The sky darkened slowly, the sun dipping behind the hills, leaving streaks of orange and red in its wake. Arjun kicked a stray pebble off the dirt trail as he climbed up the familiar hill. He'd been here for three days now, stuck with his family at this countryside resort. His parents called it a bonding trip; he called it a punishment.
Reaching the top, Arjun spotted the bench he'd claimed as his own since the first evening. It was old and weathered, its wooden planks splintered at the edges, but it had the best view of the valley. He sat down, dropping his sketchbook and pencils beside him, and took a deep breath.
The silence was perfect. For once, no nagging, no lectures, no loud siblings. Just him, the evening breeze, and the stars slowly revealing themselves in the sky.
The crunch of footsteps shattered the quiet.
"Hey, you're on my bench."
Arjun turned, startled. A girl stood a few feet away, her arms crossed and her head tilted slightly. She was about his age, maybe a year older, with short hair tied in a loose ponytail. Her oversized hoodie and faded jeans gave her a casual, almost careless look.
"Your bench?" Arjun asked, his tone skeptical.
"Yeah," she said, stepping closer. "I sit here every summer. It's kind of my spot."
Arjun smirked, leaning back against the bench. "Well, I don't see your name on it."
The girl sighed dramatically and sat down on the other end of the bench, shaking her head. "Fine. But don't think this means I'm giving it up."
"Didn't ask you to," Arjun said, picking up his sketchbook.
For a while, neither spoke. Arjun went back to sketching, his pencil scratching lightly against the paper. He could feel her watching him, though, her gaze flicking from his face to the book in his lap.
"What are you drawing?" she finally asked.
Arjun paused but didn't look up. "The valley."
"That's it? Just the valley?"
"What else am I supposed to draw?" he replied, glancing at her.
She shrugged. "I don't know. Something... interesting? Maybe the stars?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Can't really draw stars in the dark."
She grinned. "Fair point." Leaning back, she stretched her legs out and gazed at the sky. "I love this spot. It's quiet. Feels like the world doesn't exist here."
Arjun didn't respond, but he understood what she meant. It was the reason he'd been drawn to this place too.
"I'm Naina, by the way," she said after a moment, breaking the silence.
"Arjun."
"Nice to meet you, Arjun," she said with a teasing smile. "Even if you're a bench thief."
"Nice to meet you too," he said, his tone flat, though he couldn't help the faint smirk tugging at his lips.
For the next hour, they sat in companionable silence, interrupted only by the occasional comment from Naina. She talked about the stars, the way the valley looked like a painting, and how she came here every summer with her mom. Arjun mostly listened, sketching quietly as her voice became part of the atmosphere.
Eventually, she stood, brushing dirt off her jeans. "Same time tomorrow?"
Arjun looked up, surprised. "What?"
She pointed to the bench. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. This is my spot, remember?"
Before he could respond, she turned and walked down the trail, disappearing into the trees. Arjun stared after her, then shook his head. He hadn't asked for company, but he had a feeling Naina wasn't the kind of person who waited for an invitation.
Looking back at his sketchbook, he realized he'd drawn not just the valley, but the outline of a girl sitting on a bench.
--END--