Today is a big day in Beeti's life. Today is her first day in school after the enrollment. She is both excited and nervous.
Excited because, she has always dreamed to start her anew and now is the very moment for that start. From the very first step, but she is nervous as well because, even after years of being reborn, she sometimes find it hard to behave her age. She fears that she might give herself away sometimes.
After all it's one thing to fantasize about being reborn and starting over again, but it's hard to adjust the behaviour to your biological age, like can you imagine someone in their mid twenties acting like a toddler. It's really not easy, especially since technology is backward as well.
Well, with hope and nervousness Beeti arrived at the primary (elementary) school with her brother. It's her brother's last year at primary school.
Bankim led Beeti in front of the combined classroom of class one and two. During any celebration the school just shift the divider between the two classes and convert it into a small size hall.
As Beeti walked to her seat after bidding her brother farewell, she observed the class and felt strong surge of nostalgia. She used to be a very, you can say overly nostalgic person. Now that she is seeing the same old school environment that she has missed countless times in her previous life, her heart felt lighter. It's the childhood that she missed the most after being a grown up.
Human are such beings; they long to be a grown up so that they can do whatever they want, so that nobody can restrict them.
And when they are adult and all grown ups, they wished to be kids again. They miss those carefree days, when they can play to their hearts content. When they don't have to be burden with millions of thoughts, about various bills.
"Hello, my name is Jayatri. What is your name?"
A girl with boy hair cut said, sitting beside Beeti.
The voice made Beeti to pause her survey of the classroom and turn towards the girl.
It was a friend from past life. They were not that close, but were schoolmates till secondary school (grade 10). She wasn't from Duga village though. Her home is about a half an hour distance by foot.
"Hello! I'm Beeti."
She replied with a smile.
Really...
She don't know how to greet someone she already know but for others it's their first time meeting. And she herself was not a social person in her past life.
Just then the bell rang and the class teacher came.
Mr. Narayan is a man in his thirties. Beeti have a deep impression of his teacher. He used to narrate moral stories in a very vivid way, so much so that even after decades she remembers his stories more clearly than anything else.
Mr. Narayan started the rollcall.
"Sishir Biswas"
"Abhijit Haldar"
"Abhijit Biswas"
....
"Beeti Das"
"Archana Biswas"
....
After rollcall, the teacher took the rollcall for class two ( second grade) as well and then after introducing the second class students about their reading portion for the day, he took the class one students to get their books from library.
Inside the library, the students were lining up to get their books, and Beeti was staring at the computer at the table with stars in her eyes.
She was finally able to start with her plans.
...
After collecting everyone's books they went back to class and started with that day's lesson.
During lunch break, after finishing the meal and while standing at the water pipe area for cleaning their plates, Jayatri asked: "Beeti how about we play ice- water?"
"I'm sorry Jayatri, but I can't play with you all today."
Beeti said, just as she was about to give a reason for the rejection, she was interrupted.
"Humph! Just say you don't want to play. Don't play the nice guy and act like royalty."
"Let's go Jayatri, I already told you, she won't play. She is 'oh miss mighty '."
Beeti watched with a helplessness expression as the two girls walked away and joined other girls. The one who just now commented was Archana, also a friend from past life but was at odds at the very beginning. Later Beeti heard she got married and had children while Beeti herself was still studying. Once she, Archana and Jayatri used to be friends but later in life everyone went there separate path.
Shaking her head, looking one last time towards the girls playing, Beeti turned and headed towards the library after putting down the mid-day meal ( lunch, provided by government school for free) plate.
The school was a single building of only the ground floor. The school was of L shape. With the library being at the intersection.
Beeti has reduced her visit to school compared to her past life, as she used that time to stay more with her grandparents. Though the teachers are still fond of her like her previous life.
After getting admission in school, Beeti was particularly looking forward to using the computer. As the teachers had said that if she want to use the computer she has to be a student of their school. It's really not convenient or easy to do anything without technology for someone from 2020s.
Now in front of the computer, Beeti eagerly punched in the password for wifi, which was a piece of cake for her, and nearly fainted when she saw the speed of internet.
Good lord!
She forgot it was 2000s and there was only 2G and it was lucky that school has a broadband for internet, otherwise her plans would have died a tragic premature death.
After calming down and reminding herself that something is better than nothing, she started her work.
After her Birthday two years ago, Beeti has decided that whatever the reason was for her rebirth, she would strengthen herself and her family. Only then can she protect her family and herself. So she decided to start with financially strengthening her family.
But the problem was, she was a small kid and didn't have any available means. But then, whatever ideas she has, she needs a legitimate source for offering that help.
You can't just expect a merrily two years old to give you ideas who didn't even go far beyond the Town.