Remember Sunny Days

4

Aubrey hadn't been keeping track of time anymore while she tried to figure out the meaning behind Sunny's drawing. She often looked it over in her free time, scribbling it out on various pieces of paper in an effort to grasp onto it. Her homework had been plagued with the symbol along with any other sticky note or surface she could come across.

She didn't get it; why did he sound so scared after giving it to her? She looked back at the original drawing, looking at how desperate the rings circling the image in question were in nature. She groaned as she crumpled up the piece of paper she'd redrawn the picture on and stuffed it in her bag.

"Whoa, you good? I've never seen you not leave for lunch," Kim asked, sidling up next to Aubrey with a confused look.

"It's just the picture Sunny made a couple months ago," she answered back, pushing it towards Kim. Kim picked up the picture, scanning it over. She put it down on Aubrey's desk as she shrugged.

"I mean... it looks sort of sad, but what do I know?"

"It looks... sad?" Aubrey picked the paper up again curiously. The longer she looked at it, the more she could see where the comment came from; the expression- if she could call it that- looked almost panicked. She looked at her replicas next to the original, not feeling the same emotion behind it as she compared them.

"Hey, I think you're right!" Aubrey cheered, whipping back to Kim with visible excitement. Kim put a hand on Aubrey's hair and rustled it, suppressing a playful smile. The door to the hallway creaked open as a familiar face poked into the room. Aubrey peeked over Kim to see Basil's face heavily lost in thought.

"Basil? Weren't you supposed to be in the art classroom today?"

"O-oh, well, yes, but--Aubrey, I-I wanted to talk to you. About... about Sunny." He held a few sheets of paper in his arms, crinkled as though they were constantly being used. Aubrey's happiness vanished at the mention as she got up from her seat, taking her own paper in her hands.

"That works out anyways, considering I have something too. Actually, is Kel with you?"

"He's out in the hallway playing that pet rock game with someone I don't know," Basil looked out the window, seeing Kel's head bouncing around excitedly, accompanied with excited chatter.

"Perfect. If I'm correct, Sunny might have given him something too." Aubrey took Basil's hand without a second thought, ignoring the way he stuttered bashfully behind her as she moved forward. She gave Kim a small friendly wave before opening the door.

"Why do you always use rock, dude? It's super easy to beat you," a kid laughed at Kel. He didn't seem upset by it, instead looking at his rock excitedly.

"I don't need to win to have a good time! You seem pretty happy after winning, don'tcha?"

"I agree with him, Kel. If you're going to play that game, you can at least try to win," Aubrey said behind him, looking at his slightly beat up device. Kel turned around, gasping.

"Hey, don't be mean! I don't see you even trying to play-" Kel was cut short as Aubrey gave the paper she was holding to Basil and took Kel's free hand, walking down the hallway quickly. He glanced between her and her hand before smiling warmly as she opened the door to a closet, walking in with the two in tow.

"Kel, close the door. I don't think you want someone walking in on our conversation," Aubrey commanded. He followed her order quickly, leaning back on it for extra security.

"So, what... what did you want to talk about?" Basil asked, doing his best to not look at the paper she'd given him without permission. She took it from his hands carefully, whispering a quiet thank you as she turned it around so the others can see.