𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-22

Karan listened intently with eyes casted downward, and a warm smile spreading across his face. The bench creaked softly as Siddharth shifted his weight extending an arm around Karan's shoulders. The wooden slats of the bench felt rough against Siddharth's skin, but he hardly noticed, lost  in the memories of their past.

Siddharth's gaze drifted towards the pole star shining brightly in the vast expanse of the night sky surrounded by its twinkling companions. His voice turned nostalgic as he spoke, "And that's how our friendship started." He paused, lost in thought, as the star's gentle light seemed to transport him back to a bygone era. The sound of crickets provided a soothing background hum that seemed to match the beating of Siddharth's heart.

"He has always been like that, Karan." A warm, half-smile spread across hiss face as he continued in a low and soothing voice, "The author, who knows very well how much to deliver from his book to the audience before him."

Karan's brow furrowed in concern, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pondered Siddharth's enigmatic facade. "Do you think he is okay, Siddharth?" his voice tinged with a hint of trepidation. "Like really okay?"

Siddharth's gaze drifted upward, his eyes locking onto the starry sky as if seeking answers among the constellations. "Humans are puzzles, Karan – intricate, multi-layered, and often impossible to decipher." His voice was a gentle whisper, infused with empathy and understanding.

"Some wear hearts on their sleeves, while others lock theirs behind steel doors. There are the screamers, the criers, and the stone-faced – each with their own way of hiding or revealing their scars. Some are like glass, shattering at the slightest touch, while others are like steel, weathering the storms in silence."

Karan's expression clouded with confusion as he struggled to decipher the meaning behind Siddharth's poetic words. "What are you trying to say, Siddharth?" He was clearly frustrated as if grasping for a clearer understanding.

Siddharth's gaze drifted back to the pole star, his eyes shining with a deep understanding. Taking a deep breath, he started concluding his words before Karan. "What I'm trying to say, Karan, is that people deal with their emotions and struggles in different ways. Some are open and vocal about their feelings, while others are more private and introverted. And then there are those who fall somewhere in between, who may show their emotions to some people but not others."

There was a long silence ahead, only filled with nature's hide and seek. Both humans were lost in thoughts with contrast gazes – one at the ground, then other in the sky.

Karan's gaze drifted into the distance, his eyes lost in the darkness as he spoke from a place of introspection. "You know, Sid, I've always wondered... is it true that everything happens for a reason? Not just the big things, but the small ones too – our daily choices, the people we meet, even our thoughts. It's as if the universe is constantly weaving a tapestry, and every thread is connected in some way."

Siddharth leaned back in the bench observing Karan's words with interest. "You're really into philosophical stuffs these days, aren't you?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Karan nodded, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "I just think it's fascinating to consider the bigger picture, you know? Like, what's the purpose of life? Is everything just a coincidence, or is there something more to it?"

Siddharth shrugged, his expression practical. "I don't know, Karan. I think sometimes we overthink things. Life is what it is. We're born, we live, we die. What happens in between is just a series of events."

Karan leaned forward, his voice filled with excitement. "But that's exactly what I'm saying! What if those events aren't just random? What if they're all connected somehow? Like, what if meeting Rudraksh that day was meant to happen, and it led to us becoming friends?"