"What is happening? Are they trapping me here? Were they not convinced of me? But it looked like they were.", he embodies all of his energy to push against the door.

  "What happened there? What did they ask you? What were they trying to find out?", I ask breathlessly.

  A faint metallic scrape comes from the lock. Seconds stretch. Someone is at the other side of the door. Ave and I scramble to hide. Another a sharp click at the lock follows and the door swings open. Is the curly-haired boy. He steps in, a bent pin clenched in his hand.

  "Good work there", he says overjoyed, while scanning the room.

  "What? Where were you? And what good work? Look, they locked us here. They probably gonna announce me a Disturber.", Ave charges at Ahaan. "No, this is not good, we have to run now. Ahaan, I am sure they are calling the authorities right now by locking me here." He bolts out of the library in a rush of frantic movement. His speech breaks apart, breath hitching as panic takes hold.

  Ahaan puts both hands on Ave's shoulders, grounding him as his breathing falters. "Okay, calm down now. I just got back from hearing their conversations, they are convinced that you are alright and the previous disbalance was just an episode of some emotional turmoil. They have shifted their focus. You are good now. It went well."

  "No, no, no", Ave launches into frantic speech again, the words washing past him unheard.

  "Ave. Ave, look at me. You are alright.", Ahaan continues, griping Ave’s shoulder tighter this time.

  "Then why did she lock us here?"

  "She probably didn't notice you were inside. I saw her on my way here. She was very calm and it did not seem like she was up to something.", Ahaan explains placidly.

  "It still does not add up. She saw us coming inside. We even filled the library entry", Ave is jerking around impatiently.

  "Was it me or you didn't notice? When we came into the library, your pen suddenly dropped and you got down to get it. I was the one who did the library entry for both of us. You did not even cross her side. We went straight ahead at the very last of the library." I explain recalling the memory.

  "What are you implying?", Ave stops and looks at me.

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  "That maybe she did not see you. She was so immersed in her work, I don't think she raised her head even once when I was filling the entry. She is an old lady after all”, I explain.

  While we are having this conversation Ahaan is at the first staircase to the down floor trying to listen to any emerging footsteps.

  He approaches, his gaze moving between the two of us.

  "I think nobody is coming upstairs. We are really safe. Let's leave."

  He starts walking, then stops short and takes a slight turn. "But first, let's fix the library gate. Better not to give the old lady a heart attack."

  He had used a pin to open the lock. The pin was bent to give it the shape of the key so it would fit the keyhole. He puts that pin in the keyhole and it is locked again.

  "It seems better, let's go.", Ahaan takes a few stairs forward but then turns and proceeds to walk in the opposite direction of the staircase at a fast pace.

  His pace of walking is fast and I struggle to keep up with him. Even Ave has to run a few steps to catch up with him.

  "Where you going?", Ave asks as Ahaan stops in front of a lab.

  "Oh well, it is safe here. Also let's avoid getting in front of them for now so they forget about you and nothing is better than staying here. Nobody actually comes to this floor. There are only labs here and a library where hardly any students come."

  He then opens the door to the ecology lab.

  "Let's stay here for a while till the school ends at least." Ahaan opens the curtains and the darkness in the room is taken over by the sunlight.

  "Will you tell me now, what happened there if you are comfortable.", Ahaan asks while making Ave sit on a chair calmly.

  Ave takes a few breaths, steadies himself and then starts.

  "When I entered the room, the principal sir was already there. He explained the reason for calling me. He noticed that I looked distracted in the class and seemed to be causing trouble to other boys.” He pauses and then continues again.

  “Well, to tell you the truth it started when I tried picking a fight with a group of boys from our class. That's when I came to their notice. It was out of my routine if you ask. But then it ended without much of a scene as that group of boys was really nice and they tried to calm me down.

  So, today they asked me why was I unhappy. I tried to convince them that it was because of the career pressure. I said that as I was in my final year I felt a lot of pressure lately. They calmed me saying that I can leave my studies if they are too difficult for me and that the whole purpose of my life is to be happy. I tried to distract them by saying that I wanted to do a job as a gym trainer which would not make me much money. But they argued with me that my happiness is more important. I agreed with them and that's how the whole conversation ended smoothly as they found nothing suspicious in my reason like you said Ahaan."

  "That's great, you did well", Ahaan seems like a proud dad.

  "But who are you? How do you know so much about them and how to convince them? You too are moving freely. What kind of dreams are you having? ", I turn to Ahaan, slightly touching his shoulder to ask him.

  But his eyes go into a total state of oblivion.

  His eyes widen, then they seem confused and then his whole face is a mix of dozen emotions.