Soul of lights

Silent Smile : Chapter 3

The noise of the break echoed through the canteen. Students at every table were laughing with their friends.

But Rooh was sitting alone at a corner table.

Her eyes were on her notes, but her mind wasn’t there. Her thoughts kept wandering back to what Zayan had said that morning.

In front of her was a cup of tea, and beside it, her open notebook.

Just like when he had stood at the classroom door, smiling, and said:

"You seem so quiet, but you’re not… Sometimes even the ocean is silent."

She had placed her pen on the notebook but hadn’t written anything. She was still smiling, thinking about Zayan.

"Is anyone sitting here?" A girl’s voice made Rooh startle.

Rooh looked up to see a girl standing there, holding a notebook and a tray.

"No, sit down," Rooh replied. The girl sat and said with a slight smile,

"You’re in second year, right?"

Rooh nodded, and asked,

"And you’re a new admission?"

She shook her head to indicate yes, she had just joined first year.

"But it’s taking some time to get used to the college environment."

Taking a sip of her tea, Rooh said,

"The first day is always like this. In a few days, everything will start feeling normal."

The girl laughed, "I thought you’d be busy, so you wouldn’t talk."

Closing her notebook, Rooh said, "Not at all. What’s your name?"

"My name is Laiba. And yours?"

"My name is Rooh-e-Noor… You can call me Rooh."

They talked for a little while about subjects and teachers. As the break ended, both of them went to their respective classes.