Not every memory from school is about lessons, examinations or marks.
Some of them are about people.
People who slowly become a part of your everyday life, until having them around feels completely normal.
For me, Class 6 was one of those years.
That was when I met Sofia.
We became benchmates because our teacher assigned us the same seats. At first, things weren't exactly comfortable between us. She thought I was rude, while I was simply quiet. I have always taken time to get comfortable with people. I don't usually start talking much until I know someone.
But within a few days, we started getting along.
And then came Inaya.
I met her during our handicraft vocational class. We had both opted for handicraft, and I remember having the materials while she didn't.
So I made her an offer.
I would help her with the materials for the class, and in return, she would sit with me during break.
She agreed.
And she kept her promise.
She was quiet too, and my first impression of her was good. Eventually, Sofia and Inaya started talking, and somehow, the three of us became friends.
We had quite different personalities.
I was quiet until I got comfortable, Sofia was loud and quick-tempered, and Inaya was gentle, helpful and kind.
Although, if she got angry, she definitely knew how to scold someone.
That was us.
Three different people who somehow ended up spending so much of their school days together.
Class 6 and Class 7 passed with shared breaks, conversations, laughter and the occasional trouble.
We did get into trouble sometimes.
And somehow, there was always something to laugh about afterwards.
I still remember one particular incident from Class 6.
The balloon incident.
Inaya had brought balloons to school and blown them up.
Everything was fine until our teacher suddenly entered the classroom.
And then we had to hide them.
Inaya hid one inside her skirt, Sofia put hers in her bag, and I gave mine to a classmate.
I somehow managed to escape the situation.
Later, I went to the washroom. When I came back, Sofia and Inaya were laughing.
I don't remember exactly what happened while I was gone, but I remember how much we laughed when I returned.
It was silly.
But it was one of those moments that stayed.
There were other little moments like that too. Moments that probably seemed ordinary at the time, but became memories without us even noticing.
However, somewhere around the middle of Class 7, I started noticing something.
Sofia and Inaya were becoming closer.
They had their own conversations, their own little understanding, and sometimes I felt left out.
They were more of a duo.
And I was the third person in that trio.
I didn't always know how to explain that feeling. They were both my friends, and I still spent time with them.
So I didn't make much of it.
At least, not then.
Near the end of Class 7, during our final-term examinations, we had to sit in different classrooms.
I remember writing little messages and thoughts for each other on the inner sides of our arms, near the ends of our uniform sleeves.
We took pictures.
I still remember that.
It was such a small thing, but it meant something to us at the time.
Then came Class 8.
And things were about to become a little different.
There was a point when I was supposed to go to a hostel. But those plans were cancelled, and after being away from school for three months, I returned.
Coming back after such a long gap felt different. School had continued while I was away, and returning meant getting used to everything again.
But I was back.
And I thought things would continue as they had before.
Then came June.
Our block examinations were going on when the first major fight happened between us.
It was a misunderstanding.
And after that, we stopped talking.
I didn't approach them. I was the one who had been wronged, and I didn't feel like being the one to start talking again.
For some time, things stayed that way.
Eventually, Sofia apologised.
I forgave them, and we started interacting at school again. However, we still had each other blocked on WhatsApp and other apps.
It was an unusual situation, but I didn't think much about it.
Things had always worked out before.
Even when we had disagreements, they somehow settled eventually. So, I thought this would be the same.
I thought we would go back to how things were.
But after the half-yearly examinations, another fight happened.
And this time, things were different.
I didn't know it then, but this was only the beginning of something much bigger.
There were things that happened afterwards, things I never expected, and things that would change the way I looked at everything.
I had no idea what was waiting ahead.
All I knew was that Class 8 still had a lot left to show me.
And perhaps, the next part of this story would be the one I remembered the most.