Arjun walked across the concrete courtyard. Something caught his eye.
He stopped. By the wall, a girl sat all alone, shoulders hunched, fingers picking at her sleeve.
He walked closer and sat down beside her on the bench. The wood groaned softly.
'Hi,' he said gently. She glanced up, surprised.
Arjun smiled a wide, crinkly smile. The girl's lips trembled into something smaller — but real.
She scooted just a tiny bit closer. The gap between them shrank.
They sat together in comfortable silence. She rested her book on her knees.
He nodded toward the courtyard. She looked up — really looked — at the beauty she had missed.
The girl stood first. She brushed dust from her jeans and held out her hand to him.
He took her hand. They walked across the courtyard side by side, his steps slow and easy beside hers.
