27-04-2025, 02:43 AM
Episode 31: Missed Moments and Mischief
The staff room buzzed with the slow, lazy energy of a late afternoon. Papers rustled. Mugs clinked faintly. The ceiling fans spun heavy circles above.
Meera sat by the window, grading a small stack of notebooks, her mind half-drifting between tasks.
She wore a simple light-blue saree today—modest, comfortable—her hair pulled back in a low knot. Everything about her said professional, focused.
At least, until Priya dropped into the chair beside her with a mischievous grin.
“Missed anything yesterday?” Priya asked, stretching dramatically.
Meera looked up. “The usual chaos. Section B forgot half the formulas again.”
Priya waved a hand. “No, no. I meant... other things.”
Meera frowned slightly, confused. “Like what?”
Priya leaned closer, lowering her voice just enough to make it conspiratorial.
“You know,” she said, lips twitching. “A certain pink saree?
A certain sleeveless blouse?”
Meera’s cheeks warmed immediately. “Oh god. How—?”
“Rumors travel faster than morning attendance,” Priya said, laughing softly. “I came in today and caught a few of the boys whispering about how ‘hot’ you looked yesterday.”
Meera covered her face with her hand, half-laughing, half-mortified. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m quoting.” Priya winked. “Word for word.”
Meera shook her head, pretending to focus back on the notebooks, but the smile tugging at her mouth betrayed her.
Priya wasn’t done.
“You know,” she said casually, picking up Meera’s water bottle and taking a sip without asking, “I feel extremely cheated.”
Meera raised an eyebrow.
“I miss one day,” Priya said, mock-sulking, “and you decide to turn the entire college into your fan club?”
Meera laughed. “It wasn’t like that.”
Priya leaned back, smirking. “Then fix it.”
“Fix it?”
Priya grinned. “Wear it again.”
Meera stared at her, caught somewhere between amusement and horror.
“I’m serious,” Priya said lightly. “You clearly made half the campus forget basic math.
I deserve to see what all the fuss was about.”
Meera rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the faint flush rising up her neck.
She opened her mouth to protest, but Priya only gave her an exaggerated innocent look, humming as she stood to leave.
“Think about it,” she called over her shoulder, her voice floating back through the air.
“Preferably on a day when I’m actually here to enjoy the view.”
---
Of course!
Here’s an additional continuation of Episode 31, extending the playful conversation between Priya and Meera—making it feel even more natural, teasing, and hinting at the growing closeness between them.
---
Meera pretended to go back to grading, but her fingers stalled on the edge of the notebook. Priya’s teasing words circled in her mind, louder than they should have.
Across the room, Priya leaned against the edge of a desk, arms crossed, watching her.
“So?” Priya asked after a beat.
“Are you considering it?”
Meera shot her a look. “You realize I wore that saree out of necessity, not choice.”
“All the more reason it worked,” Priya said, smiling lazily. “You weren’t trying. And that’s when you’re the most dangerous.”
Meera let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“Maybe,” Priya said, strolling back toward her desk. She picked up a red pen from Meera’s stack and twirled it between her fingers.
“But you know what I think?”
Meera tilted her head.
“I think,” Priya said, lowering her voice again, “you liked it. Even if just a little.”
Meera blinked, caught off guard by the sudden honesty wrapped inside the teasing.
“Liked what?”
“The way they looked at you.” Priya’s gaze was steady now, less playful. “The way you made them forget where they were.”
Meera didn’t answer.
Not because she disagreed.
But because somewhere inside, a small, hidden part of her did like it.
Not because of power.
Not because of vanity.
But because, for once, she had felt seen in a way that had nothing to do with being just a teacher.
Just... herself.
Priya smiled knowingly, sensing the unspoken answer. She tapped the desk lightly with the red pen.
“Don’t worry,” she said, stepping away again.
“I won’t tell anyone.”
Then, with a wink over her shoulder:
“But seriously. Wear it again. This time—for you.
And maybe a little for me.”
Meera laughed under her breath, finally letting the tension ease as she scribbled a mark on the notebook in front of her.
But the thought lingered—
> A pink saree folded neatly in the corner of her closet, waiting.
---
To be continued…
The staff room buzzed with the slow, lazy energy of a late afternoon. Papers rustled. Mugs clinked faintly. The ceiling fans spun heavy circles above.
Meera sat by the window, grading a small stack of notebooks, her mind half-drifting between tasks.
She wore a simple light-blue saree today—modest, comfortable—her hair pulled back in a low knot. Everything about her said professional, focused.
At least, until Priya dropped into the chair beside her with a mischievous grin.
“Missed anything yesterday?” Priya asked, stretching dramatically.
Meera looked up. “The usual chaos. Section B forgot half the formulas again.”
Priya waved a hand. “No, no. I meant... other things.”
Meera frowned slightly, confused. “Like what?”
Priya leaned closer, lowering her voice just enough to make it conspiratorial.
“You know,” she said, lips twitching. “A certain pink saree?
A certain sleeveless blouse?”
Meera’s cheeks warmed immediately. “Oh god. How—?”
“Rumors travel faster than morning attendance,” Priya said, laughing softly. “I came in today and caught a few of the boys whispering about how ‘hot’ you looked yesterday.”
Meera covered her face with her hand, half-laughing, half-mortified. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m quoting.” Priya winked. “Word for word.”
Meera shook her head, pretending to focus back on the notebooks, but the smile tugging at her mouth betrayed her.
Priya wasn’t done.
“You know,” she said casually, picking up Meera’s water bottle and taking a sip without asking, “I feel extremely cheated.”
Meera raised an eyebrow.
“I miss one day,” Priya said, mock-sulking, “and you decide to turn the entire college into your fan club?”
Meera laughed. “It wasn’t like that.”
Priya leaned back, smirking. “Then fix it.”
“Fix it?”
Priya grinned. “Wear it again.”
Meera stared at her, caught somewhere between amusement and horror.
“I’m serious,” Priya said lightly. “You clearly made half the campus forget basic math.
I deserve to see what all the fuss was about.”
Meera rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide the faint flush rising up her neck.
She opened her mouth to protest, but Priya only gave her an exaggerated innocent look, humming as she stood to leave.
“Think about it,” she called over her shoulder, her voice floating back through the air.
“Preferably on a day when I’m actually here to enjoy the view.”
---
Of course!
Here’s an additional continuation of Episode 31, extending the playful conversation between Priya and Meera—making it feel even more natural, teasing, and hinting at the growing closeness between them.
---
Meera pretended to go back to grading, but her fingers stalled on the edge of the notebook. Priya’s teasing words circled in her mind, louder than they should have.
Across the room, Priya leaned against the edge of a desk, arms crossed, watching her.
“So?” Priya asked after a beat.
“Are you considering it?”
Meera shot her a look. “You realize I wore that saree out of necessity, not choice.”
“All the more reason it worked,” Priya said, smiling lazily. “You weren’t trying. And that’s when you’re the most dangerous.”
Meera let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“Maybe,” Priya said, strolling back toward her desk. She picked up a red pen from Meera’s stack and twirled it between her fingers.
“But you know what I think?”
Meera tilted her head.
“I think,” Priya said, lowering her voice again, “you liked it. Even if just a little.”
Meera blinked, caught off guard by the sudden honesty wrapped inside the teasing.
“Liked what?”
“The way they looked at you.” Priya’s gaze was steady now, less playful. “The way you made them forget where they were.”
Meera didn’t answer.
Not because she disagreed.
But because somewhere inside, a small, hidden part of her did like it.
Not because of power.
Not because of vanity.
But because, for once, she had felt seen in a way that had nothing to do with being just a teacher.
Just... herself.
Priya smiled knowingly, sensing the unspoken answer. She tapped the desk lightly with the red pen.
“Don’t worry,” she said, stepping away again.
“I won’t tell anyone.”
Then, with a wink over her shoulder:
“But seriously. Wear it again. This time—for you.
And maybe a little for me.”
Meera laughed under her breath, finally letting the tension ease as she scribbled a mark on the notebook in front of her.
But the thought lingered—
> A pink saree folded neatly in the corner of her closet, waiting.
---
To be continued…
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