The family of four consisted of Karthik, his mother Mohana, his father Nitin, and his four year old sister, Krittika.
His father worked in a multinational company. Though he usually sided with Karthik and understood his woes, he was no good before the resplendent figure of his wife. Knowing his mother, Karthik couldn't really blame his father.
His mother, currently a housewife, had been a teacher before his birth. Karthik could only imagine the plight of the students who had learnt from her and often felt that they must thank him; his birth had after all rid them of his mother.
His sister was such a personality, that he sometimes fell into a dilemma whether he hated his mother more or his sister. She had a big mouth for her age and never failed to comment on anything. The usual receiving end of her blossoming vocabulary was Karthik and he could not even give fitting replies to her jibes, courtesy his mother's sharp ears.
As for himself, he felt that he was the model child that any parent could ask for. He knew that he was destined for something great in life. Well, modestly speaking, he wasn't that bad at academics, but he liked his mischief better.
****
Honk! Honk!
A piece of toast went flying. So did a pair of socks. Both of them collided mid air and fell onto the floor.
Honk! Honk!
Krittika sighed dramatically and said, "Are all the people deaf in this house? The bus has come!"
There was a stunned silence for a second as the household paused. Then Mohana mirrored her daughter as she yelled,
"Can't you hear? The bus has come!"
"A bit difficult to hear, under the noise you are making." muttered Karthik inconspicuously. But the ever sharp eyes of Mohana Menon caught every word and then, well.
We don't really want to show explicit content now, do we.
****
"Eh, what is that?" asked Karthik.
"That's the newest trick in the block, my friend." said Harish, his eyes glinting malevolently. It was a harmless looking eraser that squirted ink at anyone who tried to use it.
"Give that to me. I know just where to put it." said Karthik with an evil look in his eye, imagining the ink-laced face of his arch rival, Jitesh.
At that very moment, the strict faced Prof. Mehta peered from behind and said, "Say, you have an eraser?"
Karthik gulped and handed over the one in his hand to the professor. Mr. Mehta used the same to wipe off some pencil marks.
And in 5..4..3..2..1..
"Karthik!" roared Prof. Mehta in a way that reminded him ominously of his mother.
He didn't really get punished in school, but what happened at home was far, far worse.