The Lost Pages
Chapter 3: The College Friends
Friendship is the mirror of our youth
The corner of the restaurant buzzes with youthful energy, as a group of college friends, six in total — three boys and three girls — fills the air with laughter and banter. Plates of food sit half-eaten as they talk over one another, their carefree spirit infecting the room with a sense of vitality. Their presence is impossible to ignore, and neither do they care who might be watching. Tonight is theirs, a brief escape from the pressures of exams and the expectations of the world outside.
Ravi, the natural leader of the group, leans back in his chair, a mischievous grin on his face as he looks toward Yazhini and Naveen sitting a few tables away.
“Okay, guys, here’s a fun game — what do you think is going on with those two?”
The rest of the group turns to look at Yazhini and Naveen, immediately intrigued. The mystery of the couple at the window table has caught their attention. Shruthi, the most imaginative of the group, jumps in without missing a beat.
Shruthi (mock-serious tone): “They’re spies, obviously. Look at how they keep looking around, like they’re waiting for a secret code or something.”
The table erupts in laughter, with Aarav, the joker of the group, adding to the joke.
“Yeah, yeah! And she’s totally the boss. Look at her! She’s sitting like she’s in charge.”
Megha, who’s quieter but sharp-witted, watches them carefully. She’s always been more observant than the others, and tonight, she notices something the others miss.
“Or maybe they’re exes,” she suggests thoughtfully. “They’re talking, but they seem… distant, like there’s something unresolved between them.”
Her comment hushes the group for a moment as they consider the possibility. **Vikram**, sitting beside her, leans in, subtly aware of how close they are but keeping a casual distance, as he usually does. There’s an unspoken tension between Vikram and Megha that neither has addressed, though it’s obvious to everyone in the group. Their friends tease them about it often, but tonight the jokes are lighter, the tension between them more palpable.
The conversation soon returns to teasing as Ravi takes the lead again, eager to keep the energy lively.
“Okay, Megha, but exes don’t sit like that. They look too… calm. I bet they’re married and they’re bored already.”
Shruthi giggles at the thought. “Yeah, that’s why they’re barely talking — honeymoon phase is long gone!”
The group erupts into laughter again, their voices carrying across the restaurant. As they continue their playful analysis of Yazhini and Naveen, their conversations shift, jumping from topic to topic — who’s dating who, upcoming exams, weekend plans, and random stories from their shared past.
But beneath the laughter, small, unspoken moments emerge. Vikram, with his easygoing charm, can’t help but steal glances at Megha throughout the evening, wondering if tonight might be the night he finally says something. Megha, ever perceptive, feels the weight of his gaze but pretends not to notice, unsure if she’s ready for the conversation that has been hovering between them for months.
As the night goes on, the group continues their game, throwing out more ridiculous theories about the other diners.
Aarav nods toward the old man sitting alone. “That guy? Definitely a retired detective. Probably solving a case right now.”
His comment is met with laughter, but Vikram, noticing the old man’s quiet demeanor, mutters softly.
“Or maybe he’s just… lonely.”
The group falls silent for a brief moment, a rare pause in their otherwise high-spirited evening. Shruthi, quick to break the tension, nudges Aarav.
“Hey, let’s focus. We haven’t finished figuring out the love story at the corner table!”
Ravi (grinning): “Alright, here’s my theory — they’re secretly in love but too afraid to admit it. They’ve probably known each other for years, and tonight is the night they either confess or go their separate ways forever.”
The idea hangs in the air as the group considers it, imagining the tension-filled romance they’ve constructed for Yazhini and Naveen. Ravi, ever the romantic, looks pleased with his theory.
Despite their playful speculations, the group’s own dynamics mirror many of the complexities they joke about. The hidden romantic tension between Vikram and Megha is the most obvious, but there are other subtle undercurrents too — Shruthi’s quiet crush on Aarav that she masks with jokes, and Aarav’s obliviousness, more focused on keeping everyone laughing than noticing what’s right in front of him. Each friendship in the group has its own depth, its own unsaid truths, but tonight, they let those truths remain unspoken, choosing instead to enjoy the lightness of their shared youth.
They leave the restaurant that night in a wave of laughter and friendly banter, their bonds of friendship unbroken and strengthened by the shared joy of imagining lives beyond their own.
In youth, we see the world as endless possibilities, and friendship is the lens through which we explore it