Whispers of the Summer Sky

Chapter 2: 2 | Starlit Conversations



The following evening, Arjun made his way up the familiar hill, expecting to find the bench empty. It wasn't.

Naina was already there, legs crossed, looking up at the emerging stars. The setting sun bathed the valley in soft hues of pink and lavender, but her gaze was fixed on the sky.

"Bench thief," she greeted without looking at him.

Arjun rolled his eyes but couldn't help the smirk forming on his lips. "You're early."

"Had to reclaim my territory," Naina said with a playful grin. "Didn't want you thinking it was yours."

"Too late," Arjun muttered, dropping his sketchbook on the bench and sitting beside her.

For a few moments, silence settled between them, comfortable yet charged. The crickets chirped in the background, filling the air with their rhythmic hum.

"You're an artist, huh?" Naina broke the silence, nodding toward his sketchbook.

Arjun shrugged. "Just a hobby."

Naina tilted her head, studying him. "Doesn't look like 'just a hobby.' You're good."

"Thanks," he said, flipping open the book. He wasn't used to compliments, especially about something so personal.

Naina leaned in, her eyes scanning the pages. "These are incredible. You really captured the valley." She paused, pointing at a page. "Is that… me?"

Arjun stiffened. He'd forgotten about that sketch. It wasn't detailed—just a rough outline of a girl on a bench—but it was unmistakably her.

"Maybe," he said, closing the book quickly.

Naina's grin widened. "Flattered. You should have signed it. You know, 'Bench Thief's Muse' or something."

Arjun chuckled despite himself. "You talk a lot."

"Someone has to. You're way too quiet," she teased, leaning back against the bench. "So, why are you here? Family bonding trip?"

"Something like that," Arjun replied, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Parents think we need 'quality time.'"

Naina nodded knowingly. "Same. My mom drags me here every summer. She says the fresh air will do us good."

"Does it?" Arjun asked, genuinely curious.

Naina smiled softly. "Sometimes. It's peaceful here. Gives you space to think."

They fell into silence again, watching the sky darken. The stars blinked into existence one by one, forming a sprawling canvas above them.

"You ever wonder about the stars?" Naina asked, her voice quiet now, almost contemplative.

Arjun glanced at her. "What about them?"

"How they're just… there. Burning millions of miles away, and we're down here, worrying about stupid things like exams and family trips." She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest. "Makes everything feel small."

Arjun didn't know how to respond. He wasn't used to people talking like this—so open, so raw.

"They're not just burning, though," he said after a moment. "They're exploding. Constantly. That light we see? It's old. Like, millions of years old."

Naina turned to him, her eyes wide. "You're a nerd."

Arjun laughed, a real laugh this time. "Maybe."

"I like it," she said, smiling. "Nerds make life interesting."

They sat in silence again, the night wrapping around them like a blanket. Arjun felt something shift—a connection, fragile but undeniable.

"Same time tomorrow?" Naina asked, standing up.

Arjun nodded. "Sure."

Naina gave him a mock salute and walked down the trail, her silhouette disappearing into the darkness.

Arjun stayed behind, looking up at the stars. For the first time in days, he didn't feel alone.

He opened his sketchbook and began drawing, the lines flowing effortlessly as the stars above whispered stories into the night.

--END--


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