Cafeteria.

The sunlight peeked through the closed curtains, while the morning birds chirped happily. My vision was clear though my eyes burned. I didn’t get an ounce of sleep last night, it was something that has started from the previous week. Not that, I ever had a good sleeping cycle, but earlier it was never like this.

My stomach grumbled with hunger as I didn’t eat anything for the last 24 hours. I stepped out of the bed and made my way towards the bathroom.

After freshening up, I changed my pajamas and wore a pink tank top with black denim jeans. I raised my hair into a tight bun and left my room with my backpack.

What I didn’t know was, where was I going?

I didn’t know anything about Vad. The frequent grumbling in my stomach made sure that at first, I certainly had to fill my stomach.

Stepping out of my room, I was greeted with a vast majority of teenagers walking around, gossiping and laughing. Yesterday’s deserted hall was now growling with teenagers.

I lowered my head and walked towards the elevator. Attention is something I never desired. Back at home, in my school, I wasn’t what you would call an extrovert but I wasn’t an introvert as well. I had friends not that many nor not that few, and in conclusion, I got along with people. They liked me for reasons I never knew. I wasn’t the girl who would hide from attention but I wasn’t the girl who would want attention as well. I was a normal high school girl with a normal life; until, it’s not normal anymore.

I don’t think my friends at home would ever look at me the same way they ever did. I don’t think they will ever want something to do with me anymore.

Truth hurts, so does everything that we love.

If the people who gave birth to me, don’t want anything to do with me anymore; why will the people with whom I spent more than half of my school life, want to be beside me?

Doesn’t make sense. Actually, nothing ever makes sense.

I stood in front of the elevator and glanced around; everyone was busy with whatever they were doing, they were all here for the deeds they had either committed for good or bad, they were all the same. And now, I was one of them.

At the thought of being away from prying or judgy eyes something inside me loosened and relaxed.

The elevator kept ‘tinging’ on different floors. Around me, there were more people standing and by the time the crowd kept getting bigger. I gently walked away from the elevator and made my way towards the stairs.

I didn’t know why I was getting down, but at that moment I couldn’t do anything but go to the only place I knew, here.

I kept walking down the stairs until I saw a familiar body glancing outside the window, which was situated in the space in between the other stair which would take me lower to the floor.

I stopped.

The scorching sunlight was shining on his face making him look like a fallen angel. His tousled long brown hair which reached his ears was uncombed and ruly; he stood there without the care of the world just like yesterday. One of his hands was inserted in his pockets while the other was just idly down.

I was confused, will I talk to him? However, yesterday’s encounter was still fresh in my mind; he didn’t appreciate disturbing him but at the same time he was also one of the familiar faces I knew.

And I didn’t know what to do.

Maybe it was my long penetrating gaze or the sound of my footsteps, I didn’t know what, but something made him turn around and look at me.

At first, his eyes were emotionless, as if he was just seeing another passerby but something in his eyes flashed.

Recognition.

He stared at me for a moment while my heart started beating faster. Flashing me a small smile he strolled up to me.

‘’Good morning’’ He greeted.

‘’Good morning’’ I gently replied with a nod.

Was he in good mood? Because it was a 180-degree difference from the encounter we had last night.

‘’Were you heading for the breakfast?’’ He asked raising his eyebrow. I nodded.

‘’And you don’t know where it is, do you?’’ He questioned, while his eyes glimmered with amusement.

I shook my head biting my lower lip. Something I do, when I am nervous.

‘’As far as I remember, you can talk right’’ He asked, his lips twitching. I nodded and then smiled.

‘’Yes,’’ I whispered.

‘’Cool,’’ he laughed. Was he the same person I spoke with yesterday?

Because he doesn’t seem to be the same person.

‘’I was having a bad day yesterday’’ He said as if he heard my question.

‘’No problem. Everyone has their own share of bad days, yours is no different’’ I replied with a tight smile, which he returned with a small of his own.

‘’Well, we can go together. I was also heading there’’ He said and started walking down the stairs.

And within seconds I caught his pace and walked beside him. I wanted to ask why he was here but that would lead to the question, why I was here. So for the time being I chose to ignore the question.

We spoke a lot while we got down. I got to know a little bit more about him, like how he had two more friends, who are his best friends, or how he doesn’t really have many friends. I was happy, I was at least in his good books.

‘’Are people here friendly?’’ I asked after a while. He shot me a small smile.

‘’I am not sure of that, I am not friends with many’’

‘’I understand’’ I smiled.

The thought of being alone for that long didn’t soothe my heart. But I chose to ignore it. I must learn to live alone now.

‘’You can always try. People here are not bad as the world outside makes it seem like. Yes, everyone came here for the bad deeds they have done, but some have done some deeds because it was needed to be done’’ he said while I nodded.

I understood; I understood too well what he meant because I was one of those people.

Nothing justifies a bad deed, nothing ever will. But who will justify the need or the persuasion one feels inside him or herself for doing a bad deed?

No one will.

We stopped on the first floor. The floor buzzed with the sound of students clattering. The smell of food invaded my nostrils making my stomach grumble loudly. I glanced at the person beside me.

Oh god, I just hope he didn’t hear it.

Students in groups or individuals were walking inside the large cafeteria through the glass doors. There was a large flat-screened television hung on the wall which was turned off, the walls were covered with different quotes and pictures of food, and the room was air-conditioned. There were several tables placed in the room and all of them were filled with students.

‘’Follow me’’

And that’s what I did, I followed him through the thick crowd, getting pushed or pulled in between. The crowd seemed to get lesser as we were approaching a specific table.

‘’That’s our table’’ He said, pointing at that table and added, ‘’those two are my best friends’’

I saw two blurred figures who were sitting and talking about something. I just hope they are as good as him. Standing in front of the table, he smacked one of his friend's heads making that person groan. Though I was amused, I was busy catching my breath.

After I finished panting I raised my eyes, only to be greeted with the coldest ocean blue pearls I had come across, his eyes held fury while his glare was murderous, he clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth.

‘’What is she doing here?’’ He asked calmly, yet atrociously.