So let’s begin,
-
Team Unstoppable’s Bedroom – 8:30 PM
The room was pitch dark and silent, save for the rhythmic, heavy breathing of the three exhausted girls. The peace was absolute, a sanctuary of sleep.
Click.
The bright overhead tube light flickered to life, flooding the room with a blinding, harsh white glare.
Bela: (loudly, clapping her hands twice) “Chalo! Utho! Wake up!”
The reaction was immediate and chaotic.
Vanshu groaned, pulling her pillow tightly over her head to block out the assault of light.
Akshu, still slightly disoriented from the fever-induced sleep, sat up with a jerk, blinking wildly like a confused owl in headlights.
Khushi didn’t move a muscle. She just let out a long, zombie-like moan into her mattress, refusing to acknowledge reality.
Bela: (walking to the center of the room) “Yeh hotel nahi hai jahan breakfast-in-bed milega. Dinner is ready. Table pe report karo in 10 minutes.”
Vanshu peeked out from under her pillow, squinting painfully at Bela.
Vanshu: (voice raspy with sleep) “Ma’am… bhookh nahi hai. Can we skip? Please?”
Bela: “Skip? Vanshu, body ko fuel chahiye. Dimaag chalana hai ya nahi kal? Chalo, get up. Wash your faces.”
She walked over to Akshu and touched her forehead briefly—a quick, professional check that lingered for just a second.
Bela: “Temperature normal hai. Chalo sab, Khichdi bani hai aaj.”
Akshu: (making a face) “Khichdi? Ma’am, bas halka sa fever hi toh hai, punishment thodi mili hai jo khichdi khani pade…”
Bela: “Bimar log khichdi hi khate hain taaki jaldi recover karein. Argument band karo.”
Then, she reached the final one: Khushi.
Khushi was dead to the world. Bela grabbed the corner of Khushi’s duvet and yanked it off in one swift motion.
Bela: “Khushi! Utho!”
The cold air hit Khushi’s legs, and she instinctively curled into a ball.
Khushi: (mumbling sleepily) “Paanch minute… bas paanch minute aur sone do…”
Bela: “Paanch minute ka time nhi h.. Utho.”
Khushi finally opened one eye. She tried to sit up but braced herself, expecting the shooting pain in her legs from the morning drill. She stretched her legs tentatively. Then she flexed her calves.
Her eyes widened.
She froze. She looked at her legs, squeezed her calf muscle, and then looked at Bela with pure shock.
Khushi: (surprised) “Ma’am?”
Bela: (face impassive, turning to fold the discarded duvet) “Kya hai? Jaldi utho.”
Khushi: “Mere pair… dard nahi kar rahe. Matlab, bilkul bhi nahi. Gayab ho gaya dard.”
She swung her legs off the bed, testing them. No cramps. No stiffness. It felt magical.
Khushi: “Yeh kaise hua? Maine toh socha tha kal chal bhi nahi paungi. Magic?”
She looked at Bela suspiciously, her sleep-addled brain connecting the dots.
Khushi: “Ma’am… aapne kuch kiya kya?”
Bela didn’t flinch. She busied herself smoothing out the bedsheet, studiously avoiding eye contact, her expression stern.
Bela: “Magic nahi, ‘Rest’ kehte hain usay. Body relax hoti hai jab dimaag shant hota hai. Maine kaha tha na garam paani se nahane ko? Uska asar hai. Muscles relax ho gaye honge.”
Khushi: (confused) “Lekin maine garam paani se nahi nahaya tha… mai toh thande se nahayi thi kyunki geyser on karna bhool gayi thi.”
Bela froze for a microsecond. Caught.
Vanshu and Akshu, now fully awake, looked at Bela with amusement, waiting for the fallout. The “hot water” theory had just been busted by Khushi’s accidental confession.
Bela recovered instantly, turning around to glare at Khushi to mask her slip-up.
Bela: “Maine kaha tha na tumse garam paani se nahane ke liye? Ek instruction follow nahi hota tumse theek se?”
Khushi realized what she had just admitted in her sleepiness.
Khushi: (biting her tongue) “Wo… Sorry, bhool gayi thi… Par Ma’am, agar garam paani se nahi, toh kaise hua phir theek?”
Bela straightened her posture, adjusting the bedsheet with unnecessary precision.
Bela: “Toh… toh shayad darr ki wajah se dard bhaag gaya hoga. 5 baje ki drill ka darr bohot effective painkiller hota hai. It’s psychological.”
She turned around sharply to hide the slight flush rising on her cheeks
.
Bela: “Questions kam pucho aur neeche chalo. Mahir ji wait kar rahe hain. And suno teeno ke teeno…”
Trio: “Ji Ma’am?”
Bela: “Agar tum 2 minute mein dining table pe nahi dikhe, toh Khushi ke saath tum dono bhi kal subah 5 baje ki drill mein aaoge… Aur kal subah 10 rounds ke badle 20 rounds honge. Move!”
Bela marched out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
Akshu and Vanshu looked at each other and sighed.
Akshu: “Typical Hitler.”
Khushi sat there on the edge of the bed, swinging her painless legs back and forth. A slow, wide grin spread across her face. She looked at the bedside table. The bottle of pain relief oil was gone, but the faint, unmistakable smell of camphor and menthol lingered in the air.
Vanshu: (smirking while putting on her slippers) “Hot water, huh? Ma’am ki stories humse bhi weak hain.”
Akshu: (giggling) “General Sahiba pakdi gayi..”
Khushi: (looking at the door with soft eyes) “Hitler hai… par humari Hitler hai.”
She jumped off the bed, full of energy.
Khushi: “Chalo! Khichdi khani hai, warna subah sach mein 20 rounds lagwa dengi!”
They rushed out, chasing the lingering scent of menthol and motherly love down the stairs.
The Hallway – Post Dinner
Team Unstoppable walked up the stairs, their heavy footsteps echoing slightly. The dinner had been surprisingly light-hearted (mostly because Khushi was just happy to be able to walk without pain).
Khushi: (stretching her arms) "Khichdi boring thi, par mere pairon mein jaan aa gayi wapas. Kal subah drill mein rounds bhaag lungi.
Vanshu: (rolling her eyes) "Overconfidence mat dikha. Kal subah uthne mein phir drama karegi tu."
Akshu: "Shhh... dheere bolo. Ma'am aur Sir room mein chale gaye hain."
Just as they were about to turn the knob of their bedroom door, a loud, exaggerated whisper cut through the silence.
"Psst! Oye! Didi log! Idhar!"
The trio stopped and turned.
Down the hall, the door to the kids' room was cracked open slightly. Three heads were stacked vertically in the gap—Kiku at the bottom, Vanu in the middle, and Aashi on top. They looked like a totem pole of spies.
Khushi: (whispering back) "Kya hua? Tum log soye nahi abhi tak?"
Aashi waved her hand frantically, signaling them to come inside.
Aashi: "Emergency meeting. Jaldi aao! Fast!"
Akshu raised an eyebrow at Vanshu. "Emergency? Inka emergency usually yeh hota hai ki doll ka sar toot gaya hai.. Ya koi prank plan karna h."
Vanshu: "Chal ke dekh lete hain. Warna shor machayenge."
The teens tiptoed across the hallway and slipped into the kids' room.
Team Aashvi’s Room –
As soon as they entered, Aashi locked the door behind them with a dramatic click. The room was illuminated only by a dim night lamp that projected stars on the ceiling.
Aashi climbed onto her bed and stood up, trying to match Akshu’s height. Vanu and Kiku sat cross-legged on the bed, looking very serious.
Akshu: (folding her arms, looking at Aashi) "Haan bolo chintu. Kya khichdi pak rahi hai? Sone ka time hai yeh."
Usually, this would be the start of an argument. Akshu and Aashi were too similar—both stubborn, both leaders in their own heads. Aashi hated being called 'Chintu', and Akshu hated being ordered around by a five-year-old.
But today, Aashi didn't retort. She took a deep breath, looking uncharacteristically nervous. She looked at Khushi, then Vanshu, and finally locked eyes with her arch-nemesis, Akshu.
Aashi: "Humein... humein aapki help chahiye."
Akshu: (smirking) "Oh? The great Aashi Sehgal needs help? Homework hai kya? Ya koi prank karne mai help chahiye? Ya Phir kisi ko bakra banana h?"
Aashi: "Nahi!" She stomped her foot on the mattress (softly). "Mazak mat udao. Yeh serious hai."
Vanu: (whispering) "Next week Mumma ka birthday hai."
The three teens froze.
Khushi: (gasps) "Kya?! Next week? Sachi?"
Kiku: "Haan! Humne calendar check kiya. Exact 7 days bache hain!"
Aashi: "Aur hum chahte hain ki is baar... hum kuch bada karein. Sirf card banana nahi. Ek proper surprise party. Mumma hamesha sabka dhyan rakhti hain, sabko daantti hain... par pyaar bhi karti hain. We want to make her happy."
Aashi looked at Akshu again, swallowing her ego.
Aashi: "Dekho Akshu di... mujhe pata hai humari ladayi hoti hai. Aap mujhe bossy bolti hai, main aapko moody bolti hoon. Par Mumma ke liye... can we be a team? Please?"
Akshu looked at the little girl standing on the bed, looking so earnest. The smirk vanished from Akshu’s face, replaced by a soft smile. She walked over and ruffled Aashi’s hair.
Akshu: "Bela Ma'am ke liye toh main duniya se lad lun, tu toh phir bhi choti si hai. Deal done. We are a team."
Aashi beamed, high-fiving Akshu.
Khushi: (bouncing on her toes) "Yes! Party! Cake! Decorations! Hum hall decorate karenge, balloons layenge..."
Vanshu: (the logical brain kicking in) "Wait, wait. Excited mat ho. Problem party plan karna nahi hai. Problem 'Guest of Honor' hai."
Everyone looked at Vanshu.
Vanshu: "Bela Ma'am. She is an SHO. She is a strict teacher. Aur sabse badi baat... unki aankhein aur kaan har jagah hain. She notices everything. Jo baatein hum nhi bhi batayenge ya chupane ki koshish karenge na, just one look at our face and wo samajh jaati h ki kuch gadbad h."
Kiku: (eyes wide) "Haan... Mumma ko toh yeh bhi pata chal gaya tha ki maine cartoon dekha phone pe!"
Vanshu: "Exactly. Agar humne ghar mein kuch bhi suspicious kiya—whispering ki, saman chupaya, ya late night meetings ki—unhe 2 minute mein pata chal jayega."
The room fell silent. Planning a surprise for a detective was essentially Mission Impossible.
Khushi: "Toh kya karein? Plan cancel?"
Akshu: "Bilkul nahi. Challenge hai toh kya hua? Hum 'Team Unstoppable' hain aur yeh 'Team Aashvi' hain. Agar hum mil jayen, toh General Sahiba ko bhi dodge kar sakte hain."
Aashi: "Plan kya hai?"
Akshu: "Sabse pehle... Code Language. Ghar mein koi bhi birthday discuss nahi karega. Hum 'Birthday' word use nahi karenge."
Vanu: "Toh kya bolenge?"
Khushi: (thinking) "Hum bolenge... 'Operation Surprise Test'."
Vanshu: "Surprise Test? Seriously?"
Khushi: "Haan! Agar hum padhai se related discuss karenge toh Ma'am khush hongi aur shaq (doubt) nahi karengi. 'Cake' ko bolenge 'Geometry Box'. 'Gifts' ko bolenge 'Assignments'. Aur 'Party' ko bolenge 'Extra Class'."
Kiku: (giggling) "Mummy ko Extra Class deni hai!"
Aashi: "Done! 'Operation Surprise Test' on hai."
Vanshu: "Sunno, planning school mein ya garden mein hogi. Ghar ke andar minimum discussion. Aur Sir? Sir ko batana padega. Funding wahi se aayegi. Ya Phir ek kaam karte h pehle hum apni savings se manage karne ka try karte h."
Akshu: "Savings wagera main handle kar lungi. Sir toh waise bhi Bela Ma'am ko khush karne ke liye kuch bhi karenge. Par yeh humara plan h.. Toh gifts se leke ideas bhi humare honge."
Aashi: (holding out her hand) "Promise? Koi galti nahi karega?"
The six of them huddled together, placing their hands on top of each other's—three tiny hands and three teen hands.
All: (whispering aggressively) "Promise! Operation Surprise Test! On h"
Meanwhile – Bela & Mahir’s Room
Down the hall, unaware of the conspiracy brewing a few meters away, Bela sat on the bed, applying moisturizer to her hands. Mahir was setting the alarm on his phone.
Bela: "Mahir ji, apni files check kar lijiyega zaroor se, aapne kaha tha kal international clients ke saath aapki important meeting h."
Mahir: (smiling, climbing into bed) "Check kar liya h don’t worry, aur waise bhi kuch gadbad ho bhi gayi toh meri biwi magician h. Chutki baja ke sab theek kar deti h."
Bela shot him a glare.
Bela: "Aap kabhi serious nhi ho sakte na?"
Mahir: "Mai serious ho gaya toh tumhara entertainment kaise hoga?"
He paused, listening to the faint murmur of voices coming from the kids' room down the hall.
Mahir: "Bacchon ke room se aawaz aa rahi hai. Soye nhi kya abhi tak?"
Bela tilted her head, listening. Her SHO instincts pricked up.
Bela: "Haan... fusfusane (whispering) ki aawazein hain. Khushi, Akshu aur Vanshu wahan hain kya?"
She started to get up.
Bela: "Main check karke aati hoon. Kahin phir se koi shaitani toh nahi plan kar rahe."
Mahir grabbed her hand gently, pulling her back.
Mahir: "Arre, baitho na. Let them be. Saath mein hain, baatein kar rahe honge. Bonding time hai. Har waqt police ban ke raid mat maaro."
Bela: "Mahir ji, agar woh kal school ke liye late huye..."
Mahir: "Toh tum unhe punish kar dena. Par abhi, let them have their secrets. Bachpan hai, Bela. Thoda raaz rakhne do unhe."
Bela hesitated, looking at the door, then back at Mahir. She sighed and settled back against the pillows.
Bela: "Theek hai. Par mujhe lag raha hai kuch toh chal raha hai. Meri sixth sense kehti hai kuch gadbad hai."
Mahir: (laughing) "Tumhari sixth sense ko abhi rest do. Goodnight, Detective."
Bela switched off the lamp, staring into the dark.
Bela: (whispering) "Goodnight. Par main pata laga ke rahungi."
Upstairs, the six conspirators broke their huddle, blissfully unaware that the Detective was already suspicious, but for now, they were safe. The countdown to the surprise had begun.
The Living Room – Next Morning, 7:30 AM
The morning air was thick with tension, smelling of shoe polish and toasted bread. The six “Sehgal & Co.” students stood in a line near the main door, backpacks on, shoes polished.
Mahir stood by the staircase, holding his coffee mug, giving them a silent ‘All the Best’ thumbs up.
Bela stood in front of them, adjusting her wristwatch. She looked less like a mother/guardian seeing her kids off and more like a commander briefing her troops before sending them into enemy territory.
Bela: “Attention.”
The six of them straightened their spines instinctively.
Bela: “Aaj Tuesday hai. Surprise Test kisi bhi din ho sakta hai. Aaj bhi.”
She walked down the line, stopping in front of each one to deliver their personalized “Warning of the Day.”
She stopped at Akshu first.
Bela: “Akshu, Physics. Numericals solve karte waqt Units (SI units) likhna mat bhoolna. Kal tumne ‘Force’ ka answer ‘5’ likha tha. 5 kya? Apples? Bananas? Newton likhna zaroori hai. And Gravity… usko halke mein mat lena. Aur sab double check kar lena submit karne se pehle to make sure there are no silly mistakes, and don’t you dare mess up with the formulas.”
Akshu: (nodding nervously) “Yes Ma’am. 9.8 m/s².”
Bela moved to Vanshu
Bela: “Vanshu, Chemistry. Carbon and its Compounds. Balancing equations mein careless mistakes nahi chahiye mujhe. Left Hand Side (LHS) must equal Right Hand Side (RHS). Agar ek bhi Atom idhar-udhar hua, toh marks gayab ho jayenge.”
Vanshu: (adjusting her glasses) “Balanced rahega Ma’am. Pakka.”
Next was Khushi.
Bela: “Khushi… Maths. The love of your life.”
Khushi made a face that looked like she had bitten into a lemon.
Bela: “Calculation errors. Plus ko minus mat banana, aur ‘x’ ki value dhoondni hai, khayalon mein kho nahi jana hai. Step-marking milegi, toh steps skip mat karna. Samjhi?”
Khushi: “Ji Ma’am. X will be found.”
Then, Bela lowered her gaze to Team Aashvi.
Bela: “Aashi. Overconfidence achi baat hai, par Spellings usse bhi achi baat hai. ‘Tomorrow’ mein double ‘M’ nahi aata, aur ‘Grammar’ mein ‘E’ nahi aata. Check your spellings twice.”
Aashi: (saluting) “Yes Mumma! Dictionary mode on.”
Bela: “Vanu… Hindi. Choti ‘ee’ (ि) aur Badi ‘ee’ (ी) ki maatra mein farak hota hai. ‘Din’ (Day) aur ‘Deen’ (Poor) alag hote hain. Dhyaan se sunna aur phir likhna. Phonetics pe focus karo.”
Vanu: “Okay Mumma. Kaan khule rahenge.”
Finally, she looked at Kiku.
Bela: “Aur Kiku… Maths. Ungliyon (fingers) pe count karna band karo. Mental Maths use karo. Agar 5 chocolates hain aur maine 2 le li, toh rona nahi hai, subtract karna hai.”
Kiku: (giggling) “Aap chocolate loge toh main roungi!”
Bela: (fighting a smile) “Logic samjho, emotion nahi. Chalo, Dismissed! Bus wait nahi karegi.”
The six of them mumbled a hasty “Bye Mumma/Ma’am” and scrambled out the door like prisoners escaping a high-security facility.
As the door closed, Bela let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing.
Mahir: “Bela, tumne unhe ‘All the Best’ nahi bola.”
Bela: (turning to go inside) “Meri warnings hi unke liye ‘All the Best’ hain, Mahir ji. Wo darr ke maare hi pass ho jayenge.”
The School Bus – 7:55 AM
The moment they settled into the back seats of the bus (the unofficial headquarters of Team Sehgal, because now they were one), the academic tension shifted to their secret mission.
They huddled together—Team Aashvi kneeling on the seats to face the teens.
Khushi: (looking around to ensure no one was listening) “Okay, ‘Operation Surprise Test’ update. Hurdles do hain. Ek taraf Hitler… I mean Ma’am ke surprise tests, aur dusri taraf surprise party planning.”
Vanshu: “Aur dono mein fail hona option nahi hai. Agar test mein marks kam aaye, toh party cancel karke Ma’am humara ‘remedial class’ lelengi birthday wale din.”
Akshu: “So, strategy simple hai. Multitasking.”
Aashi: “Kaise?”
Akshu pulled out her rough notebook, looking around to ensure no spies (or tattletales from Class 6) were listening.
Akshu: “Okay, Finance Department report. Pehle budget fix karte hain.Hume sab secretly plan karna hoga ekdum.. Cake, gifts, decoration.. Ma’am ko bhanak tak nhi lagni chahiye hum unke naak ke neeche yeh sab kar rahe h warna humara vada pav bana ke kha jayengi wo.”
Khushi: “Example?”
Akshu: “Jaise… Hume sabse pehle apna budget dekhna hoga aur paise divide karne honge.. Humare pass 10k each h jo humne competition se jeete the.. Toh total 30k ho gaye.. Ab hume dekhna hoga ki cake, gift aur baaki sab mila ke kitna kharcha baithega.”
Aashi immediately raised her hand.
Aashi: “Humare paas bhi paise hain! Hum teeno ke piggy banks mein mila ke… uh… shayad 2-3 hazaar toh honge. Hum bhi contribute karenge.”
Vanshu shook her head firmly, acting like the responsible elder.
Vanshu: “Bilkul nahi. Tum log bachhe ho. Pocket money save karo. Yeh bada kharcha hai, hum manage kar lenge.”
Aashi: (frowning, stubborn mode on) “Excuse me? Who humari Mumma hain. Contribution toh hum bhi denge. Chahe chota hi kyu na ho, par humara share bhi hona chahiye ‘Final Assignment’ (Gift) mein.”
Vanu: “Haan Vanshu di! Humne chocolates nahi khayi paise bachane ke liye.”
Vanshu: “Par…”
Akshu: (interrupting) “Rehne de Vanshu. Sentiment samajh. Unhe acha lagega. Theek hai Aashi, tumhara piggy bank fund accept kiya jata hai.”
Team Aashvi high-fived silently.
Khushi: “Chalo paise toh sort ho gaye. Ab… ‘Geometry Box’ (Cake)? Kaunsa ‘Theorem’ (Flavor)?”
Kiku: (raising both hands) “Pythagoras! Pythagoras!”
The teens looked confused for a second before remembering the code.
Vanshu: “Chocolate? Of course. Ma’am ko chocolate truffle sabse zyada pasand hai.”
Khushi: “Done. Ek bada sa 3-tier Pythagoras Geometry Box lock kar diya jaye. Ab aata hai sabse mushkil part… ‘Final Assignment’ (The Gift).”
The huddle tightened. This was the battlefield.
Khushi: “Dekho, Ma’am pe saree bohot graceful lag sakti hai. Ek mast si silk saree lein? Kanjeevaram type?”
Vanshu: (scoffing) “Saree? Khushi, wo unka birthday hai, teacher’s day nahi. Kuch grand hona chahiye. Designer Lehenga! Manish Malhotra type vibes.”
Akshu: “Vanshu, 30k mein Manish Malhotra ka rumal (handkerchief) bhi nahi aayega. Aur Ma’am lehenga pehen ke kahan jayengi? Police station raid pe?”
Vanshu: “Toh kya dein? Bartan?”
Vanu: (excitedly) “Ring! Ek sundar si ring! Diamond wali!”
Khushi: “Diamond 30k mein nahi aata Vanu. Zircon aayega, jo nakli lagega. Ma’am pakad lengi.”
Kiku: “Earrings? Jhumke? Bade wale?”
Akshu: “Earrings acha idea hai… par Ma’am usually studs pehenti hain duty pe. Bade jhumke sirf locker mein pade rahenge.”
Aashi: “Watch! Ek expensive brand ki watch! Rado ya kuch waisa. Mumma hamesha time dekhti rehti hain. It will be perfect.”
Khushi: (calculating on her fingers) “Aashi, branded luxury watches lakhs mein aati hain. Humare paas 30k hain. Budget is the problem.Bracelet kaisa rahega? Platinum ya Gold plated? Roz pehen sakti hain.”
Vanshu: “Too simple. Kuch unique hona chahiye.”
Akshu: “Yaar, Saree safe option hai.”
Vanshu: “Boring!”
Aashi: “Watch best hai!”
Khushi: “Paise nahi hain!”
Kiku: “Toh phir Pythagoras cake bada kar dete hain?”
All: “Chup kar Kiku!”
They argued back and forth, voices rising slightly in frustration. The suggestions flew around—handbags, perfumes, customized pens—but nothing felt right. Either it was too expensive, too boring, or too impractical for the strict SHO/Teacher Bela Sehgal.
Suddenly, the bus screeched to a halt. The conductor blew the whistle loud and clear.
PEEEEEP!
Conductor: “School aa gaya! Chalo utro!”
The six of them froze, looking at each other with wide eyes.
Khushi: (panicking) “School aa gaya aur humne kuch decide nahi kiya!”
Vanshu: (grabbing her bag) “Abhi ke liye focus shift karo. Surprise Test se bacho. Break mein milenge aage ki planning ke liye.”
Akshu: “Par gift?”
Aashi: (zipping her bag aggressively) “Sochna padega. Dimaag lagao sab log class mein. Maths ke beech mein gift socho!”
They scrambled off the bus, stepping onto the school grounds with heavy bags and even heavier minds. They had the budget, they had the intent, but they had absolutely no idea what to buy for the woman who seemed to have everything under control.
___________________________________________
To be continued..
Do vote, and share your views through the comments, I would love to know what you guys want to read in the next part.
Write a comment ...