When you smile

Epilogue

Time has slipped through my grasp, like pages turning in an unending book, and within this passage of time, my life has undergone subtle but profound transformations.

The corridors of our school now seem like a labyrinth, filled with the echoes of missed opportunities and unspoken sentiments. With the setting sun, I retreat to the world of melodies. My fingers glide gracefully over the guitar, each key a reflection of the courage that has slowly welled up within me. Music, once a source of apprehension, has become my means of expressing emotions that words alone cannot convey. Each composition holds a piece of my soul.

On the horizon looms the impending teen talents competition, a stage I never thought I would have the strength to stand upon. Alongside Ajit and Aman, I prepare to share my music with the world, to let my voice resonate with those willing to listen.

I sit cross-legged on my bedroom floor, the soft evening sunlight pouring in through the glass window, warming my skin. My fingers glide over the strings of my guitar, each note an echo of my emotions. Music has become my refuge, my way of expressing the thoughts and feelings that words alone can't convey.

Ajit sprawls on my bed, his sketchbook in hand. His pencil moves with fluidity, capturing this moment in intricate lines and curves. His creativity knows no bounds, and it's inspiring to have him here, turning my music into art.

Aman sits a few steps away, his back against the bed, his gaze fixed on me. In the last few months, I've come to realize that he's been there with me the entire time, a silent but unwavering presence.

Whenever I've had a breakdown, when the weight of my doubts and fears threatened to consume me, Aman was there. He didn't have comforting words like Raj did, he didn't hold me or hug me, and he never told me that everything would be okay. But none of that mattered because his presence, his mere existence in those moments, spoke volumes.

His eyes, like deep pools of understanding, held mine with steady reassurance. I didn't need words. I didn't need physical gestures. I just needed him to be there, and he always was. It was as if he could sense the storms raging inside me, and he anchored me with his quiet strength.

Aman's support was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It wasn't flashy or loud, but it was profound.

As I finish the last note, the room is filled with a moment of stillness. I catch Ajit's eye, and he can't resist a sassy compliment. "Darling, your voice is like honey-dipped in the moonlight. I almost forgot I was in the presence of mere mortals."

I chuckle, feeling the tension of the day dissipates. "You're quite the wordsmith, Ajit."

Aman, usually reserved, offers a rare smile. "That was beautiful."

Ajit, always attuned to my moods, asks the question that's been looming in the background. "Are you going to sing this for the teen talents competition?"

I drop my guitar aside and, in a burst of frustration, jump onto the bed next to Ajit, landing on my back with a sigh. "I don't know. It just feels too... basic. I want to sing something powerful, something different."

Ajit chuckles softly, the sound mixing with the scratch of his pencil against the paper as he continues sketching. "Oh honey, that's exactly what you've said about your previous fifteen songs in the last three months."

It brings a wry smile to my face, and I can't help but laugh at myself. He knows me well. In the haven of the library, I've discovered solace. Ajit, a fellow lover of literature, has become a silent companion amidst the shelves of books and hushed whispers of knowledge. What began as casual exchanges about novels and poetry has evolved into a friendship that defies easy definition.