The next day,
Ami walks through the school gate, earbuds in, hair tied up, mood… decent.
Soha is already by the stairs.
Soha: "You're late."
Ami: takes out one earbud, tilts her head "You're early."
Soha: "I literally come at the same time every day."
Ami: "And you think that's not suspicious?"
Soha: "Suspicious how?"
Ami: "No one's that consistent unless they're a spy."
Soha: snorts "Right, I'm totally reporting to the enemy about your breakfast choices."
Ami: "You'd be surprised how much intel is in my breakfast choices."
They start walking toward the entrance together.
Soha: "Did you even eat?"
Ami: "Half a sandwich."
Soha: "That's not breakfast."
Ami: "It is if you're not awake enough to notice."
They step into the hallway, the faint hum of morning chatter around them.
Sneha's already inside the class, arms crossed, leaning back.
Sneha: "Finally. Took you two long enough."
Ami: "What's with you morning people? Do you rehearse being here early?"
Sneha: "Some of us like to have time before the chaos starts."
Soha: "And some of us," nudges Ami, "are the chaos."
Ami: grinning "Proud of it."
Ami drops her bag onto her desk ,catches a whiff of something floral and notices Sneha pouring a pale pink drink into a cup.
Ami: "What's that? It looks… suspiciously like melted blush."
Sneha:"It's hibiscus tea. I mix flowers in my tea. It's healthy."
Ami: "Wait,now you drink flowers?"
Soha: "Do you sip it or, like, photosynthesize?"
Sneha: rolling her eyes "Laugh now, but this is good for your skin."
Ami: "Yeah, if you want your skin to smell like a bouquet."
Soha: "Imagine her getting chased by bees after class."
Sneha: "You two have no culture."
They settle into their seats.
Sneha: "Anyway, how was yesterday after you got home?"
Ami: "Uneventful. Just… normal."
Soha: "Same here. Except my mom made me try this new herbal tea. Tasted like grass."
Sneha: "That's because herbal tea is grass."
Ami: "Bold statement for someone who just drank a flower garden."
Sneha: "You're both impossible."
The day rolls on.
Classes. Boredom. A little note-passing between Ami and Soha when the teacher isn't looking. Sneha pretending to pay attention but clearly scrolling on her phone behind a textbook.
Lunchtime hits.
The trio heads towards a table.
Ami: plops her lunchbox down "I swear, if today's rice tastes like glue again, I'm switching to instant noodles permanently."
Soha: unwrapping her sandwich "You said that yesterday. And the day before. Yet here we are."
Ami: "Because betrayal by cafeteria rice hits harder than heartbreak."
Sneha: snorts "Okay but what kind of glue are we talking? Fevicol or Elmer's?"
Ami: points dramatically "Fevicol. Industrial strength. Emotional damage guaranteed."
Soha: laughs "Oh no, not the 'Fevicol heartbreak arc' again."
"Yo," comes a familiar voice.
Ami turns to see Saad, carrying a can of soda and grinning like an overexcited puppy.
"Permission to crash the ladies' table?" he asks.
Before anyone replies, another voice cuts in. "If he's crashing, I'm barging."
Dylan drops his tray with a thud and takes a seat beside Soha.
Saad: grinning "Did someone say heartbreak? Because that's my area of expertise."
Dylan: deadpan "And that's how you start a conversation like a red flag."
Sneha blinks at the two boys. "Wait. Who... are these Roblox characters?"
Ami grins. "Allow me to introduce. This-" she points at Saad "-is my lil monkey bro. Tries to be cool, ends up falling off benches."
"Hey! That was one time!"
"And this," Ami gestures toward Dylan, "is... uhh... Idk...Soha's property?"
Dylan nearly chokes on his drink. Soha turns bright red. "Ami!"
Sneha claps slowly. "Wow. That was smooth."
Saad leans forward. "I feel like I'm in a live-action rom-com."
"You're just the comic relief," Ami smirks.
"Unacceptable! I demand a rewrite."
The group bursts into laughter.
They dig into their lunches, trading jokes and side comments.
Dylan asks Sneha, "So what do you do? Other than psychologically tormenting locker thieves."
"I collect karma."
"She's good at that," Ami adds. "Like the Batman of our class."
Sneha gasps. "You did not just call me Batman."
Soha shakes her head. "This table is full of insane people. I love it."
"Hey," Saad grins. "Since we're all nuts already, how about we level up the chaos?"
Ami raises an eyebrow. "That sounds concerning."
"There's a new gaming arcade that just opened near the station," Saad says.
Sneha raises an eyebrow. "And?"
"And we should go. This weekend."
"Ooooh," Sneha perks up. "I'm in."
"Same," Dylan shrugs. "Been dying to try their VR section."
Ami hesitates. "Uh... I've never been to an arcade."
Everyone stares.
Soha gasps. "You-What?! Never?"
"Nope," Ami says. "My first time. Be gentle."
"Girl," Sneha puts a hand over her heart. "We are fixing that TODAY."
Saad nods dramatically. "It's officially Ami's First Arcade Day. Everyone, behave."
Dylan smirks. "No promises."