Today our story begins with a another character name Max. He lived next to the Elli's house. And also Max knows the everything between Arjun and Elli. He understands that there is a soft corner between both of them not in a bad way, but in a +ve way also, sometimes he supports Arjun to talk with Priyanka . because Max's father is a business man , he always used to go to school in car.
Max gets ready for school and goes in garden. (a small garden in his house)
He saw that her mother and Elli's mother were making some gossips by standing back to wall.
(the wall in shorter in length. Elli's mom at their house and Max's mom is at her house.)
Max's Mother:
Hey Ms.
What's the today's planning are you comming to party?
Doubt? which is after approx. 2hrs
Elli's Mom:
Maybe! I am not sure. I have many things to done before that. And my biggest task is to drop Elli to school.
Max's mind changed suddenly. He interrupted:
"Aunt don't worry! I can take Elli with me to school." said by making a innocent face.
Max's Mother:
Ya!! it's good. She don't have to walk to school.
They both goes in car. You have any problem?
Elli's mom replied "No, I don't have any objections if Elli agree!"
Max "Mom today our driver is at holiday."
Then!?
Then we go by walking. Simple!
Okay…!
Priyanka also entered the scene.
So, let's go Elli…
"What? What is going here…."
"Dear, today I have much more work so today you-u with Max to school?." Ms. Frenz said convincing Elli.
Elli replied nodding her head.
It was silence in the street, no one is seen a lot.
Max said (breaking the silence): What's your plan for today with Arjun?
Elli said: Huh! What are you saying?
Max said: Yes, my sis, it's last day of our class. From tomorrow, summer vacation going to start. So what's your plan?
Elli said: Nothing! … See — replied casually.
Max said: Don't be shy, I know everything.
Elli said: What — about everything you mean?
A small and mysterious smile rose on Max's face.
Elli in whispers in her mind.
His face is like a stay dog.
And it's what he is planning.
Max stopped!
Max stretched his hand holding a small bag in his hand.
Max said: "Come Here..." — said in a deep and mysterious voice.
Aww… "Now it looks like I am going on a picnic with a zombie." —Elli said in a low voice.
With the some hesitation, Elli moved forward and took the bag.
Suddenly Max grabbed her shoulder and whispered in her ear.
Max said: "These are the favourite chocolates and favourite drink of Arjun. A gift from me, please..."
Then they started to walk…
Now again silence surrounded them…
Max is happy and walking by licking a lollipop.
But Elli is zoned out and only walking in a straight line.
Max protecting her with obstacles because he didn't want to disturb and he is sure that she is making a plan.
After a while, they reached near school.
From a distance to school there is a stationery shop.
Elli stopped at stationery shop and called Max.
"Hey! Max please listen.."
Max's plan worked.
Max responded to "yes" and pulled out lollipop…
"Take this 50 note and go to shop, buy me a trimax …"
"Oh! A gift for Arjun, good choice" Max said laughingly
Max entered into shop..
Elli is standing outside waiting for Max, and then suddenly she saw "Arjun".
Arjun is going to school with his father on bike. As same as Arjun for some time she teleported into world of her immaginations.
Where Elli and Arjun both are sitting on a bench under a cherry blossom tree. Eating cream puffs…
She is happy in her dream…
And Max intrupted her by shaking her head.
Elli slapped Max's cheek, not forcefully..
Here is Arjun's gift.
Again Priyanka slaped him and said "it's mine not for anyone"
Max hand over her Trimax and they headed to school.
In the corridor
A nice bonding is created within Max and Elli.
As they reached classroom's door, Max stopped.
"What happened Maxiee?!" (max changed into maxiee)
"Nothing, you go… I will come after you."
"Okay," she replied and entered into class. Reached her bench.
She looks toward Arjun's desk.
Arjun is not there but his bag is there, which is a symbol that he is here.
The seat back to Arjun's desk is empty, so she got the chance to change seats. Her eyes spark.
And Priyanka rushed to that seat in a lightning-fast speed.
That seat is a beneficial seat for her. At the front, Arjun's seat. At the back, Max's seat — at left side, Diksha's seat — and at the right, window.
Priyanka entered the class with their class teacher. And he is unaware from that.
Everybody in class stands!
Arjun shocked !
Why they all were giving me this respect!?
From behind his, teacher tapped on her head.
Arjun turned.
Go and rest say… "No one standing is there for you." She said in a joking way.
It's a joke for her but at this time it's a shock for Arjun that he never forget.
Arjun's specialty is to forgive people for hurting him but he waits for the real and right time to give a reply — not by his words but with his actions.
The respect is earned and loyalty is given—that's the gangster's code?!
Arjun set his ass on desk with a mysterious smile on his face.
Max tapped on Priyanka's shoulder from back. Whispered, "Hey! What's going in his mind?"
He is in a very great need now. He felt it very secretly, and after some time when he thinks about it, he gets sad.
narrowing her eyes she said "Why are you asking me this?"
Max acted confused and unsure and ignored her....
The teacher's voice droned on in the background. She is taking attendance
"Roll number 4… 5… 6…"
From the back bench, Priyanka pressed the tip of her pen forward, just enough to gently jab Arjun's shoulder.
"Ouch!" Arjun whispered under his breath, spinning around just a little. His eyebrows rose in a silent question — What now, Priyanka?
Priyanka pressed her lips together to suppress a mischievous smile, then held her pen up threateningly. "Turn back or I'll poke you again."
Arjun sighed, nodded, and turned back around — but not without extending his hand backwards first.
With a dramatic pause, Priyanka sighed quietly and shook his hand under the desk — a clandestine handshake, a symbol of their understanding.
"So… are you free today?" Priyanka whispered, tilting her head forward just enough to be heard.
Arjun remained silent for a moment, thinking. His knuckles tightened briefly, then fell back into relaxation. "I'm busy today."
"With what?" Priyanka pressed in a hushed voice.
He turned slightly, glanced back over his shoulder with a mischievous spark in his eyes, and whispered, "With leveling up."
Priyanka blinked in confusion. "Leveling up?"
Arjun nodded, pressed his thumb up in a silent "thumbs-up", and turned back toward the blackboard just as the teacher called the next roll number.
The conversation fell into a comfortable silence. The first period ended… then the second… then the third. But all this while, Priyanka remained deep in thought.
"Level up…?" she kept wondering.
"What did he mean by that?"
*"Is it some kind of game… or… something more?"
Her pen hovered above her notebook, not a single word was written. Her mind kept replaying his mischievous tone, the spark in his eyes when he whispered those words.
Somewhere in her heart, a strange feeling blossomed — a mixture of curiosity, nervousness, and anticipation. Whatever "level up" meant, it seemed to be something important… something that made him happy, purposeful…
Priyanka pressed her pen against her page. "I need to find out soon..." she whispered to herself, without realizing a small smile was creeping up her lips.
🔹 3rd Period — Priyanka's Imagination Begins 🔹
The teacher's voice seemed distant now, a dim soundtrack to Priyanka's restless mind. Her pen hovered above her notebook, not a single note made in the last ten minutes. Instead, her imagination was spinning wild, trying to piece together what "level up" could possibly mean.
"Level up…?" she whispered under her breath, eyebrows knotted in deep thought.
"Does it mean… he's… going up a grade without exams?"
She giggled quietly at her own ridiculous thought.
"Impossible, Priyanka… That's not a video game. There's no cheat code to skip classes."
Turning a page in her notebook, she started doodling tiny arrows going upward, alongside a stick-figure Arjun wearing a king's crown.
"King Arjun… ruling the 11th grade… ha! That would be something."
She pressed her pen against her chin.
"Or… or… what if it's something else… like… a promotion in a video game?"
Priyanka nodded to herself. That seemed more plausible.
"He plays a lot of games… maybe 'level up' means… he crossed a tough level last night."
Her imagination went wild. She drew a tiny warrior with a sword — the warrior had Arjun's face — battling dragons made of homework and exams.
"Go, Arjun… conquer the monster questions… level up, warrior!" she whispered, smiling mischievously to herself.
Suddenly, the teacher called on her.
"Priyanka! Question 5?"
Priyanka jumped in her seat.
"Uh… um… 42?"
The class giggled, the teacher sighed, and Priyanka turned red.
"Oops… not this kind of leveling up."
🔹 4th Period — Priyanka's Imagination Peaks 🔹
As the 4th period started, Priyanka's curiosity only grew.
"Level up… is it something more… deep?"
She pressed her forehead against her knuckles and tried to visualize…
"Maybe… maybe it means… growing up… maturing… becoming a better person?"
In her mind's theatre, she saw Arjun wearing a sophisticated suit, addressing a huge crowd.
"Today, I'm not the person I was yesterday. I've grown. I've leveled up in life."
Priyanka sighed dreamily.
"Whoa… motivational Arjun… nice."
Then another, funnier thought crossed her mind.
"Or what if… what if it's literal… like… a new haircut… or… a shoe with a hidden wedge to make him taller?"
She giggled quietly.
"Picture this… Arjun enters class wearing stylish shoes, taller by 2 inches, smiling smugly… 'I leveled up, Priyanka.'"
Her imagination kept spinning.
"Or… or… what if it's a password… a code… a mission?"
She pressed her pen against her lips, thinking hard.
"Maybe… tonight… under the midnight sky… Arjun is going to do something wild… something nobody expects."
Her mind filled in cinematic scenes —
A rooftop, a midnight clock striking 12, Arjun dropping a small box into her hands.
"Priyanka… this is it. The next level of our story."
Her cheeks turned a little pink at the thought.
🔹 The Lunch Bell 🔹
The first clang of the lunch bell made everyone rush to pack their books and dart toward the corridor — everyone except Priyanka. She remained sitting at her desk for a moment, staring at her doodles — a king, a warrior, a taller Arjun, a midnight rooftop scene — wondering which, if any, were true.
She pressed her notebook closed, took a deep breath, and whispered to herself,
"Whatever it means… I'm going to find out soon."
With a nervous but excited feeling blooming in her chest, Priyanka stood up and walked toward the door, ready for whatever came next.
The lunch break was in full swing. The corridors were bustling with children — some were laughing, some were chasing each other, and some were already swapping food from their lunchboxes.
Priyanka pressed her books against her chest and whispered to herself, "Where are you, Arjun?"
She darted forward, weaving through the crowd of students in the corridor, her eyes darting left and right in search of him.
🔹 The Computer Lab 🔹
First, she decided to check the computer lab — the place where Arjun sometimes liked to sneak away and tinker with the school's ancient PCs.
As soon as she opened the wooden door a crack, a chorus of clicking mice and tapping keys filled her ears. Inside, a few kids were busy finishing their coding practice.
Priyanka walked in quietly, her pulse a little faster.
"Arjun?" she called softly.
A couple of heads turned — but not his.
He was not there.
She sighed and turned back into the corridor.
"Not here… okay… on to the next place."
🔹 The CAD Lab 🔹
Walking briskly past classrooms, Priyanka made her way to the CAD lab.
This was a room filled with large computer screens and sophisticated designing software — a place where the seniors sometimes designed models of houses and machines.
Peering through the small glass window first, then stepping in, Priyanka called quietly, "Arjun?"
Silence fell for a moment… then someone from the back said, "Who?"
She nodded, apologized softly, and backed away.
"Not here either."
🔹 The Staff Room 🔹
As a last resort, Priyanka pressed herself against the wooden door of the staff room.
She felt nervous — normally, students avoided this room — but her curiosity was bigger than her nervousness.
"Miss… is… is Arjun here?" she whispered to a teacher who was busy marking notebooks.
The teacher glanced up briefly. "Arjun? I haven't seen him today."
Priyanka nodded, mumbled a "Thank you, Miss…", and walked away with a heavy feeling in her chest.
🔹 The Drawing Room 🔹
Turning a corner, she passed by the art room — the Drawing Room — a riot of color and creativity.
She pressed her face against the glass, searching for him amid canvases and clay models.
Empty.
She sighed.
"Not here either."
🔹 The Cafeteria 🔹
Her last hope was the cafeteria — the place where everyone rushed during the break.
She walked in, letting her eyes dart from table to table — friends were sitting together, swapping stories and food — but there was no sign of Arjun.
"It's strange… Where could you be?" Priyanka whispered under her breath.
🔹 Final Revelation 🔹
As she walked back toward the main corridor, a memory struck her — a vivid picture of two children sitting side by side under a huge, majestic tree in the school playground. It was their spot — a place where they used to talk, to dream, and to be themselves without judgment.
Priyanka pressed her books tighter against her.
"Of course… the big tree."
Her pulse quickened. Without a second thought, she turned and walked faster, then broke into a small run, weaving through the bustling children toward the backdoor of the school.
As the sunlight fell warmly on her face, and a gentle breeze ruffled her hair, Priyanka stepped into the playground. There it stood — the giant, sprawling tree — its branches extending toward the heavens, its roots deep in the earth — a silent keeper of their stories.
"Please… please be there, Arjun."