Whispers of the Summer Sky

The next evening, the sky was unusually clear, each star like a pinprick in a deep, velvety expanse. Arjun arrived at the bench to find Naina sprawled across it, her arms folded behind her head, eyes fixed on the heavens.

"Taking over the whole bench now?" Arjun teased, nudging her foot.

Naina didn't move. "Claiming my rightful territory."

Arjun smirked and sat on the ground instead, resting his back against the bench. "Fine. Royalty deserves her space."

"Exactly," Naina said with a grin. "Glad you're learning."

They sat in comfortable silence, the sounds of crickets and the rustling leaves filling the gaps in their conversation. Arjun tilted his head back, watching the stars, feeling the world slow down for a moment.

"You ever wonder," Naina began, her voice softer now, "if stars have stories?"

Arjun raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like myths and stuff?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I mean real stories. Lives they've seen. People they've watched over. Moments they've captured."

Arjun thought about it, his gaze tracing a particularly bright star. "If they do, I hope they forget the bad parts. Just remember the good."

Naina hummed in agreement. "Yeah. Imagine if we could do that. Keep only the good memories."

"But then," Arjun countered, "we'd never learn anything."

"True," Naina admitted. "Still, it would be nice sometimes. To let go of the stuff that hurts."

Arjun glanced at her, catching the flicker of sadness in her eyes. He didn't ask. Some things were better left unsaid.

Instead, he stretched out his hand, pointing at the sky. "See that one?"

"Which one?" Naina followed his gaze.

"The really bright one. That's Sirius," Arjun said. "Brightest star in the night sky."

"Sounds fancy," Naina said, smiling. "You a secret astronomy nerd?"

Arjun chuckled. "Maybe. My dad's into it. Used to drag me out to stargaze when I was little."

"Lucky," Naina said wistfully. "I had to figure this stuff out on my own."

They fell silent again, each lost in their own thoughts. After a while, Naina sat up, hugging her knees.

"Let's make a pact," she said suddenly.

"A pact?" Arjun echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Naina said, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Let's promise to meet here every summer. No matter what happens, we'll come back to this bench. Deal?"

Arjun hesitated. "What if life gets in the way?"

Naina shrugged. "Then we fight it. This place... it's our escape. Our little corner of the universe. Agreed?"

Arjun considered it, the weight of her words settling in his chest. Finally, he nodded. "Agreed."

They shook hands, the moment both solemn and lighthearted. For a second, Arjun felt like they were sealing something sacred, something bigger than either of them.

Naina leaned back, a satisfied smile on her face. "Good. Now, what's your constellation count?"

Arjun laughed, shaking his head. "Still trying to win, huh?"

"Always," Naina said, grinning. "Better keep up, Arjun. The stars don't wait for slowpokes."

They stayed out late that night, their laughter blending with the night sounds. And as the sky stretched endlessly above them, they carved out a small, infinite space for themselves—two stargazers bound by a promise and the magic of a summer sky.

Little did they know, that simple pact would shape their lives in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

--END--