He was watching the kids playing football.

He could feel Maw Mina's stare of disapproval, which he chose to ignore.

Just because he was a teacher did not mean he had to sit and stare at the text books when he wasn't working.

What was she so jealous about? Anyways, all he saw her do was powder her nose and highlight her lips. He wondered what she taught like.

He shook his head. He had wasted a couple of his precious seconds thinking about a being, who, was an waste of space in his opinion.

Ofcourse, if she did prove him wrong, he would apologise to her, he wouldn't let ego get in the way, he told himself.

She clucked occasionally, her way of showing her irritation at him, but that was her problem.

His eyes followed Saka who ran around the field, tackling the ball with ease and passing it around. Saka was a team player, who did not try to monopolize the game.

He wished he could be that carefree. He was still not over the fact that he got confessed to, without a single thought to the consequences. But he couldn't take things lightly. And he was extremely confused. That is a mild way of putting things. He was a mess. His brain, from overthinking for the last twenty four hours, seemed deflated.

He sighed.

Saka noticed Vira and waved to him. Vira waved back and sighed again.

"What are you thinking?"

"It must be so good to be so carefree!" He responded.

Then he froze, and jumped off his seat. "Maw Lava!"

The Principal dragged a chair and sat next to Vira.

"No one is truly carefree. It's just that we each worry about a problem that seems bigger than another's."

Vira looked surprised.

"Do you know why we have an hour of sports every day?"

Vira shook his head. Most schools had it once a week. He was surprised that Mann had it every day.

"It's the only time they forget their worries, our kids. This is not a big island with sophisticated infrastructure like the Mainland. Parents send their kids here with fond hopes that they'd go to the mainland and make a living to improve their lives. "

Vira looked attentively.

Maw Lava continued, "but how many succeed? They are teased because of their accent, and you should be aware of the level of discrimination the islanders face. Many come back and continue fishing and farming."

Vira looked sad. Maw went on," And what about those who don't get scholarship? They don't have the money to pursue higher education, they don't get loans because of no family wealth, no one to sign their bank guarantee forms, what does their future look like?"

Vira hadn't thought so much. For him, it was a given, if a person completed his education, he applied and got it in some college. He never realised that not everyone was blessed."

"The kids in your class, there are thirty?"

Vira nodded, looking downcast. "At the maximum, only ten will go to mainland, only three will come back with a degree, maybe one might end up doing his masters."

The statistics looked bleak.

"Do you think they don't know it? Yet they come, they study, and they wish, that they'd be able to provide better for their children. Tobi may become an architect, but Saka had to give up his dream so Laika could pursue his. It's not just Saka, most of the kids with siblings, one has to forego his dream for the other to suceed."

Vira swallowed back his tears. 

The Principal smiled. "Do you know, forty years back, this island did not even have a school. Now, atleast most here are literate. Forty years from now, I am sure, everyone here will be a graduate."

He patted Vira, who was about to cry, then lowered his voice. "You may be the one who can make it come true."

Vira looked up. "Me?"

"The kids here, they want someone who can guide them, give them confidence, and show them that they are equal to those on the Mainland. You, who are from Marina, they will hang on to every word of praise you give them, they will look to you for guidance and support. Maybe when you came here, you were unaware of your responsibilities, but Vira, I think you should know, you can build their future or break them. So handle each of them carefully, and cherish them and their dreams."

Vira nodded. "Excuse me Maw," he said, his voice trembling a bit, "I think I need a cup of coffee."

The Principal patted him gently on the shoulder. Vira, he was sure, would shape the future of Mann high, as his successor.

Vira walked to the coffee machine near the pantry, which was on the other side of the floor. He felt ashamed to have considered the privilege to education as given.

He made up his mind. He will change the statistics. He will fight his hardest to save every single kid's dream.

He thought back on what the Principal told about Saka. He realised he didn't know anything about him, and had just acted on first impressions.

His style of working in the Mainland will not work out on Mann. That is what the Principal had gently tried to tell Vira.

If anything, Vira was sharp. He needed to prepare a questionnaire to understand more about every student in his class.

He decided to do a house visit to formally introduce himself to the student's families. It was his duty, to know about his students. He could not blame ignorance and be a bad teacher. If in the slightest way he could change their fate, he would go all out to fight for them.

Maw Mira could not hear their conversation, though she tried to strain her ears. But when she saw Vira look like he would burst into tears any moment, she felt a sick sense of satisfaction. 

"Quite sure he got blasted by the Maw. He deserves it. Such an arrogant ass. Wonder what he did this time."

She was dying to spread this to someone, but sadly, no one came around.

"Why does everyone else miss out on such wonderful moments? I wish the entire staffroom knows about this loser," she thought to herself. 

Laika hummed to himself as he walked towards the staffroom. He saw Maw Mina alone and did a u-turn. He was not in the mood to entertain her.

He decided to get himself a cup of coffee. He spotted a very glum Vira.

"Hoi Vira, what's up? You look depressed. Did that lady get on your nerves again?"

Vira looked up from his coffee. "Apart from sounding like a lizard, she did nothing, really."

Laika imagined it and burst out laughing, lightening the mood. Vira smiled.

"I was just thinking how pathetic I am."

Laika looked surprised. "Who you?"

Vira nodded. "How could I be a good teacher when I don't make any attempt to understand my students? If Maw Lava hadn't brought it to my notice, I wouldn't have been any better than the lizard." He looked depressed again.

Laika wanted to laugh, but he decided to hold it in. "Maw, no one would compare you to her. I get what Maw Lava means. He throws in some words now and then, to make sure we do our best, but he does not waste his energy on people he doesn't believe in."

Vira looked at Laika. 

Laika nodded. "If he told you something, it means he trusts you to be capable of it, and guides you in the way that will work for you. That's why he is a great teacher. So, feel proud of yourself, but pay heed to his words.

Vira nodded. Yes, he certainly would. He felt lighter, after hearing Laika's words of encouragement.