Karan's POV:

The banyan tree's sprawling branches provided a patchy shelter from the midday sun as Jay and I sat in its familiar embrace. A sense of tension lingered between us, fueled by the recent whirl of rumors circulating around the school grounds.

"Why'd you have to vanish like that?" I questioned, my voice a mix of anger and concern.

Jay sighed, his hand running through disheveled hair. "Kan, another joint absence would just add more fuel to the gossip mill. We can't afford that right now."

Though I had overheard the rumors, what perplexed me more was Arav's apparent immunity to the brewing storm. Was he intentionally distancing himself, or was there a deeper undercurrent beneath the surface?

Unspoken questions lingered, weaving another layer into the intricate web of our friendship.

I shrugged off the mounting thoughts and focused my attention back on Jay, who was now waving his hands in front of my face.

"Earth to, Kan," he quipped, and my gaze snapped back to reality.

"Yeah, Jan," I responded, the words slipping out before I could catch them.

A shocked and curious look crossed his face, as though someone had just drenched him in cold water.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "Jan, huh?"

I nodded thoughtfully, anxiety brewing about the consequences.

And then it came—a ripple at first, then a full-blown wave of laughter. It started small, a chuckle escaping, then blossomed into a full-on hysteria. Students passing by paused to watch us, two lunatics who seemed to have lost every last brain cell.

Faces flushed red, lungs gasping for breath, we finally managed to rein in our mirth.

"Jan, Kan, Man," Jay managed to say between bouts of laughter, "looks like we're creating an English version of our patriotic song."

Another fit of laughter ensued, oblivious to the world around us, until an authoritative figure loomed nearby.

Recognizing our PE teacher, Suresh, we looked at each other hesitantly before meeting his annoyed gaze.

"Straight to the point, what on earth did you think you guys were doing?" Suresh's stern voice filled his office as we sat before him.

Any lingering laughter or humor swiftly evaporated.

"Sir, we were just joking around," Jay explained hesitantly, a rare sight given his usual bold demeanor.

My lips remained pursed, but my legs shook violently beneath the bench.

"And you," Suresh turned his scrutinizing gaze to me. "Are you hiding drugs under your sleeve?"

"N-No! Why would I?" I stuttered through gritted teeth.

He produced two plastic zip locks, one containing white powder and the other rusty handcuffs.

A distant memory stirred in my mind.

▶ Flashback

"Kan, have you ever thought the school could have its own hidden secrets?" Jay once asked mischievously.

"So, you want to go treasure hunt at school now? Hopeing to find something that's valuable enough to make us money." I responded dryly. It was tough to understand Jay and his antics sometimes; I shook my head.

"But think of the possibilities, Kan! Imagine if we did find something worth enough to do so; we could sell it to buy that new Nintendo console you've been wanting to buy."

He got me there. I had been wanting to buy the Nintendo Wii for a while now.

The Nintendo Wii, released in 2006, was a revolutionary gaming console that gained widespread popularity for its innovative approach to gaming.

At the heart of its success was the groundbreaking Wii Remote, a motion-sensing controller that allowed players to physically engage with games by mimicking real-world actions.

The extensive game library, ranging from sports and fitness titles to classic Nintendo franchises, offered a diverse and inclusive gaming experience.

The introduction of Mii avatars, customizable characters representing players, added a personal touch to the gaming environment.

Additionally, the Wii was known for its backward compatibility with the Nintendo GameCube, expanding the gaming options for users.

"So, where do we begin?" I said after much thought.

Jay looked around and thought, "Mhm, maybe our lunch place?"

"I really don't believe we'd find anything there," I said with a skeptical look.

"C'mon! That tree bench definitely looks suspicious in some manner, don't you think?" Jay exclaimed excitedly.

Flashback ◀

Suresh's eyes remained fixed on us, awaiting a satisfactory explanation for the peculiar items.

Jay, regaining some composure, added, "Sir, it's like a treasure hunt we were doing. We found these things under the tree bench near the banyan tree one evening. It's like the place has some hidden history."

Our teacher's stern expression softened with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "A treasure hunt?" he repeated, his skepticism evident.

I nodded vigorously, my nerves still on edge. "Yes, sir. We were exploring and stumbled upon this mysterious compartment. We didn't mean any harm; it was all in good fun."

Suresh leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, clearly unconvinced. "Fun? And more importantly, why didn't you report this discovery to a teacher?"

Jay fumbled for words, "We... um, we thought it would be more exciting to solve the mystery ourselves before involving anyone else."

Suresh's gaze bore into us, contemplating the credibility of our tale. "A mystery," he echoed, his tone skeptical. "Well, your little adventure just landed you in a mess. Do you realize how serious this looks?" He continued relentlessly, "Consequences, boys, consequences! You can't just roam around school premises, unearthing who knows what. What if there was something dangerous in that compartment?"

Except there is. I bit my tongue, holding back the words.

Suresh leaned forward, his voice low and ominous. "This is not a playground for your amusement. You could've put yourselves or others at risk. Do you comprehend the gravity of your actions?"

I nodded, my throat dry. "Yes, sir, we understand now."

His eyes narrowed. "I hope so. Because if incidents like these continue, I won't hesitate to involve your parents. Imagine explaining this to them."

The threat hung heavy in the air, sinking our spirits.

He then asked after some thought, "What made you look there in the first place?"

"We heard some rumors about that spot. Thought there might be something interesting."

Suresh's stern demeanor wavered for a moment. "Rumors or not, you should have reported your findings immediately. This is not the way to handle matters, especially with potentially hazardous items involved."

"Yes, sir, we'll make sure not to repeat it again." Jay confirmed.

We were out of his office within half an hour. But it felt like an eternity in there.

"Do you think it was a good idea to trust him with that information?" I asked Jay with a quizzical look on my face.

"We didn't reveal a lot. Besides, a treasure hunt really is a believable story for high schoolers like us. He didn't mention where he found them, though, or why he suspected us. I guess he just wanted to discipline us." Jay pondered.

"But, will they do anything about it though?" I asked nervously.

"Ha, as if!" Jay declared with confidence, "They didn't do anything about Arav; what would they do about this?"

"But it's possible the school received a similar letter to what your parents received."

"Speaking of the letter, I turned my house upside down in search of it when my parents were out of town, but I could find no clue about it."

"They must've burned it. Besides, it's been over a year."

"I was still hoping to read it, though. Maybe we'll figure it out eventually."

❛that fitful stain of melancholy which will ever be
found inseparable from the perfection of the beautiful.❜
— Edgar Allan Poe

A/N:

We're finally in the present timeline, witwew!

The previous details from the... school excavation have been dug further but not explained clearly, so that's about it- BUILDING THE SUSPENSE

my friend accidentally called Jay as Jan and I was like, holy moly, such a nice way to include it in the chapter xD

Anywho, talking about inspirations, here's something that will really get applied:

xD jokes aside, I hope you're enjoying the story so far!!

Feel free to leave loads of suggestions/feedback and comments!!