

Then again in the last month, I have studied and studied only, and when it comes to practical, again I just have to study, take notes, and make handwritten project files.

Why do they even call it practical, if only you have to write in it?

Languages are easy to understand, but mains can be tricky. Especially in the social sciences, as I am studying India's geography, political life, economics, and history. In some cases, it's easier to get the history, because it's not entirely based on India.

I see the aspect of Indian education in the long run, but going for the big picture, you can't ignore the smaller ones.

Even Mishty conceded that it becomes stressful with the homework given and the continuous pressure of parents and teachers for focusing on studies for the exams. Their grading system is different. It is calculated by marks rather than the grade A+, A, etc.

Mishty told me about more heartbreaking facts, about the untold stories of people.

Even pursuing your dreams which are not in the field of study, is disgraced by society and those students' parents. They never support and when people make their dreams come true, those people will pretend to be the crucial part of your life.

Not all parents are like that, but the ones who are like that forced their child to take up a life path they never wanted to. The dreams that parents weren't able to full fill they forced on their child one way or another.

I think this is not something you can only find in India but in many parts of the world. It hurts how they suppressed their children's dreams, just for theirs to come true, and this is a vicious cycle that has been carried on for ages.

One thing she despised is the school's here focused more on developing the academic skills of students rather than one's personality.

She took the example of this boy in our class who rarely socializes and even at lunchtime, he has no group to chat or eat with. Although he is one of the toppers, what's great about that, when he can't even express himself verbally?

I even asked her, why you guys didn't try talking to him, to make him open up. If we were (American high school students) in your place we would have tried that and made him feel included.

To which she replied, 'it's not like the students here didn't try. They even invited him or drag him to sit with a group, just like you guys would have done it, but the problem was that he never wanted to be included. He is an introvert and no matter how many efforts we show, he never reciprocates it, so we ended up leaving him in his solitude.'

What I felt like was schools here should focus on building up one's personality. You know I have come across this situation when teachers select a student who already is an expert in the field, but not the one who is eager to give their best.

They will keep making the experts, better yet leave those who want to get better but lack support weigh them down.

I am being way too critical now, let me tell you those moments where I was shocked to the core.

Girls can't wear make-up to school. Let me make things clear, I might give the tomboy vibes and I am a trouble maker but above all of that, I am a girl, a girl who loves fashion, and thankful to God for making me a girl.

I love to create a different look for me, that always reflect my mood, and without make-up, I am no more allowed to do so.

Every time I get near my make-up kit, it begs me to use it. I try to go with as minimal make-up as I can and those witchy teachers told me to wash off my face the moment they see it.

I seriously got the urge to shout at them once that why they wore it if it's not allowed to students.

Mishty commented on my urge that if you want a warning card go ahead, also the fact I should be thankful that they didn't comment on my blonde hair.

That was enough for me to shut up, out of respect.

I feel pity from the bottom of my heart for the Indian school girls as they don't know how much they are missing out on. Then I would imagine my dearest cheerleaders bees from my Miami school, how good it would look to drag them here with me.

For once I can live, accepting the fact, but for them, it will be the best torture ever, yet I believe after acceptance, they would be the happiest person here. After all, they will get the chance to get away with the predetermined notions of people for them.

Another shocking fact players don't exist in Indian schools, so that leads to less percentage of heartbreaks. Mishty being the realistic one said that no one is handsome enough to be a player and catches the girl's attention.

The most riveting shocker was a miniature contact between the couples in school like holding hands or hugging is a ginormous step in their relationship.

Kissing and doing it, is way out of the box. If someone holds their Indian girl partner from the waist without their permission, get ready for a kick in where the sun doesn't shine and an instant breakup. That also explains the fact why this school doesn't have sex education as one of the subjects.

Can I drag some players and 'the Populars', even the high school sweethearts to study in Indian schools for a few months? I am sure they will either ruin their innocence or become saints.

I told this to Lex and her first reaction was when did you start making things up? Isn't this too much for being real?

I did explain to her that it's in their nature and they are well cultured according to theirs. If I wasn't experiencing this myself, my reaction would have been the same.

To which she replied 'that kissing was first found in Hindu Vedic Sanskrit texts around 3500 years ago, when they followed the custom of rubbing and pressing noses together between couples, eventually someone slipped and found that the lips were very sensitive and found it pleasurable. That's the one theory on how it started.

Not only that but it is said that even though kissing's true origin remains a mystery, historians have found in India the earliest reference to the practice, and you're telling me it's not a common thing among Indian teenagers.'

I questioned her about where she read all of that stuff and she said she just searched it on google when I was telling her about this.

I was way too stunned to say something that she continues on with her theories, though I commented that things on the internet can be absurd too.

'C'mon Kat, a girl not kissing her boyfriend or a boy not kissing his girlfriend, would be like having a brother-sister bond with your partner.

Just imagine you asking Ezra to neither kiss you nor grab you from your waist, will make your relationship go perfectly, NA-HUH! Those things are important.'

'I don't know how Indian teenagers survive, Lex, because they are the epitome of innocence.' I replied.

'What are they, a freaking saint? Pardon me, but tell me how they survived? Because it looks like they are freaking kidding me.'

It was refreshing talking to her about this. She was like let me teach kiddos how to flirt, touch, kiss, and the rants go on, but at least, at last, she did believe my words.

I already have fallen in love for god's sake. I know it's too early but I can't help but fall for the irresistible charm of glorious Indian cuisine, especially the curry.

Oh, la la! Just the thought of that watered my mouth and let me tell you have you tasted the south Indian food, also the north Indian? Though it's somewhat spicy, I like it that way only.

It's past midnight and I am craving crispy Dosas with Sambhar and the chutneys. My mouth begs for its taste.

I eat it a few days ago when Arnav's mom visited us to give us a lunch box. Oh! How much I love her for introducing me to heaven disguised as a Dosa. My mouth was blessed with the devouring taste of it.

Now I get to know the secret behind India's fame for its food as every culture has its own type of cuisine, they got a lot of variation in food. India is called a paradise for vegetarians as India has more vegetarians than the rest of the world combined.

On the south Indian side, meat-eaters are the odd one out from the vegetarians.

Mom and dad are so caught with the work that they barely get to enjoy the delicacies. I learned to use an online ordering grocery app and the other one for food.

Tell me again why they haven't left me back there in Miami, because it's better to stay alone in a known city rather than in an unknown world.

Although I can't just blame them now, after seeing them working so hard. I got more worried about their health than dwelling in front of them on bringing me here.

It's not like they haven't left me alone before, but this is different. I always have to call them and remind them that they have to take a rest and eat properly.

I like all my teachers. They all are lovely. Some of the teachers' expressions when they got to know that I would be their student were priceless.

Arnav was right about the fact that if I am different I should just take advantage of that fact. Everyone is nice to me, except Mr. Eddy.

He always gets irritated when I call him that as his nickname is A-D-I, Adi, and I pronounced it Eddy. I just call him according to how we call Adidas in America.

I should better sleep now, it's way too late.

Adios luna! You were a good partner.

***

THANK YOU, GUYS! MY BOOK JUST HIT 1K READS WITH 100 LIKES AND THAT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU. I WANT YOU GUYS TO ENJOY THIS BOOK.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

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Q: Do you find the Indian dating relationship funny and interesting?

A: I am familiar with it, so not a biggie for me.

K: You kidding me right? I mean I still can't digest that fact.

P:?

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