The next day, Vikram reached home in the evening only to find his mom sitting in the living room with dim lights and listening to old songs. He walked in on her sitting with Vaibhav as he casually read a book.

Vaibhav saw him and closed his book before walking to him.

"She's in a good mood today." Vaibhav said.

"Why?"

"Dad asked to go out on a walk."

Vikram couldn't believe this. In the past year, he had seen his dad not want to do anything, at times, even refuse to take a shower.

"He wanted to go alone but that was risky so Neeraj took him out for a drive to the park."

"That's nice." Vikram said.

"Which means this is your opportunity to talk to her." he added.

Vikram knew Vaibhav was talking about talking him mom into allowing Vaibhav to attend regular school for his further studies.

"Okay." Vikram said.

Vaibhav nodded. "I'll leave you to it." he said and quickly rushed up the stairs to go to his room.

Vikram went closer and took a seat on the armchair, right next to the sofa Meera was sitting on. Vikram noticed the song she was listening to and knew it was one of Kishore Kumar's hits. Vikram wouldn't even have noticed something like this but now, he did, all thanks to Aditya and his taste in music that he had introduced Vikram to.

"Vikram." Meera said happily as he sat down. "Had a good day at school?"

Vikram nodded. "The holidays are about to start."

Meera smiled. "I know you worry about being the class topper but take a break every now and then, okay?"

"Sure." Vikram said and bit into the inside of his lips, wondering how to approach the topic. "Mom..." he said and Meera looked at him.

"There's something I need to talk to you about."

Hearing this, Meera immediately turned the volume down a little and turned her full attention to Vikram. "What is it?"

Vikram scratched his nose in nervousness. "It's... It's about Vaibhav."

Meera's expressions suddenly went stiff.

"Vaibhav really wants to go to a regular school."

Meera shook her head. "You know I can't allow that."

"Why?"

Meera didn't say anything. She continued to shake her head a little.

"Mom, Vaibhav is fine now." Vikram said. "How long do you plan on keeping him at home?"

Vikram watched as tears formed in Meera's eyes. Turning away from Vikram, she tried to stifle a cry. "He has a weak heart."

Vikram closed his eyes and breathed out.

"Vaibhav had a weak heart." he reminded her. "He doesn't anymore."

"But..." Meera said, her lips trembling. "The doctors asked us to be careful."

"That was eight years ago, mom." Vikram said softly. "He hasn't had any problems since then."

To Meera, Vikram's words made sense but she just couldn't convince herself to say yes. "What if something happens when he's in class, away from here?" she asked, tearing up a little. "What if I can't get to him in time?"

"He's gone out with me multiple times, hasn't he? You even left him at the hospital for four hours that day."

Meera didn't respond.

"Nothing is going to happen to him if he goes to school. Vaibhav is all better now, you can't keep pretending he's not well. It's taking a toll on him."

He thought his mom would say something but instead, she broke into tears. It was the first time Vikram had seen her like this, so broken, so shattered. Even when Vaibhav had been sick, he had never seen Meera cry, once. Then why was she crying now?

"I am scared." Meera said, "I am scared something will happen and this time, it will be the last time."

"That's not going to happen, mom." Vikram said patiently.

"What if I lose him?" Meera said, through her tears.

"You won't." Vikram said. "Why would you lose him?"

Meera struggled with her words. "I am afraid..." she began, "That he might not want to come back once he leaves." she said, wiping her tears. "He wants to study in Europe after his 12th. I've sheltered him for so long, I am scared that he won't want to come back."

Vikram shook his head. "He loves you, mom. And he loves dad. Why would he not want to come back."

She looked at Vikram and cried some more. "When you were a kid, you used to love me and your dad too." she began. "You used to walk around me all the time, never letting me out of sight for even a second. But then you grew up." she sobbed. "You stopped calling me mom and I watched you slip away from me slowly."

Meera took a pause. "I know I wasn't the best mother and I know I neglected you because of Vaibhav, but I didn't love you any less." She continued. "I just didn't know what I could do to bring you back. I am scared that I will lose Vaibhav like I lost you."

Vikram didn't know what to say. He wanted to tell her that it was his own fault and that she shouldn't blame Vaibhav for the mistakes Vikram did but no words could ever suffice what Vikram wanted to convey. He wanted to tell her that he still loved her, and Vaibhav and in a strange way his father too. He wanted to tell her that the yearly vacation they took were something he always looked forward to, despite the fact that he said that he hated them. He wanted to tell her that the only reason he had become so distant was because he was stupid to believe everything and anything people had told him as he was growing up.

"I am sorry." Vikram said, wrapping a life time of apology in those three words. "I am sorry for everything I did."

Meera shook her head, tears falling down her face. "It's not your fault." he said. "I should have been a better mom."

Vikram went close to her and held her hand in his. "I promise I won't ever go back to how things were." he said, "But you can't hold Vaibhav back for my mistakes."

Meera looked at Vikram and blinked a tear from her eyes. "Okay." she said and wiped her tears off again. "Okay. Tell Vaibhav he can go to regular school after his 10th"

"Really?" Vikram asked, a little surprised himself that he had been able to convince Meera.

Meera nodded. "Yes, really."

Vikram smiled. "Thank you."

Meera placed her hand on Vikram's cheeks. "You're such a good boy." she said, "I can't believe how well you've grown up."

Vikram didn't know what to say. He knew all that he was, was because of the people had in his life.

It was finally the last day of school. Vikram was nervous. He was nervous about the last day, he was nervous about the fact that he won't be able to see Aditya as much and hang out with Ruvee as much. He was nervous about how time had flown and how soon, they'd all be off to college.

"We're not going to the lake today." Aditya told Vikram just before the lunch break was due to start.

"Why?" Vikram asked. The lake had become a daily hang out spot for Aditya and Vikram over the past week. Occasionally, Ruvee joined them too. So Vikram didn't know why Aditya didn't want to go there today.

"We're going to the library."

"Are you going to read again while I watch you?"

Aditya laughed and shook his head. "No, I have a different plan."

"Care to elaborate?"

The bell rang and Aditya got up. "No." he said. "Meet me by your usual seat in 10 minutes."

Saying that, he quickly left.

Vikram wished Ruvee was here to accompany him but she had some work to do on the annual school book and was pretty occupied.

Knowing he was only delaying the inevitable, Vikram decided to go to the library just as Aditya had asked of him.

When Vikram stepped into the library, he found it strangely empty. This was the peak hour when students usually hung around this place but there was no one here. Not even Mrs. Sengupta and Mrs. Sengupta was always at the library, always. Sometimes Vikram thought Mrs. Sengupta lived here because she was here before everyone else and was still here long after everyone left. But even she was missing.

Vikram slowly walked to his usual desk towards the end of the library. Just as he was about to cross the shelf near the UVW section, a hand grabbed him and pulled him behind the shelf.

"Aditya." Vikram shrieked. "What are you doing?"

"Shh." Aditya said softly and pushed Vikram lightly against the shelf. He bent down and placed a kiss on Vikram's neck.

Vikram closed his eyes, taking in the feeling of Aditya's lips on his skin.

"What are you doing?"

Aditya looked at him and smirked. "Do you think I'd let you leave school without making out in the make out corner of the school?"

Vikram's eyes flew open. "Is this why you called me here?"

Aditya nodded and without any warning, crashed his lips on Vikram's.

A flush of warmth ran down Vikram's body as he took Aditya's lips in his. But then, he paused.

"What if someone walks in?"

Aditya shook his head. "We're are absolutely alone for half an hour."

"How can you be so sure?"

Aditya shrugged, not wanting to answer.

"Tell me what you did." Vikram pressed.

Aditya sighed and pulled back a little. "Everyone is having a last day party downstairs." Aditya said, "No one will come here."

This seemed even odder.

"And who has thrown the party?"

"I have."

"What?" Vikram asked, a little shocked.

"You know the money I kept saving inside the Xylophone book?"

Oh no, the sound of this didn't seem right to Vikram.

"I had some of that left so I threw a party for everyone."

Vikram stared at him in shock. It took him a while to understand what Aditya had just done. And when he did, he looked at Aditya in a way that made Aditya felt like his knees might give out.

"You blew up all your savings just to make out with me?"

Aditya cocked his head and looked at Vikram. "Well... no... I mean...."

"Oh my god!" Vikram said, laughing. "You really spent all your savings just so you could kiss me?"

"Wait, I didn't think of it like that." Aditya said but Vikram didn't care. He pulled Aditya in and kissed him, hard and wild and with every bit craziness that he felt inside of him.

Aditya gave into the kiss immediately and snaked his arms around Vikram's waist. Kissing Vikram was intoxicating. It consumed him entirely and yet he had never felt so liberated in his life. Vikram kissed like the world was coming to an end, with everything that he had to offer and the more Aditya kissed him, the more he wanted. They only stopped for air in between and Aditya felt like he had been deprived all his life to feel his way, to have Vikram so close to him.

Vikram continued to kiss Aditya like it was the only thing that mattered to him. He tasted the stars and the moon on Aditya's lips and Vikram was sure kissing Aditya was his new favorite hobby, possibly above photography. Vikram felt like his entire body was on fire and the places where Aditya touched him, were sure to become embers. He had no idea why he had kept himself away from Aditya for so long because the way he felt right now, was like finding water after being parched for weeks. Vikram felt like he had been invisible all his life and that he had finally been discovered.

A loud noise, like that of something falling suddenly rang through the air and out of reflex, Vikram broke away from the kiss and pushed Aditya away with so much force that he stumbled on the shelf attached to the wall behind him.

Vikram turned to his right in panic and finally breathed a sigh of relief when he found Ruvee standing there.

"Ow!" Aditya cried, feeling the hit directly on his shoulder.

"I am so sorry." Vikram apologized and rushed to Aditya, to see if he was hurt.

"Ruvee what the fuck are you doing here?" Aditya asked.

"What the fuck am I doing here?" she asked, picking up the book she had deliberately thrown on the floor. "What the fuck were you doing here?" she asked. "Have you two no common sense? What if it was someone else other than me? What would you have done then?"

"But it's not anyone else." Aditya said and Vikram asked shook his head at him. Ruvee was right. What they were doing was too risky.

"Sorry." Vikram said. "It's my fault."

"No it's not." Aditya said, pulling Vikram behind him and facing Ruvee. "If you have anything to say, say it to me. It was my idea."

Ruvee smiled scornfully and slowly clapped her hand.

"Do you think this is the time for your fucking gallantry?" she asked. "You've managed to keep this from anyone for over a month now. Do you really want the last day to also be your actual last day because I swear to god I will kill you."

"Ruvee..." Aditya said, walking up to her and placing his hands on her arms. "Relax. Nothing happened, nothing will happen."

Ruvee breathed out. "Fine. But you two need to be careful if you don't want to be found out."

Aditya smiled, turned her around and walked her to the end of the shelves. Aditya noticed that a few students had started coming back.

"What are you doing?" Ruvee asked, trying to break free but Aditya did not let her go.

"You said we need to be careful, right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So you stand guard here while I kiss my boyfriend"

"I swear to god Aditya, you won't live to see the end of today."

Suddenly Aditya became serious. "Please" he said and Ruvee turned to look at him. "It's the last day we will be here, together, like this. I don't want to leave without making some memories I'd like to keep forever."

If Ruvee had any argument planned out, all failed when Aditya told her this.

"Fine!" she said, turning back towards the front of the library. "But you only have 5 minutes."

Aditya kissed her on top of her head, like it had become a usual things now. "Thanks." he said and turned to Vikram. "Mr. Ahuja, where were we?"

Vikram laughed. "We were in the middle of making out, Mr. Varma."

Aditya laughed and got back to kissing Vikram.

Sometime in between, they heard Ruvee's voice again.

"Oh you can't go there." she said, trying to keep people away from the make out corner.

"Why?" someone asked.

Aditya looked at Vikram nervously.

"Umm." Ruvee began, "Because... someone took a big dump in the last section."

She pinched her nose and waved her hand in front of her face. "It's disgusting."

Aditya stifled a laugh by burying his face in Vikram's neck.

"Oh god!" the girl enquiring asked. "Who would do such a thing?"

"Oh..." Ruvee said, "You know Aditya Varma from class 12 B? Yeah, he had a pretty upset stomach."

Vikram had to staple his hand to his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

They heard footsteps leaving and the moment the girl was gone, Aditya and Vikram ran out of the corner and as Aditya emerged, he tugged on Ruvee's hair a little.

"That's payback!" he said as he sprinted out with Vikram behind him.

"You're dead Aditya Varma!" Ruvee yelled, running behind him, resolute that she'd end his existence someday.