chapter 26

Part 26: The Test with Silent SignalNext day again the same normal routine. Came to school as usual but in English period"Students, today there is a surprise grammar test. No worries, okay?" announced Miss.Class: Collectively groanRiya, Sneha and Pihu were sitting on the same bench - same reaction on all three faces: neither have studied, nor remember anything.Riya said in slow motion in Sneha's ear, " it's just a tense of grammar ...life is also the same."Sneha: "And this test, I am getting stressed about my English."Simmi tapped the notebook from behind, Saloni caught the signal - and asked in a soft voice, "Did Riya write the first answer?"Riya: "Hey, think for yourself... I am also not able to understand anything."Then Dhirav secretly gave the pencil knock code from behind - one tap means: "Answer is confirmed", two taps means: "No brother, don't write."Ayush said lovingly, "This pencil tap has become a complete code."Abhi: "Today we have to pass only through teamwork."Pihu looked blankly at the answer sheet:"He is ___ since morning."She whispered, "He is playing, right?"Sneha gave 'tap' - once.Riya confidently wrote it. Then a voice came from Dhiraj, "He confirms - he is playing correctly."Sneha said while trying to control her laughter, "Dhirav's grammar is at NASA level today."Riya looked back, looked into Dhirav's eyes and asked him: What will be Q3?Dhirav wrote in air-drawing: had gone.Riya confused: "had gone or has gone ?"Dhirav tapped the table fast - meaning, change it!Riya rubbed the answer, Sneha said, "Bhai, this seems like a secret mission of NASA." This is one such moment in the middle of a class test where they discuss the question, they make eye contact and get lost in each other. They both are smiling....A voice came Sneha: Riya, tell me the answer to this question.Miss: "Riya, is everything okay?"Riya: "Yes ma'am, there is an internal grammar war going on."Three boys were quietly acting at the back of the class as if they were in an exam hall, but inside a full-on group discussion was going on in stealth mode.After the test, everyone was done.Dhirav: "I was just communicating with the pencil. Secret agent Dhirav is reporting live!"Abhi: "Mission grammar passed successfully."Sneha said, "Be a little careful in the next test, otherwise ma'am will get suspicious."Riya: "But tell me one thing - this team work will be remembered more than the test!"All of you smile.What marks did you get? I don't know.But one memory has definitely been written...in the notebook of time.