Beyond the window

Chapter 4: A Glimmer of Hope

Six days had passed, but nothing extraordinary had happened. Zaim's mind wandered to his childhood friends, Aizam and Riya, with whom he shared a special bond until 10th grade. They were the school's "it" trio, with everyone jealous of their popularity. Zaim and Aizam, both handsome and charming, made others want to befriend Riya just to get close to them. Riya, a soft-spoken and shy girl, had a hidden talent for writing and music. She only opened up when with Zaim and Aizam. Aizam harbored a secret crush on Riya, who reciprocated his feelings but hadn't confessed.

Zaim snapped out of his reverie, remembering the mysterious room. Sarah, too, had been thinking about it, wondering if she had hallucinated. A spark of excitement lingered, fueling her curiosity about parallel universes.

As she approached the window, it swung open, startling her. Zaim stood on the other side, his eyes locked on hers.

"HaL-uCcI-naTioN!" Sarah exclaimed.

Zaim chuckled, his grin spreading wide. "Why are you screaming?"

Sarah's excitement turned to embarrassment. "I thought it was a hallucination!"

Zaim chuckled. "You missed my handsome face, didn't you? But sorry to say, I didn't even think about this incident. I thought it was a dream. But you seem like you're already missing me. Don't be nervous; it's pretty normal to fall for me in the first meet, and I'm used to it." He talked without even breathing.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Aisshh, can you stop?" she said loudly. "I'm not falling for you. Don't even think that, okay? Stop flattering yourself!"
"Why are you talking endlessly?" Sarah asked. "It seems like you're missing me. And if you talk like this, you'll forget to breathe, and your handsome face will be underground."
"What are you talking about?" Zaim asked. "I'm like this – the handsome, smart, cool kind, Zaaiiimmmm."

"You always flatter yourself," Sarah said. "Aren't you ashamed?"

"For what?" Zaim replied. "I'm the one who knows me better than anyone. No, actually, who knows me best? So I don't need any dog to flatter me."

Sarah called him a "stupid thug" and added, "And I'm sorry I left without telling you what grade I'm in
"Did you notice that only on Sundays does this window open to your room?" Sarah asked. "And it closes before 10:00 PM, right? It's as if it's only connecting us for a limited time."
Their banter continued until Zaim's phone rang, its loud, catchy tune ("Till I Collapse" by Eminem ft. Nate Dogg) piercing the air and breaking the spell.

"Mom?" Zaim answered.

"Zaim, come to Aizam's brother's birthday party," his mom said.

"What about the birthday present?" Zaim asked.
"I'll take care of it," his mom replied.

"Okay," Zaim said, and hung up.

"Sorry, but I have to go to the party. I can't miss it," Zaim told Sarah. "I'll do my best to return before 10:00 PM, so we can figure some things out."

With that, he rushed out of his room. Sarah suddenly remembered, "Oh no, I didn't tell you what grade I'm in!" She called out, "Hey, listen!" but Zaim was already gone.
She finished her homework and household chores, then waited anxiously for Zaim's return. With only three minutes left until 10:00 PM, she grew restless. If they didn't meet tonight, they'd have to wait another week. Even if Zaim arrived on time, their conversation would be brief, but at least they could exchange classroom information.