He zugzwanged me!

The rule in my house is that I am not supposed to watch those cop shows on TV. So I watch them on mobile. Of course, only when my parents are not watching me. One thing I have learnt from all those shows is that if you get caught, you don't admit to nothing. (Yeah! That is how Italian mobs speak - another thing I learnt.)

When the class teacher grilled me about what the fight was between me and Bhumika I said nothing. Funny thing was Bhumika didn't crack either. Maybe she learnt it from history books. Maybe one of Buddha's teaching is, "Tell the teachers nothing."

"So you guys won't say why you were fighting," The class teacher said frustrated. We remained silent. I thought the class teacher would excuse Bhumika but punish me by making me stand outside the class with arms raised. Bhumika is a star student. The justice system, err... the school system is always loaded in favour of star students. But if I am lucky, Bhumika will also be punished and that would make this whole punishment at least enjoyable.

An eye for an eye halves
the business of eye doctors.

"Since I can't find out what happened I have to send one of you to the principal," the class teacher said. It didn't make sense to me. I mean, one doesn't get sent to principal's room even if they cause an explosion accidentally on purpose in the lab. Trust me, I know! 

"Do you want to go to principal's office, Madhavan?" Class teacher asked looking at me, smiling teasingly.

I remained silent not understanding what was going on. This didn't happen in cop shows on TV, a police telling a petty thief that he is going to be killed in encounter!

Seeing me remain silent, he turned his face towards Bhumika slowly.

"No sir! Please don't send me to principal sir!" Bhumika said panicked.

Then it struck me, our class teacher was playing the oldest trick in the cop book. He was turning one against the other!

I wanted to assure Bhumika that there was no way the class teacher would send us to principal. But Bhumuka had already folded.

"I will tell you everything, sir" Bhumika said. "Please don't send me to principal's room,sir!."

"Okay then," The class teacher said, "Go on".

As Bhumika started singing he turned towards me and smiled, a smile that told me, 'Maybe you are a smart eighth standard student who sees cop shows. But I am a teacher! I have been seeing smart eighth standard students who see cop shows since Doordarshan days.'

Bhumika revealed everything - the Matrix energy game, the library, the paper balls. Apparently she had come one evening to library to return some book and had seen me and the janitor tossing around paper balls. 

"So Mr. Mark Madhavan Menon Ji," the teacher said in a mock respectful tone, "Tell the class why you are spending your evening time in the library?"

'Don't admit to nothing,' I told myself as I remained silent.

"Were you going deeper for your article on photosynthesis?" he asked. "But what has Photosynthesis got to do with energy and work?"

'Everything,' I wanted to shout. I mean Photosynthesis is preparing food using energy from sunlight. And Food is consumed to get energy to do work. So photosynthesis has got everything to do with energy and work. 

But I did not shout. I did not even open my mouth. 'Don't admit to nothing,' I kept saying to myself.

But I was also praying, praying that the class teacher did not see my eyes were filling with tears and I was about to break.

"And why were you discussing with Janitor?" The class teacher asked.

"Tell me Mark Madhavan Menon Ji, were you teaching him or learning from him or just talking to him because he is your friend?"

I was silent. And praying. And fighting back my tears.

"You better tell me, or you are going to principal's room. But this time it is for real," the class teacher said.

I looked at his eyes and I knew he meant it. I knew time had come to open my mouth and say something. 

But what can I say? In chess, there is a term called zugzwang. (No! I do not know chess. I am not a nerd! It is the name of a chess academy that is on my way to the mall.) It is a situation in a chess game, where no matter what move you make you will lose advantage. That was the situation I was in. Telling my science teacher that I and the janitor were learning work and energy is like Anushka Sharma telling Virat kohli that she liked Rohit Sharma's batting better. Unthinkable!

Being friend with janitor meant everybody would practice 'social distancing' with me. Also unthinkable! So what was left?

"He.." I said, "He had some doubts, sir"

"Janitor had some doubts. On work and energy. Wow!" The teacher said. "He must be the Student of the Year"

The class laughed.

"And you taught him. Fantastic! That gives me an idea!" The class teacher said.

He gestured Bhumika to go to her desk. He himself went over and sat at my desk.

Now that I was the only one standing in the class, I felt all alone and scared. 'Please don't cry,' I started saying to myself.

"Mark Madhavan Menon Ji," The class teacher said, "Please teach us also about Work and Energy."

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