Chris watched from across the hallway as Rahul blinked at his phone, then looked up with red-rimmed eyes and the faintest smile.
They raided the storage closet between fourth and fifth period. Behind a broken projector and a dusty skeleton named “Mr. Bones,” they found the trophy—wrapped in a faded ‘19’ batch hoodie (the year the school last won nationals). Inside the hoodie pocket: a crumpled note. school days hq cg 19
Senior year. Room 19. The air smelled of chalk dust, overripe bananas in backpacks, and the quiet desperation of final exams. Chris watched from across the hallway as Rahul