Chapter 39: chapter 39

CHAPTER-15GOWRIThe rest of the day passes peacefully with no incidents. The last and final part of a school counsellor is the session held with the school teachers. Because depression is not exclusive only to students. It is an issue most of us either underestimate or overestimate.I always look forward to this session because I get a chance to see that the teachers’ are also humans who are imperfect and messy in their lives.But today is different. I want to get over the session as soon as possible. I arrange the stack of papers and stroll to the hall where the session is held. I enter the hall and my eyes search for Shiva. But he is not in the room. Trying not to be upset about that fact, I climb the stage taking the mic with me.Usually, the staff greets me with cheerful and smiling faces but today when I turn to face the audience I am greeted with anger, disgust and hatred looks. Maybe I didn't get proper sleep. That is why I am imagining things.I squeeze my eyes shut and open them again. Nope. This is real. I am not imagining things. The people in the room are giving me hate looks. They are judging me. This destroys my stage confidence totally. I feel very uncomfortable standing on the stage. Suddenly I am the ten years Gowri who climbed the stage for the first time. But the only difference is people are not giving me encouraging looks instead it is discouraging looks.I do what most people do when on stage and are facing this situation. Ignore the looks and act as if everything is fine. I switch on the mic and tap it three to check if it working. But honestly, I am buying time. When I bring the mic close to my mouth, a peal of laughter rings out in the crowd. I spot the woman who is making this worse for me. She is a woman in her fifties.“Gowri, you are not fit to give us suggestions on how to lead a good life when you are stooping so low to lead a luxurious life,” the woman calls out to me. I hear snickers from the staff. My eyebrows touch my eyes in confusion. Why does the phrase trying to lead a luxurious life always come to me? Why do people tell me that I am that kind of woman when in reality all I want to do is work a job and live on my own expenses.“Shanta,” Renu madam who is seated in the front row gets up and asks, “What is this?  Why are you blabbering nonsense?”At least there is another person in the room who doesn't understand what is going on just like me.“She isn’t speaking nonsense,” a man in his mid-thirties says. “It is Gowri who is faking everything. She acts like she is so disciplined and follows every virtue but in reality, she is trying to get together with the trustee to lead a luxurious life when she is already married.”Trustee? Get together?Luxury life?Already Married?“She is not married,” Renu madam comes to my defence. But I don't t want her to when I am lying.“Ask her,” someone tells.“Gowri, you aren't married, right?” she asks.I should nod yes but my guilt eats me up and I stand immobile on the stage not sure what to do.“She is married. She is wearing a Thalli hidden by her kurta. We all know very well that the trustee isn't married. She deliberately hid her marriage from us to get together with the trustee,” a familiar voice comments. I look around and spot Jay standing in the middle of the room with a smug look on his face. “Ok, even if she is married. What is the proof that she is wooing the trustee?” someone else asks and I am grateful that not everyone is against me.“Check your WhatsApp chat,” someone else says.There is a collective murmuring as some staff check their phones. Renu madam passes me the phone with a doubtful look after checking.I glance at the screen and HOLY GOD! THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.The screen shows me that it is a group WhatsApp chat. There are a few photos of me and Shiva each with a caption. The first photo was taken when Shiva was inspecting my injured ankle after I nearly fell. But to an outsider, it might look like something else and the caption for it reads, “She brought the trustee on his knees.”The next is a photo of me and Shiva exiting the auditorium. It was taken after the incident with Jay and Shiva carrying my bag. The caption read, ‘Trustee or servant?’The third photo is of me climbing into Shiva's car and the caption is ‘Trustee offers special free rides to her.’The final photo is of me entering the house followed by Shiva. There was a whole paragraph below it and it read:‘This is the real face of the Gowri. Though she is a married woman, she has lied about her marital status to everyone in order to make the trustee fall for her so that she can lead a luxurious life. ’My vision blurs and I blink away my tears. I don’t know what to tell these people. My head spins as they accuse me of things that are horrible to hear.“What is your relationship with him Gowri?” asks Renu madam politely. She is the only person who isn’t giving me any harsh treatment.“I couldn’t tell you,” I tell hanging my head down.“How do you expect her to admit that she is a dirty little secret,” someone comments.Tears string. My dignity is at stake but I don’t want to break my promise to Shiva. These people are like passing clouds they will not be with me forever. So, their opinions don’t matter. But Shiva, I have to face him daily and he has started to become my friend already. No, a promise to a friend is more important than a third person’s judgments.“Shame on you. I didn’t think that you would be such a person.”“You are a slut.”“Aren't you ashamed?”“You must be taken to the police.”“Who knows what you showed to get the trustee to fall-”“ENOUGH!” a loud voice breaks through all the comments. 🍀🍀🍀🍀