A few days later, the school made an exciting announcement.
There would be a one-day tour to a nearby zoo and dam.
The entire class buzzed with excitement as names were being collected.
Without thinking much, Riya quickly gave her name.
But deep inside, she had only one thought.
Will Lakshith come?
Fate, however, had something else planned.
One afternoon, while playing football during the break, Lakshith
slipped and fell badly.
He injured his knee, and the wound was serious enough that he couldn't even walk properly.
He took leave for the next two days.
Riya felt uneasy.
When he finally returned after the short break, she gathered a little courage and asked him, "Will you come for the tour?"
Lakshith sighed lightly. "I want to… but my parents said I can go only if my wound heals."
Riya nodded softly. "Take care,"
she said before walking away.
The night before the trip, she still wasn't sure if he would come.
On the day of the tour, students gathered near the school early in the morning.
Bags, snacks, water bottles—everything was ready.
Riya looked around anxiously.
And then—
Lakshith appeared.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
He came.
A small smile formed on her lips without her realizing it.
Soon, everyone boarded the bus.
Riya wanted to sit near him, like she usually did in class.
But the teacher had already made strict arrangements.
"Boys in the front, girls at the back," the teacher announced.
Lakshith ended up sitting in
the front rows.
Riya sat at the very back.
She sighed quietly.
As the bus started moving, loud songs began to play.
Students started singing, clapping, and enjoying the ride.
The whole bus was filled with energy.
Even though she was far from him, Riya kept glancing toward the front, trying to catch a glimpse of him between the seats.
After a long ride, they reached the dam around 12:30 p.m.
Everyone quickly settled
down for lunch.
After eating, the class began walking toward the top of the dam to enjoy the view.
The sun was harsh, and the climb made everyone tired.
By the time they reached the top, most of them were exhausted.
Riya bought a small ice candy and stood to the side, enjoying the slight relief from the heat.
Just then, the teacher called out, "Everyone, come and see the view!"
Riya quickly looked around.
Lakshith was standing near the edge, looking out.
Without thinking much, she ran and stood beside him.
Lakshith glanced at her, surprised. "Why did you come here?"
Riya tried to sound normal. "Ma'am sent me."
He nodded slightly and turned back toward the view.
Both of them stood there quietly.
The vast stretch of water below shimmered under the sunlight, and the wind blew gently across the dam.
But Riya wasn't really
looking at the view.
She was looking at him.
"The view was beautiful isn't it riya??"
"Yeah it was beautiful indeed"
She said looking at him.
The way his hair moved slightly in the wind, the way he stood calmly—it all felt strangely important to her.
For a moment, everything felt still.
Just the two of them, standing side by side.
After a while, the group
started heading back.
The rest of the day passed quickly, and soon they returned to school.
Parents began arriving one by one to pick up their children.
Riya stood near the gate, waiting.
As she looked around, her mind replayed the moment at the dam again and again.
It wasn't anything special.
They hadn't even spoken much.
But somehow… it meant
everything to her.
And as she left the school that evening, Riya carried that small memory with her—like something precious she didn't want to forget.