Keep it up

“Keep it up !!” The teacher wrote in red ink , bold letters , ending with a smiley and some x,os. The kid learnt later , they were kisses.

She kept staring at those words , then sighed .

“That means no more fun ” The teacher was stern , bespectacled , cross armed , intimidating , like all teachers .

“I will now forever have to do well , won’t I ?” Shoulders drooping , she slunk away downcast . The burden of success. The burden of expectations , the unending scrutiny under limelight. It almost seemed as if she was “keeping it up”, the burden on her tiny head . 

She walked that way till the door , where she chanced upon two friends of hers giggling and chasing each other , breathless frenzy of playtime. She looked at them , and then at the paper in hand , stuffed it in her satchel , dumped it at the doorstep, and hopped-skipped her way out , shouting at the “thief” to catch her.