Srujan understood his feelings during middle school. Everyone around him was so caught up in their own lives that they forgot what truly mattered in the present—what they had lost. And what he had lost.
The presence of a friend.
He slowly lowered his hands, turned his head toward Vansh, and looked at him.
"Before all this, I had a friend whom I miss a lot," he said.
A gentle breeze brushed against the dried leaves at the edge of the roof.
"I had this guy; I don't know what he's up to nowadays. But I can say he's still pretty much the same. Suddenly, I had to leave without a chance to say goodbye. I still wonder what he is doing now."
Srujan's words came out loosely; they didn't fully convey how much he missed someone, but instead hid his true emotions. He knew he couldn't bring the mood down because of his feelings.
Aanya looked at him and understood. They were all just trying to lighten up after so many years, and he had managed to express something important. Seizing the opportunity, Srujan gently urged Rina to share her own thoughts.
"Geez, don't push me suddenly after you've just let out your depressing emotions," Rina thought to herself, but she couldn't ignore what he was trying to do. She took a long sigh and released it.
"Mine? I had no say in mine. So I will not—"
"Rina, why not? I'm interested, and even Aanya and Vansh are," Srujan said, pointing at them. Aanya agreed with his sudden suggestion, smiling slightly but with hesitation. Then Rina looked at Vansh, who remained quiet.
He lifted his hand and gestured for her to continue. His unexpected interest made her wonder why he was behaving this way.
"If you're uncomfortable with your past, that's fine," Vansh said to Rina.
"Don't make my past sound like some dark tale of a traumatised girl who was bullied."
"Rather, I think you would be the one bullying them," Srujan thought to himself, imagining her with a bossy attitude, holding a whip in her hand, striking it in front of other students, instilling fear in their hearts.
"Hey! Are you thinking of something ridiculous about me?" Rina glared at him.
"No! No!" Srujan replied, hiding his fear behind those words. "Are my thoughts leaking that easily?" he wondered, feeling anxious.
Rina closed her lunchbox and wrapped it neatly in its cover.
"Mine wasn't anything special either. During my middle school years, most of my classmates were allergic to books. All you could see was them creating new events for fun. And those annoying faculty members would come up with new events every few months."
Both of their school experiences had taken opposite turns. Rina mentioned that even after sections changed, some things remained the same. However, it was well-balanced—some students focused on studying, while others were more physically active—so she didn't have many complaints about her middle school years.
She glanced over at Vansh, then slowly turned back to her lunchbox. She clasped her hands together over her lap, her fingers interlocked except for the tips touching at the top.
"And then there was one guy who joined my section for just one semester. I felt like some ghost had transferred to my class; he kept disappearing whenever events happened. I asked someone about him, and do you know what the answer was?" At the end of her sentence, her voice took on a surprised tone.
"Who was that? I was confused; was I hallucinating or what? But I did see him once somewhere, which confirmed I wasn't imagining things. I also wandered into many places, like the roof," Rina said, turning her head towards Vansh.
"And the library," she added,
Vansh gave her a thumbs-up.
"Yeah, that's it; I felt pale yet fine during that time."
Aanya listened intently to her story. "Don't mind me, but why do we all feel like we're some kind of retired people? Life is ahead of us!"
"It's not about that; I was curious about how different people experienced those middle school years," Srujan said, shrugging.
"Also, not everyone has the same fate, so I wanted to hear from you guys," Vansh said, observing her as she gathered her thoughts.
He lifted his hand towards her, gesturing for her to share. "Since we're all in this together, why don't you share something too, Aanya?"
Srujan felt proud of Vansh for trying to include everyone in the conversation.
Before Vansh could continue, he leaned closer to Aanya, making her heart race unexpectedly. He covered his mouth with his hand.
"My apologies if I put you in a tough position. If you want, you can decline." She was confused by his words, but as he lowered his hand, she didn't shy away.
Instead, she said slowly, "It's fine, Vansh. Your request actually put me at ease. I know Miku might have said something ridiculous about me too. Let me share something else—something that will make you think."
Both returned to the same position, where Rina and Srujan were puzzled by their secret conversation. Aanya clapped her hands slowly, gently brushing her hair behind her ears. Then, slowly turning towards Vansh, she smiled radiantly enough to lighten the mood.
"Vansh, we have met before," she said.
Rina and Srujan were astonished by her statement.
"Yeah, I know that," Vansh replied, adding to their surprise.
"Well, I had a lot of fun that time; I am thankful for that. I'm glad I met you there."
"I know. No need to repeat it, Aanya," Vansh said, raising an eyebrow. "I know you're trying to bring that back again; don't."
Srujan lifted his hand. "Um, guys? What are you trying to say? Can you please simplify?"
Aanya kept her index finger under her lower lip, looking up. Then she turned towards them. "Nothing, just our talk," she said playfully, adding slowly to herself, "My little secret."
"I asked you if you wanted to share about the middle years and why you're taking a different path," Vansh added.
Srujan insisted she share, but she declined. Rina also tried to get her to reveal her secret, with all three nagging her about it while Vansh watched like a concerned parent, his chin resting on his fist supported on his lap.
She giggled, hiding her laughter behind her soft hands. Her playful gesture confused Vansh, but he had different thoughts beyond the conversation with the two others.
"I'm glad she's laughing properly now," Vansh thought to himself, a small smile curling at the edge of his lips.
Meanwhile, in the cafe, Aarav was preparing his last order, an espresso for an elderly man. He placed it on the counter as Aunt billed it. Soon, she went to the door and flipped the sign from "Open" to "Closed."
"While you finish that, you can have lunch for now and then take your turn," she suggested. "In the meantime, I'll throw out the garbage and do some chores to get ready for the afternoon session."
Aarav agreed and went to get his bag, which he had brought along. He asked Aunt if he could use the plates for his own lunch, and she said yes. Reaching for the upper shelf, he opened it.
His hands found a plastic-wrapped cuboid at the edge of the cupboard. Startled, he stood on a stool to take it down. It was a new lunchbox wrapped in transparent plastic, adorned with a star design. He was about to put it back when Aunt noticed and asked what he was doing.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to pry," Aarav replied, embarrassed.
"No, it's fine. What was that?" she asked, taking the lunchbox from him.
"Oh, this?" She smiled.
Aarav felt confused. "If you don't mind, may I ask why it was kept on the edge?"
She shot him a glare, causing him to feel as if he had stepped on a landmine. "I'm sorry if it was something personal," he said, bowing his head.
But Aunt sighed and reassured him, "Don't worry about it. It's actually Vansh's lunchbox. I bought it for him, hoping to prepare him lunch for high school, but he never took it. He told me he would manage in the cafeteria."
She sat down and placed the lunchbox on the kitchen counter. "So he didn't want your lunch? Was there another reason?" Aarav asked.
"Well, I insisted the next day, suggesting he take it and possibly share it with his new friends," she reflected, looking at the lunchbox. "But he fell silent for a moment and then said it was fine, thanking me for my effort."
Aunt asked him to put the lunchbox back, and he complied, stepping down from the stool. She showed him the plates designated for staff use, and he took one.
Although Aunt understood the meaning behind that moment of silence, she refrained from explaining it to him. She couldn't help but think about how Vansh never invited anyone to the cafe. Many students came in the evening after classes or even skipped class to hang out, but all he did was work solo in the cafe and take care of chores.
Aarav finished his lunch, and Aunt took her turn. After an hour, they reopened the cafe and got busy with their work, welcoming their first afternoon customer.
Back on the roof, Rina cornered Srujan and Aanya, trying to stop them. Vansh was just watching as they laid out their lunchboxes on the floor, enjoying the funny moments and feeling the breeze as it swirled through his hair.
He clapped his hands, and the three of them turned to look at him.
"Guys, lunchtime is going to end soon. Wrap it up; I'll bring some drinks in the meantime. Is that okay?" Vansh announced.
"Are you trying to escape?" Rina raised an eyebrow.
"Why would I do that? I told you I would bring drinks, so wouldn't I be coming back?"
"I don't think so," she said, turning to Aanya. "Aanya, go with him. If he doesn't come back, smash him."
Aanya glanced between Rina and Vansh. "Okay, I will!" she said, lifting her hand, bending her arm, and clenching her fist. "See this? It has some good force behind it!"
"Yeah, I'd better write my will," Vansh thought to himself.
Both of them went downstairs together to the vending machine. Aanya bought an apple juice for herself, a cola for Srujan, and an orange drink for Rina. She noticed Vansh getting a coffee for himself.
Curious, she asked, "Why are you opting for coffee when everyone else is getting fizzy drinks?"
"I want to stay awake during afternoon classes," he replied. Aanya smirked at this.
"You're really something, Vansh," she said, giggling, which only confused him further.
They returned to the roof, hiding from the teachers. The corridors were filled with students—some were rushing to the cafeteria, while others headed to the ground, all carrying various items: books, lunchboxes, or holding hands with their partners.
When Vansh arrived back on the roof, he saw that Rina and Srujan had finished wrapping everything up. He handed out the respective drinks and opened his own. Srujan teased him about how Vansh didn't run off and came back.
They all enjoyed their drinks, savouring each sip. However, Srujan soon asked if Vansh needed a specific dish for the next day.
"Hey, there's no need to go that far. It's fine for today," Vansh said, feeling guilty about the suggestion.
"Don't hesitate; just say you'll try," Srujan insisted. When Vansh continued to deny it, Srujan proposed a deal: "Let's do this: if you start bringing lunch from tomorrow, I will stop asking for it. If not, be ready for the consequences." His negotiation felt reasonable.
Vansh sighed and agreed. Srujan extended his hand for a handshake, and Vansh reciprocated. Aanya smiled and watched them, while Rina playfully punched Vansh in the back.
Vansh noticed Aanya smiling. "Also, just so you know, you shouldn't forget your lunchbox tomorrow either."
She saluted him, responding, "Yes, Captain!"
Everyone except Vansh laughed. Rina suggested they head back before they got into trouble. They all stood up, with Srujan trying to annoy Rina again, despite knowing the potential consequences, while Aanya giggled in the background.
As the sunlight suddenly dimmed and then brightened again, Vansh felt a strange ache at the top of his forehead. He looked out at the four children in front of him, who were laughing and enjoying themselves, and found himself in a distant white space. All four kids were distinct from one another.
He rubbed his eyes and opened them again, seeing the trio exiting through the door normally. A soft, warm sensation filled his heart.
"Who were those people?"