Gossips were brutal. They spread like wildfire, destroying the subjects in the process. In Tejas's case, his whole neighbourhood knew. They didn't know the true story of course. Just rumors about a student staying late evening to seduce her teacher and vice versa. Eventually his students came to know as well. Most of them stopped coming altogether.

Natasha was relieved. It didn't seem like her neighbourhood received the ear of it yet. Though that didn't stop the derogatory comments she had to hear at home. That they were ashamed to be her parents. That she was a burden to their lives. Going to school wasn't an option either as she had to hide her bruises. Her body ached for a week. When the day finally came to go to school, she was elated. Anything to get away from the four walls of her house.