WHEN SILENCE FINDS YOU
Episode 13 — The Things We Keep
Tuesday.
7:42 AM.
Aarav was standing outside the classroom, trying to finish his homework.
Trying.
The notebook was open.
The pen was in his hand.
And absolutely nothing useful was happening.
"You're doing it wrong."
Aarav looked up.
Kabir stood beside him, holding a packet of chips.
"Doing what?"
"Homework."
Aarav looked at his notebook.
"How?"
"You're supposed to finish it before school, not stare at it until the teacher takes it."
"Thanks. Very helpful."
"Anytime."
Kabir pulled out the chair beside him.
"Where's Meera?"
"How would I know?"
Kabir raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Then stop looking at me like that."
Kabir grinned.
"You're getting better at conversations."
Aarav returned to his notebook.
"I regret talking to you."
"That's normal. Everyone does."
Before Aarav could reply, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Good morning."
Meera.
Aarav turned.
"Morning."
She placed her bag on the desk and looked at Kabir.
"Why are you here?"
"Good morning to you too."
"Don't you have a class?"
"Unfortunately."
"Go attend it."
Kabir stood.
"Fine. But remember, Meera—"
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"Exactly."
He walked away laughing.
Aarav watched him disappear.
Then looked at Meera.
"Does he always do that?"
"Unfortunately."
She sat beside him.
A few seconds passed.
Then she noticed his notebook.
"Is that homework?"
"Apparently."
She looked at the unfinished page.
"How much have you done?"
"Enough."
She leaned closer.
"Aarav."
"What?"
"That's the first question."
He closed the notebook.
"Good morning to you too."
She laughed.
And Tuesday began.
---
The Announcement
The first two periods passed normally.
A mathematics lesson.
A history lesson.
A teacher asking questions nobody wanted to answer.
Then, just before the lunch break, their class teacher entered with a sheet of paper.
"Everyone, listen."
The classroom slowly settled.
"We're organizing the annual school exhibition next month. Each group will prepare a project, and the selected teams will present their work."
A few students immediately started discussing ideas.
Someone suggested a science model.
Someone else wanted a photography display.
Kabir, sitting two rows ahead, turned around.
"Let's build a robot."
Meera stared at him.
"You can't even build a sandwich."
"That's why I need a team."
The teacher continued.
"Groups of three or four. You can choose your own members, but submit the names by tomorrow."
Kabir immediately turned toward Aarav and Meera.
"Done. We're a team."
Meera looked at him.
"You didn't even ask."
"Why would I? You two are obviously joining me."
Aarav shrugged.
"I'm fine with it."
Meera sighed.
"Great. Two people who make decisions without consulting me."
Kabir smiled.
"That's friendship."
"That's a problem."
The teacher asked everyone to settle down.
But Kabir was already writing their names on a piece of paper.
Aarav looked at Meera.
"Any ideas?"
She thought for a moment.
"Something about memories."
"Memories?"
"Yeah. How people remember places differently. Like two people can visit the same place and remember completely different things."
Kabir turned around.
"Can we make something that actually works?"
Meera looked offended.
"That's a good idea."
"I didn't say it wasn't."
Aarav considered it.
"What if we ask people to write down one memory connected to a place?"
Meera looked at him.
Then smiled.
"That's actually good."
Kabir nodded seriously.
"Excellent. Our project is now officially about people's feelings."
"You're welcome," Aarav said.
"I was the one who brought the team together."
"You're the one who suggested a robot."
"A very emotional robot."
Meera laughed.
For the first time, the three of them had something to do together.
Something that wasn't about Meera leaving.
Something that belonged to the present.
---
An Empty Seat
During lunch, Meera received a phone call.
She looked at the screen.
Her smile faded slightly.
"I'll be back."
She stepped outside the classroom.
Kabir opened his lunchbox.
Aarav watched the doorway for a moment.
"Who was it?"
Kabir looked at him.
"Probably home."
Aarav nodded.
A few minutes passed.
Meera didn't return.
Kabir stopped eating.
He glanced at the clock.
Then toward the door.
"She does that sometimes," he said.
"Does what?"
"Leaves when something happens at home."
Aarav looked at him.
"Is everything okay?"
Kabir hesitated.
"I don't know."
He closed his lunchbox.
"Her father's transfer."
Aarav looked down.
"What about it?"
"I think things are moving faster than she expected."
Before Aarav could ask anything else, Meera returned.
She put her phone away and sat down.
"Sorry."
Kabir looked at her.
"Everything okay?"
"Yeah."
He didn't believe her.
Neither did Aarav.
But neither of them pushed.
Meera opened her lunchbox.
"Anyway, what were we discussing?"
Kabir looked at Aarav.
Aarav looked at Meera.
Then he answered.
"Our project."
She nodded.
"Right."
But she didn't eat.
---
The Walk Home
School ended at 3:15.
Kabir left early because his father had come to pick him up.
That left Aarav and Meera walking toward the bus stop together.
The weather was clear today.
No rain.
No grey sky.
Just a warm afternoon with traffic moving along the road.
Meera was quieter than usual.
Aarav noticed.
He always noticed.
But this time, he didn't immediately ask what was wrong.
Instead, he pointed toward a small shop.
"Want something?"
She looked up.
"What?"
"Something to eat."
"Are you hungry?"
"Very."
"You just ate."
"That was lunch."
She laughed.
"You're impossible."
"Still hungry, though."
They stopped at the shop.
Meera bought a packet of biscuits.
Aarav bought a cold drink.
They stood outside, sharing the biscuits while arguing about whether the exhibition project needed a proper name.
"Memory Lane," Meera suggested.
"Sounds like a road."
"That's the point."
"Too simple."
"Then you suggest something."
Aarav thought.
"Places We Leave Behind."
Meera became quiet.
He immediately regretted saying it.
"Sorry."
She shook her head.
"No. It's good."
She looked at the packet in her hands.
"Maybe a little too good."
They started walking again.
After a while, she spoke.
"My father got a call today."
Aarav slowed down.
"About the transfer?"
She nodded.
"They've shortlisted two cities."
"Which ones?"
"One is quite far away."
"And the other?"
"Closer."
Aarav waited.
"They haven't decided yet."
He nodded.
"Okay."
Meera looked at him.
"That's all?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know."
She looked ahead.
"Maybe something."
Aarav thought carefully.
"I want you to stay."
She stopped walking.
He continued.
"But I don't want you to feel guilty if you can't."
Meera looked at him.
For a moment, she didn't speak.
Then she nodded.
"Thank you."
They continued toward the bus stop.
Neither tried to make the situation smaller than it was.
---
The Message
That evening, Aarav was sitting at his desk when his phone vibrated.
Meera: Are you awake?
Aarav: No.
Meera: Very funny.
Aarav: What's up?
Meera: Can I tell you something?
Aarav: Of course.
A minute passed.
Then another.
The typing indicator appeared.
Disappeared.
Appeared again.
Finally—
Meera: I don't think I want to move.
Aarav read the message twice.
Aarav: I know.
Meera: No, I mean it.
Meera: I don't want another school.
Meera: Another classroom.
Meera: Another person asking me where I'm from.
Meera: I don't want to start everything again.
Aarav stared at the screen.
He understood.
Not completely.
But enough.
Aarav: You won't have to pretend everything is okay with me.
Meera: What if I don't know how to be okay?
He thought for a moment.
Aarav: Then you don't have to be okay tonight.
A few seconds passed.
Meera: You're getting good at this.
Aarav: Don't tell anyone.
Meera: Your secret is safe.
Then another message arrived.
Meera: Aarav?
Aarav: Hmm?
Meera: If I get the faraway city...
Meera: Will you still talk to me?
He didn't answer immediately.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he wanted to answer honestly.
Aarav: Yes.
Aarav: And I won't say that just to make tonight easier.
Meera: Okay.
Aarav: But I have one condition.
Meera: What?
Aarav: You have to finish our exhibition project first.
Meera: That's your condition?
Aarav: It's a very important project.
Meera: You're ridiculous.
Aarav: I know.
Meera: Goodnight, Aarav.
Aarav: Goodnight, Meera.
He placed the phone beside his notebook.
Then opened the page where he'd written about her.
He didn't add anything tonight.
Some things didn't need to become words immediately.
---
Somewhere Else
Across the city, Kabir sat on the floor of his bedroom.
An old cardboard box was open beside him.
Inside were photographs, school certificates, birthday cards, and things that had probably been forgotten years ago.
He picked up another photograph.
This one showed three children.
Meera.
Kabir.
And a third girl standing between them.
On the back, three names were written.
Meera. Kabir. Riya.
Kabir turned the photograph over again.
He stared at it for a while.
Then picked up his phone.
He opened an old contact.
Riya.
His thumb hovered over the message box.
He typed something.
Deleted it.
Typed again.
Finally, he sent:
Kabir: Hey. Do you still have Meera's number?
He placed the phone down.
A moment later, it vibrated.
Riya: Why?
Kabir looked at the photograph.
Then at the screen.
Kabir: I think she might be leaving again.
He didn't know whether Riya would reply.
But he knew something Aarav didn't.
Meera hadn't always been afraid of leaving.
There had been a time when she was the one who left someone else behind.
And that story wasn't finished.
To be continued...