3:30 pm

3:30 pm
Somewhere a bell rang and a boy started to put all his books into his colorful book bag. His tiffin was all eaten and he was in a hurry to go home and play. Everyone started closing their books and the teacher lost her voice in the symphony thus created. All she could do was shout out to all the students to bring some money and the slips signed by the parents for the field trip to the zoo.

3:30 pm
The teacher glanced at his watch. She knew what was coming. The bell was about to ring and within a fraction of a moment all the students would close their books and rush out of the class. She had to remember to remind the students about the field trip to the zoo the next day. They would also have to have their parents sign the permission slips, after all tomorrow she would be the one responsible for all these children.

3:30 pm
The bell rang, the zoo warden was very happy. It was rare moments like these that made his days interesting. The bell meant all the schools were closing for the day and in another part of the town, there was a school closing that he was close to. The children would be leaving and she would be trying to tell the students about the field trip. Tomorrow she would come with the children to the zoo and this was his opportunity to get close with her, while giving the students a tour of the zoo. She was responsible for the children and he felt it was his responsibility to take care of her.

It had been so long since they’d known each other. Even as children, he had felt protective about her and wanted to take care of her. But being born in disparate societies prevented them from coming close. Even so, their love had taken root in such a difficult society, which made much stronger. Neither of their parents would agree to this love between them, he knew that, but that was a problem for the future. Maybe they could convince their parents or maybe they would have to elope, but that didn’t matter for now. For the foreseeable future all he saw was them together giving the children a tour of the zoo. Him talking, all the while stealing glances at her; and she, telling the students to quiet down, modestly brushing her hair back.