Vira groggily tried to turn off his alarm. Mentally, he wasn't prepared to wake up yet. 

Wait... it was today... he couldn't afford to sleep...he jumped out of his bed and rushed into the bathroom..

Today was his first day at Mann's high school. Mann was a small fishing village island, off the coast of Marina which his home town, with about 500 families. The people here thrived on agriculture and fishing. A forty five minute boat ride away from his coastal city, he decided to move into the island to avoid the hassle of travelling. Not that he left behind anything that mattered to him.

Mann had only one school, with modest facilities and hopefully, eager kids.

Vira was one of those very few people who became a teacher because he wanted to do something for the kids. He had had a couple of amazing teachers who made him realise, a teacher could make a student or break a student, and he wanted to be the former.

He hated politics and gossiping and a staff room had all that. But at the place he worked, he realised, right from grading a student, to their treatment, depended on how affluent their parents were. It was one reason why he had resigned from his previous school. Marina high school was one of the best in the country, and he used to work there, but he realised he couldn't work in such a toxic environment. Hailing from a modest background himself, he tried fighting for the kids, but ended up being ostracized by his colleagues. He had the "Teacher's pride" in abundance, and could not change himself for the sake of the job or the money.

Disillusioned with his job in the city he decided to move to the countryside, where he hoped he could do justice to his conscience.

He checked himself in the mirror to make sure nothing was amiss. He adjusted his glasses, big square aviators with a very thin green frame which suited his face, and made him look young without giving him the geek look. The school hadn't specified about the clothes the staff had to wear. so he decided to wear a formal white shirt & grey pants. No body could go wrong with those.

Grabbing his archeological find of a mobile phone, he hopped onto his bicycle and rushed off to his school.

He had just reached Mann during the weekend and hadn't explored the island yet, or unpacked persay. The clothes and basic items were stacked but the house was yet to be set. He'd do it later. He had taken the road to school on Sunday, just to make sure he wouldn't end up late on his first day. School was open and accessible on all days, so he had the time to study the parking, staffroom and class room layout.

Since he was starting almost immediately, he hadn't gone around introducing himself to his neighbours yet, as civility demanded. He would have to start doing that from now. 

Vira reached early, and parked his bicycle at the small parking shed at the back of his school and walked towards to staff room.

The only person he knew on this entire island at the moment was the Principal. He was an old man, easily in his sixties, short and plump, but with an extremely cheerful face and sharp eyes. He had taken his interview and had offered him the position immediately. 

During the interview the Principal had said," The pay won't be high, but the job will be rewarding. I started here as a teacher 40 years ago, and not a single day has passed, when I've regretted it. I hope you will say these words too, some day."

Vira wasn't very sure about it, he had replied," I wish I will too."

The Principal had laughed and patted his shoulder, saying "I know you will."

Maybe it was the Principal, he didn't know, but he was looking forward to working again.

He walked in to the staff room. A couple of guys were already there, chatting animatedly, one sitting over the desk of another. They were about his age, maybe a bit younger.

"Excuse me?", Vira said as he stood next to their table.

They both looked at him.

" Hello,erm..I'm Vira, I start work today."

The one on the desk hopped down and grabbed his hand. "Hoi Vira! I'm Laika, and this is Roma," he said, pointing to the guy on the chair.

Roma got up with a wide smile, and shook his hands warmly.

"You are quite early for the first day! We had heard about you coming from the principal last week. Welcome to Mann!"

Vira felt the warmth behind their smiles and their handshake.

"Thank you! I look forward to working with you guys."

"Say, Vira, how old are you?", asked Laika.

"I'm 26." He replied, adjusting his glasses. He was not an extrovert, so walking upto people and talk to them was not exactly his second nature, it did make him a bit nervous. But these guys, he thought, he could certainly get along with.

"Oh! You are a year older than Roma and me. Shouldn't matter.. then we can call you by your name right? You wouldn't mind?"

The local custom was to address those older than them "sens" and those younger to them "juns", unless, they were in professional fields, where they were called "maws".

Vira smiled and said,"Not at all!".

When he smiled, he let his guard down and flashed that dimple which caught both the guys unaware. He was too cute.

Laika sighed and said," If not for my boyfriend, I would have proposed to you this instant... that smile of yours will sway even the saint's heart."

Vira laughed," What a flirt! But thank you."

Roma said, "Let us show you around. We have some time till the term start assembly. That is a pain that goes for an hour. After that, you will have to come back, to be briefed on the syllabus, before being assigned to a class as their homeroom teacher."

Laika chipped in,"You will probably be assigned to that devil's class. "

"The devil's class?" asked Vira, with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Ah.. The devil. You'll know him when you see him. His coloured red hair, that covers his nape, those flashy piercings on his right ear, that smart mouth and his overly flashy entrance... He seldom comes on time, threatens teachers, and leaves when he pleases. Why today, just see for yourself, he won't be there at the assembly. "

"Oh! Did you not reprimand him?"

"The guy before you tried.. he ended up in a well. Rumours are that, he was kidnapped overnight and pushed into a well. But you can't trust rumours. All I know is that it scared the poor guy so much, he forgot to speak for a month." Laika shook his head sadly. " There is no one who can control him. He has two other kids in his gang, the Terrible Three they are called, who kiss the ground he walks on, as violent as him. Try not to make eye contact with them. And if you meet him outside of class, go the opposite direction."

Vira looked very serious. This kid scared even the teachers. This was serious. He had to think carefully as to how to handle this case.

Roma pulled Laika to the side and whispered. "Poor guy, let's stop now."

Laika smiled wickedly," Let me have some fun, it's not often I get this satisfaction."

"Saka is going to kill you when he finds out what you've done to him," Roma commented, shaking his head.

"I certainly run faster than him."Laika replied, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Vira was still lost in his thoughts. Laika gently pushed him saying," Don't worry too much, for now let me show you the class 12, and then we'll walk to the stadium."

Vira nodded his head and followed Roma and Laika.