Part 3: THUD! THUD!
On the evening trip.
My cousin Anika irritated me.
"Ahem!" She coughed, grabbing my attention. "At least I brought my friend to this new school." Insolence. Mild smile. She giggled.
"Haan!" exasperatedly I nodded my head.
"Let's see who that special person is." I stayed wonderment, but with resilience.
"Haan! " She smirked.
The Next morning, I waited calmly for my cousin’s friend’s arrival in the van.
Her arrival skipped due to her personal commitments.
And my every expectations ends with a disappointment.
One vivid, pleasant morning—clear sky, vibrant sunlight streaming through the windows—the van took a different route.
I enjoyed gazing at new places. The cold breeze brushed against my skin, carrying the crisp earthy and invigorating scent of dawn.
My hair danced wildly in the cold breeze.
The smell pulled me off guard.
I closed my eyes to feel the nature’s gift at that moment.
As I closed my eyes against the morning sun, my vision transformed into a canvas of liquid amber.
And blinded by a warm, inner dawn.
The moment stilled for me.
Then, I glanced at a tree that was half dried.
"I've seen this somewhere!
Ahh, it’s damn strange"
"Definitely déjà vu," I murmured. "The same tree, the same building."
Before I could process the strangeness.
The van suddenly jerked and stopped.
Everyone went forward.
"Aha! Same scenario."
I stared at the door without blinking.
The sharp clank-clank of someone climbing the van’s metal stairs ,broke the silence.
The sound pierced my ears.
The whole world paused for just a second.
A small girl was hardly trying to climb the stairs of the van.
I took a deep breath. "Ooph, a small girl."
"Ugh!– I was too excited for nothing."my tone was completely flat.
I turned aside.
Again,
Thud! Thud!
This time, I didn't turn quickly.
Waited.
Thinking in confusion, “ Still why the driver is waiting”.
Anika, "Hi, Tanvi!" excitedly.
A girl entered the van.
Her eyes searching for something in the crowd.
Anika welcomed her.
Tanvi excited to see her friend.
“Heyyy, sissy” Tanvi.
Tanvi sat beside Anika.
Anika and Tanvi looked back at me.
I calmly took a glance at Tanvi.
My soul wasn't with me.
That bright light form flashed into my eyes, which I saw in my dream.
But—
Her eyes made contact with mine. The moment paused for me,again.
Her eyes welcomed me to her boundary.
The van jerked to move forward.
The glance became the glance.
My eyes blurred.
Memory flashes the bright light form which I saw in my dream.
It’s sweating for me.
The van tilted. The bright light from the dream swallowed everything.Then,black.
TAP! TAP! TAP!
Someone is tapping on my hand.
“Bro, please wake up, we have to go in”
A small boy beside me.
I got up slowly.
Wiping a line of sleep-drool from the corner of my mouth.
“Come bro, we have to go in”
Small boy.
“Okay kiddo!” I said.
Quickly, I get out of the van and walking to school.
My mind, “why did I slept”.
“Bruh, you fainted”.
“Heyyy, stop it, why should I faint, there’s nothing”.
“I know , you won’t easily confess”.
“Yesterday, I didn’t sleep well because of dumped home-works, that’s it”.
“Ohh, bro is escaping".
“There’s nothing to escape, I just slept because of sleeplessness and tiredness”.
“ Okay, Time will answer”.
“Haan! Let’s see!”.
I was at war with myself.
Then, I went to my classroom.
There, Anika and Tanvi standing inside my classroom. They talking with my class teacher.
“The world tilted on its axis. Anika and Tanvi.In My classroom.With My class teacher. What were they doing here?”
To be continued…
