"I... Agree.. sigh." Chayu at the end couldn't deny that being with her is a nice time.
"Then we are friends.." Divina shouted excitedly.
"Yeah..." They then walked together to school. The school was decorated with colors and was full of stalls that were operated by students and had a very lively environment, unlike other days of school.
"Woah.. is it really ours?" Chayu was astonished with the new look of the school.
"Fools these days can't even read." Divina directed a finger towards the board having the name of the school.
"Hey, you're the fool.. anyone would be astonished by this.." He commented.
"Ohh… really?" Divina tried to tease him, but a voice interrupted, "Hey lady! Don't bully my friend…"
It was Chayu's another friend, Parth. He thought she was bullying him, which was partially true, but No chayu was hurt in this bullying.
"Lady? I'm your classmate, Mr. Parth." She glared at Parth.
"Okay, okay, calm down both.. she wasn't bullying me.. she was teasing me," Chayu said with a grin on his crow face.
"Why is that?" Parth became confused. Why would a girl tease Chayu? He never talked to any.
(He must be confused eternally), Chayu thought and chuckled internally.
"That's because my his friend.." Divina couldn't forget the 'lady' word.
Parth got his first shock of ages... He quickly turned towards Chayu with a shocked mind and asked, "From when?"
"Yesterday..." Chayu replied.
"Yes.. yesterday...ohh.. yesterday, I see.." He got normal but still had curiosity: "Are you guys just friends?"
"Of course, bro," Chayu replied.
"Okay then, let's go; Harshit is waiting." Parth led them both to the party hall.
"You guys are late.... What's that girl doing here?" Harshit didn't expect that.
"What do you mean by that, girl, huh...?" Divina couldn't control her anger.
"She's Chayu's new friend.." Parth was overcome by the last battle, so he wanted to enjoy Harshit's reaction.
"Do I look like a fool?" Harshit didn't believe.
"What's up with you guys.. why can't I have new friends?" Chayu was literally shocked to see Harshit's reaction.
"You know what.. I could've believed it if it was someone else, but look at you… You don't even come to play with us.. you're only free on Sunday; no one knows what you do.." Harshit told the reason while glaring at Divina.
"Well... That's..." Chayu made neither any excuse nor any answer.
"Hey, that's..." Divina tried to tell them, but Chayu shook his head as if he was telling her not to.
"Okay guys.. let's go... Aren't we going to eat?" Chayu changed the topic and pushed them to walk.
"You escape every time whenever the topic comes to this," said Harshit. But what could he do if Chayu didn't want to tell him? So he left it like that.
"Yeah yeah whatever." Chayu ignored and focused on having them reach to the stalls.
"So what are we gonna eat?" Divina asked.
"Everything," Chayu said while swallowing his saliva.
"Okay, let's form teams, and we'll meet at the ground after buying," Chayu commanded like an officer.
"Yes boss.." Parth and Harshit formed a team, and Chayu and Divina formed one.
They then go in different directions.
Chayu and Divina went to a stall having fresh-made noodles. They were looking too amazing; Chayu just wanted to jump and eat them but couldn't.
"Hey bro, can I get two?" Chayu asked.
"You can have three too, bro, and even more; just order.." The young shopkeeper joked.
"Yeah, then we'll take two," Chayu ordered.
"Hey, didn't you tell your friend about your job and everything?" Divina asked curiously.
"Nah.. what's the need.." Chayu responded while focusing only on noodles.
"Well, they are your friends.." Divina couldn't understand.
"And?" Chayu asked, looking in her eyes.
"Your order is ready, sir..." The shopkeeper handed over the order, and of course, Chayu paid for it.
They then headed to the next stall. But Divina didn't understand why this boy who's working hard has friends who misunderstand him but lets everything slide and lives a carefree and happy life.
"Don't get too confused over it… It's just that.." Chayu noticed her expressions and tried to calm her.
"What?" Divina looked at him.
Since they have reached another stall, Chayu ordered, "Bro, I want four.."
He then turned towards Divina and said, "See... Have you seen a still lake?"
"Yes," she nodded.
"So what will happen when you throw a stone in it?" Chayu asked.
"It will cause waves…" Divina answered, looking confused.
"Exactly… and I don't throw rocks in still lakes." Chayu, hold on to that point.
"Can you explain like a student, Mr. Philosopher?" Divina got frustrated with growing confusion.
"Sir, your order is ready.." The shopkeeper then gave it to them and took the value.
"Think of this like this—life is a still pool; if you throw a stone, that is the thought that we have a problem, and it will cause waves, which is the problem." Chayu noticed her confused expression, and he laughed.
"Okay, simply, a problem is a problem when you think it is and you care for it.. if you don't care, then it's not a problem anymore, Miss Dodo," Chayu said.
Dodos are an extinct species of birds who were stupid. Not exactly stupid, but yes, we're just taking a reference here.]
"Did you call me dumb.." Divina got angrier.
"Yeah… So let's assume I tell my friends about it; it's just like throwing a stone at a still lake. I mean, they'll get worried and everything, and I don't want that." Chayu finally gave an answer without beating around the bush.
"I see, but you told me though.." Divina cleared her confusion but got another: why he told me.
"Well, you don't exactly know me, so you won't care much… Ahh, I mean, we've just been together for a few days, so... I mean... ahh, whatever." Chayu shuts his brain down and can't come up with an answer.
Maybe he didn't know himself why he told her.
"Okay, whatever, let's go to the ground and wait for them.." Chayu suggested.
"Okay, that's fine.." Divina agreed.
They reached the ground and sat on a bench.
"Sigh… They are late.." Chayu was hungry and couldn't wait for them. It's been fifteen minutes since they reached here.
"Just wait for them.." Divina scolded and stopped him before he could touch the box.
"Ahh.." Chayu was helpless this time.
Pant! Pant! Harshit and Parth came running, heavily breathing, "Sorry we are late.."
"Oh come on guys.. I was dying, and she didn't even let me touch the food..." Chayu complained while Divina glared at his soul.
"Thanks for that, I guess... He would've eaten all of it." Harshit looked in the box.
Growl! Chayu just shouted with hunger, "Can we eat now?"
"Yeah, yeah..." Parth agreed, and Divina chuckled.
They opened the boxes and started eating them.
"Hey slow down, no one's gonna steal it from you.." Divina scolded Chayu since he was eating very fast without chewing properly.
"I...wa...um...hu...un...gry..." Chayu said while eating a mouthful of noodles. Eventually Divina couldn't understand it.
"What?" Divina asked.
"He said he was hungry," Harshit answered, and Chayu nodded.
"Wow… you were able to understand it?" Divina got surprised.
"Ofcourse.. we are used to it, right, Parth?" Said Harshit.
"I see… "So what are we gonna do now?" Divina asked excitedly.
"We'll first…let him eat his fill, and then we'll explore the festival." Parth with high hopes for the festival.
"I...um...num...bl..." Chayu tried to say something, but three of them scolded, "Eat quietly."