Till The Spring

14🌸 Shall we build Boundaries?

Post the incident, Nazareth was sitting in the department engrossed in some paperwork as the echoes of the morning incident lingered in his thoughts during a moment of respite, Avi, sensing his mentor's unease, decided to share his observations, he came and sat on his chair while closing his eyes, getting tired while releasing a long sigh.
"How do manage to handle so much chaos in between your lectures, I get tired just after taking the first class." Says Avi with closed eyes when Nazareth doesn't pay attention to him.
"Hey, by the way, a students of my class were discussing the morning incident. Rudra was the one who commented on Nia's clothing. Don't you think he should be punished." Avi added.
"Dean has made the right decision." Started Nazareth.
"But they were your ward. You should have weighted the mistakes and then called for the decision." Avi argues.
Nazareth, caught in a dilemma over the disciplinary actions taken, grapples with the perspective presented by Avi. The tension in the air is palpable as the conversation touches on deeper issues of handling student matters. Nazareth's uneasiness hints at the complexity of the situation and the internal struggle he might be facing regarding Sara.

Nazareth was coming out of the cafeteria as the sweet caffeine taste of iced macchiato had somehow made him feel relaxed after all the morning chaos when he came across Sara, who came looking for him with dazed expression, as she was driven by a mix of frustration and confusion, sought him out for a conversation.
"Miss Sara, do you have anything to say?" He enquired, noticing her dazed expression.
"Prof Reth, why did you do this!? why didn't you support me there and take my stand!? You were my mentor. You should have listened to me!" She complains.
"Miss Sara, don't forget it's a corridor." Nazareth says while looking around at the students who were staring at them.
"I don't care about anything. I just got suspended!" Shouts Sara in a loud voice.
"Miss Sara, behave. I was Rudra's mentor, too. Everything was clearly laid, you hit him badly, and the PE teacher was enough to testify to this." Says Nazareth.
"He commented on Nia's clothing. He was the to tease us first!" She laid.
"Is it enough for you to hit somebody badly? Are you guys in school?" Says Nazareth when Sara falls short of words.
"But you should have asked me why I hit him!" She argued.
"Nothing can justify your action." Nazareth counter replied.
"Miss Sara, every action comes with a consequence. Getting violent is a crime. Reverse the case and then see if it were you, then he would have been punished. Even a single punch can destroy your career, but you guys won't listen. People would only see what's shown, and you have clearly shown them your fault. " He added.
"And what Rudra who's roaming freely behaving like a victim!? You were my mentor, too! I sat with you for extra classes, you know how diligent I am! I expected you to--" before Sara could even complete her sentence, he spoke in between.
"Can we maintain a boundary, Miss Sara?(taking a pause) Since we are done with the test thing, now you should stop intervening and expecting and doing stuff which could involve me for no reason." Nazareth says in a shot, making Sara puzzled.
Saying this, Nazareth walked off while leaving her in a shocked state. Sara, caught in a whirlwind of thoughts and self-reflection, grapples with the possible reasons behind Nazareth's actions. The fear of being misunderstood adds to her embarrassment. As she replays moments in her mind, uncertainty lingers. It's a moment of internal chaos for Sara as she contemplates the implications of Nazareth's revelation.
Is he thinking that I was having designs on him! Oh no!!!

Nia, on the other hand, grappling with guilt, sought an outlet for her restlessness. Determined, she approached Rudra, ready to confront the source of the morning fiasco. She goes on searching for him when she finds him in an empty classroom.

Nia stormed into the empty classroom, her frustration palpable. "We need to talk, Rudra," she declared firmly, eyeing him with a mix of anger and determination.
"Stop honking. Get lost!" He bawled.
"Rudra, why are you behaving like this when this is not you! I have known you since school. You're definitely not this!"
"It's completely me! And this is what I've always been." Rudra stressed while kicking at the chair in anger.
"Really!? Then why couldn't you stand up for yourself and get bullied for so many years in school !" Nia says, making Rudra taken aback as she looks at her with wide eyes.
"Shut up! J-Just shut up!" Nags Rudra while he pushes Nia.
"I'm surprised you were such a nice person back in school. What's gone into you to become like this! You, too, were once thrown out of school for hitting your bullies, and today you yourself became like that!" Shouts Nia, which provokes Rudra even more.
"I was thrown out because of your testimony. You knew I was being bullied but didn't side with me! If the same happened with your friend, then what's so wrong!?" He exclaims while flinching Nia's arms while his eyes are brimming in anger.
"Rudra, you know the scenario they asked me an open-ended question. They hadn't given me a chance to explain." Says Nia.
"It was an open-ended question for your friend, too. Now leave before I break your face!" Says Rudra while banging on the table when Nia leaves in disgust.

Rudra's outburst revealed a deeper turmoil, echoing the haunting memories of a painful school life marred by relentless bullying.
Rudra, pushed beyond his limits, lashed out in self-defense, using the compass as a means to end the torment. The consequences unfolded as his bully bled, marking a turning point in Rudra's struggle against relentless persecution.
He was taken to the principal, who asked Nia, the coordinator of the class, to pick one name who had hit first. She took Rudra's name provoked violent initially.
Despite Nia's efforts to further explain the underlying circumstances, Rudra faced expulsion from the school as his name was chosen for the initial act of violence. The unjust expulsion left a profound mark on Rudra, shattering his innocence and nurturing a bitter perspective. He concluded that survival in the world required suppressing others, eroding his belief in the inherent goodness of people.

Sara, accompanied by Ishan, spotted Nazareth in the parking lot. A sense of purpose guided her steps as she approached him, ready to address whatever weighed on her mind after the day's chaos. Sara, haunted by Nazareth's words about boundaries, approached him with a desire to confront the lingering feeling of misjudgment that weighed on her mind.
Sara, urgency in her voice, approached Nazareth in the parking lot. "Nazareth, I need to talk to you," she said, a sense of determination evident in her demeanor.
"Prof Reth! Thank you for helping me this far. Our pact ends here, on this day, right after the test got over. If in case I had ever given you any wrong idea about my actions, then I'm sorry for that, because I just need you to help me with the test, that's it." Sara explains.
Nazareth listened, a mix of amusement and confusion on his face as the student expressed gratitude and an odd blend of sentiments. "Well, I appreciate the thanks," he responded, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
"Now you can leave the university freely, I never wanted to give you any bad experiences right when you're deciding to leave." Sara said in a sticking tone.
"And yeah, regarding the boundaries, I hope our fate would never let us meet."
Nazareth, caught a bit off guard to the unsaid wish in Sara's last sentence, felt a shift in the dynamics between them. The uncertainty of what lay ahead lingered, raising questions about whether the coming challenges would be bearable for them.

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