All four of them descended the steps, passing students whose defeated expressions had given way to cheerful chatter after lunch. The chatter filled the afternoon air, accompanied by the distant sound of a bat hitting a ball and the calls of someone yelling to catch it.
Vansh's mind wasn't fully engaged with his surroundings; his thoughts were consumed by a mystery. The silhouettes of the kids and the warmth of familiarity made him question his memories.
If these three were look-alikes, then who was the fourth kid?
They all moved toward the classroom door, but before they could enter, some students called out to Srujan, asking him to join them for the match. He couldn't refuse, as he had promised them earlier, so he left.
Rina's friend approached her at the front door, requesting a favour regarding the club, and then disappeared. Aanya and Vansh were the only ones left, but before they could enter the classroom, Ms Anki called out to Aanya, asking her to fill out some unfinished documents in the staff room.
With everyone else off on their side quests, Vansh was left alone. He didn't mind; he walked into the classroom, receiving a few side glances and some indifference. He made his way to his seat, rested his head on the bench, and closed his eyes.
Perhaps the coffee hadn't kicked in yet. He took out an earphone and a music pod, switched it on, and settled into his usual routine.
"We have met before." The soft voice lingered in his mind. As Vansh closed his eyes, he felt something unique about the sudden voice. "Met before?" he doubted. His memory only returned to the hill trip; nothing else came to mind.
As his thoughts began to swirl, he fell asleep.
BZZZT!!!
An unusual sound jolted him awake. This noise didn't feel like any school bell he recognized; it was something he couldn't quite identify. He slowly opened his eyes to find white screens everywhere, with some peach curtains in the middle.
Feeling disoriented in that space, he instinctively moved forward. The curtains swayed, their folds shifting into strange, uneven patterns.
The buzzing noise sounded again, prompting him to investigate. One of the curtains stood still, so he ran toward it and checked behind it.
Nothing.
But then, all the curtains fell as he noticed a small girl standing there with her hands clasped behind her back. Her eyes were blank, but she was smiling.
Wearing an adorable frock—red on top and peach on the side—she kicked her leg softly in the air and slowly turned toward him. Vansh walked toward her, and she extended her arm with a device resembling his music pod, the source of the buzzing.
He stood in front of her while she continued to smile. She gestured for him to bend down, and he complied, balancing an arm on his knee while bringing his other knee to the ground to match her height.
She slowly offered him the device, and he took it into his hand.
"You have to remember it someday," she said, her soft voice feeling like a musical tune in the vast space around them.
Suddenly, a rupture formed in the space.
Vansh felt it as he looked up. A blurry image appeared, revealing a face framed by hair cascading over one shoulder, with lips close to his own.
He opened his eyes to find Aanya touching his shoulder to wake him up. He sat up straight, still holding the buzzing music pod. She seemed to be saying something, so he slowly took the earphones from his ears.
"Vansh?" Her voice mixed with that of the small girl.
He continued to gaze at his pod. Once again, she called out to him, and he responded with a nod.
"Vansh? Are you okay?" There was a note of concern in her voice as she stood up and returned to her seat. Vansh nodded in agreement and put the music pod, still wrapped in earphones, back into his bag.
"Looks like the coffee didn't do much for you," she teased with a soft laugh, resting her hand under her chin as she supported herself on the bench.
He stood up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, as Aanya watched him leave the classroom.
Her smile faded as a group of students approached her, their awkward smiles revealing their unease. She looked at them and remained still, her hands resting on the bench, waiting for one of them to speak.
"Aanya, have you had your lunch?" a girl asked. Aanya replied that she had already eaten and was just returning from lunch, unsure of what to say next. Another girl suggested they explore the campus together.
Aanya quickly glanced over the group. A few girls stood at the front while some boys lingered at the back. She offered them a hesitant smile before responding, "I'm sorry, but I'm quite tired right now."
Her refusal led to an awkward silence. Just then, Inaya, another transfer student standing at the back, stepped forward to lighten the mood. But before she could say anything, Aanya asked, "Would you guys like me to join you?" watching their reactions carefully.
Some of them agreed, and a girl from the back moved to the front, mentioning that Inaya also wanted to join Aanya.
Inaya stood beside Aanya. "Yeah, join us so we can get to know each other. What do you say?"
Aanya smiled at her. "It's fine. Thank you for the invitation, but I have to respectfully decline."
Her polite refusal made her more appealing to everyone; some blushed while others whispered about how pretty she was. However, there were differing motives behind some of those comments.
Inaya signalled to the girls ahead. They noticed her, and one girl clasped her hands together near her chest. "Aanya, we want to apologise for earlier. I tried to hold you down forcefully, and I'm really sorry," the same girl said.
Aanya smiled. "I understand what you were trying to do," she thought.
"No, it's actually fine. I know you wanted to hang out with me; I truly appreciate your attempt to make an impression. Thank you for that."
"So, does that mean—" The girl's face lit up.
"But I'll still have to pass. I'm tired from all the paperwork I've been doing." Before they could suggest anything else, Inaya stepped in and reminded them to give Aanya some space and to respect her decision. The repeated invitations were making Aanya increasingly uncomfortable, something Inaya quickly noticed.
"Anyway, why don't we go grab some fizzy drinks?" Inaya suggested.
Everyone in the group agreed and headed out. Inaya turned back to Aanya with a smile, placed a finger against her lips, and winked at her.
Time passed, and Aanya waited for Vansh and the others to arrive. Rina and Srujan showed up at the same time, with Rina scolding Srujan to either put on some perfume or change his shirt since he smelled quite sweaty.
"I wiped off the sweat, though; I don't have any perfume with me. Do you mind if I borrow yours?" Srujan insisted.
Rina sighed, grabbed her bag, pulled out a perfume bottle, and handed it to him. "I'm giving you this because you sit beside me."
Srujan took it and sprayed himself multiple times. Rina clenched her fist and playfully tapped him on the head. He fell back onto the bench, looking up in surprise.
"Huh? Why can I see my grandma there?" he exclaimed.
Rina punched him lightly again, and he quickly regained his balance, ready to retaliate. "Don't use it recklessly, you airhead," she warned.
Aanya giggled as she watched the exchange. Rina and Srujan sat down in their seats, and Rina stuffed her perfume back into her bag. Aanya turned to them, and Rina asked, "Why did you say that earlier?"
Aanya furrowed her brow, momentarily lost in thought as the weight of the question settled in. Memories of the earlier scene flashed before her eyes. "Are you asking me which moment I'm referring to?" she replied, her curiosity piqued.
"Pardon? You met him before coming to school, then?" Rina asked suspiciously.
"Wait! Did we miss an important plot?" Srujan was excited to hear about it.
"Well, you could say that," Aanya replied with a smile. She turned back to Rina. "Is there any half day this week, besides this Saturday?"
Rina thought for a moment, trying to process the information. She looked at her bench and pulled out a book. A pamphlet fell out, and she unfolded it to show Aanya. Out of curiosity, Srujan leaned in to see as well.
"It's a small event this Thursday afternoon. Many students are organizing a campaign regarding awareness. Most of the volunteers will be scattered across the campus, and since it's non-compulsory, it might be considered a half-day," Rina explained.
Aanya examined the pamphlet, noticing the drawings and designs. There were brooms on the ground and gloves in the hands of some students. Overall, it looked like a cleaning campaign.
"So it's going to be a busy afternoon," Aanya observed, glancing at Rina, who nodded in agreement.
"Well then, it's decided. I have a spot, and I want you two to meet me there," Aanya declared.
Rina and Srujan looked confused by her offer but figured it must be important since she brought it up. Srujan raised his hand, eager to ask a question.
"Are there going to be any special things?"
"Like what?" Aanya replied.
"Food?" he asked excitedly.
"Yeah, and something extra special as well," Aanya answered.
Srujan beamed with excitement. Rina shot Aanya a skeptical look. "What is this girl up to? She comes back and is already planning something new. Well, she was strange before, and she still is."
She noticed Srujan trying to make a paper airplane out of her pamphlet and trying to make it fly. She playfully punched him down, and he quickly apologized.
"Don't ruin it; I need it for my club!" Rina said.
"Why do you always punch me?" Srujan protested.
"Well, you deserve it," Rina replied with a smirk. "Plus, it's fun to bash your head."
"I'm not some punching bag!" Srujan said, putting his hands up defensively.
"Don't worry, I won't open it unless you mess up big time," Rina assured him with a grin.
"Don't say that with that scary face!" he exclaimed.
Just then, Ms. Anki entered the classroom as the bell rang perfectly on time. She banged the attendance book onto the table and ordered everyone to settle down, scanning the room only to notice Vansh's seat was empty.
"Where is this guy?" she thought as she glared at his empty desk.
His friends looked at the seat, concerned. Rina leaned in to ask where he was when the door suddenly opened. Vansh came in, his hair slightly damp and looking more alert.
"You arrived just in time; otherwise, I might have marked you absent," the teacher threatened.
He went to his seat, took out his books, and settled in. The teacher nodded at him, noticing his tired expression. She began the lesson, and everyone fell into the routine.
Vansh slowly turned to Aanya, who was diligently writing down everything on the board. His mind drifted back to the dream sign, but he sighed and tried to focus on the class.
As time passed, the classes were conducted diligently, with every student focused intently on the material. The class ended in the evening, and the students hurried out.
Some made plans to meet up for karaoke or to visit the arcade, each looking for a way to relax and have fun.
Vansh stretched his arm up and let out a deep breath. He looked tired after hours of staring into his book, which he stuffed into his bag. He noticed his music pod. "Maybe I should check what's wrong with it tonight."
He stood up, grabbed his bag, and placed the strap over his shoulder. Srujan tapped him on the shoulder while leaning against the bench. "Any plans for afterwards?"
Vansh looked at him and noticed Srujan's bag was still unpacked. He replied, "I don't have any plans and just want to go home. Do you want me to wait for you to pack your bag?"
Srujan nodded in agreement, and Vansh sighed. Srujan packed swiftly and then stood up, placing his bag on his shoulder, but found that Vansh had vanished.
He quickly stepped out the door, where he saw Vansh leaning against the wall and checking something on his phone.
"I thought you left," Srujan exclaimed.
"No, I didn't. I said I would wait, and I did," Vansh corrected, adjusting his bag strap and gesturing to leave the classroom.
But then a voice called out; both turned to see Aanya. She stood beside them and started walking casually with them. Srujan asked about Rina, and Aanya told him that she had gone for some club work.
"I didn't know she was so dedicated to her club work. Since we are first-year seniors, they ask for a lot of favors with no return. That's why I join multiple clubs and come up with reasons to find the best activities out there," Srujan explained. He had quite a good strategy, as long as one club didn't inquire about the others.
As they talked about random things, they reached the gate. Srujan parted ways by taking another route since he had some work to do on the field. He just wanted Vansh's company until they got to the gate.
Vansh pulled out his bicycle and removed the stand. He saw Aanya waiting for him at the gate. "Are you planning to come with me?" he asked.
"Why, do you want me to?" she replied, leaning in with a teasing smile.
"I didn't say anything like that," he said, turning his head away.
"Well, unfortunately, I have to go somewhere else, so I can't join your ride," she said, stepping closer and leaning in to whisper in his ear, "Don't worry; I will come another time."
The close distance made his heart race, as her hair strands brushed against his cheek and her soft breath tickled his ear. Hands clasped behind her back, her bag tilted with her movement.
She stepped back, flashed a bright smile, and walked away as the bus arrived at the stop. She entered the bus, sat down in a seat, and waved at him. Vansh instinctively waved back, then sat on his bicycle and rode off, watching the orange-hued sky.