Some nights finish once you get back home.
Other nights remain with you after darkness descends.
The streets were deserted after the gathering. Water pooled in the streets, illuminating them and making them appear gilded. Students made their way back home in groups, their voices fading into the silence of the dark night.
Jay was walking along Loid, his hands tucked inside his sweatshirt.
"That was more than I expected."
"You spent half of the time eating."
"And I do not regret a thing."
Loid laughed but Jay responded with a dramatic nod.
"There it goes again."
"What?"
"Your laughter. A few months ago, I would have needed a heart massage to feel it."
Loid rolled his eyes.
"That's an exaggeration."
"I wish it was."
Upon reaching the intersection where their paths split off, Jay stopped.
"You know what tonight proves?"
"What?"
"That you have changed for the better. Not to impress anyone. Just because you are happy."
Loid looked at the wet road.
"Maybe."
Jay smiled.
"See you on Monday, hero."
"I have told you..."
"I know. You are no hero."
He waved and started running away.
Left to his own thoughts, Loid walked on.
The cool breeze carried the scent of rain to him.
His mind wandered back to the evening.
He remembered Charlotte's quiet smile.
He remembered their discussion of childhood.
Remebered how she listened to him.
Remembered those simple words...
I'm glad you came.
No compliments have had the same impact as those 5 words.
As he reached home, it turned out that his grandma was still awake in the sitting room.
"You are late."
"There has been a party."
"And?"
Loid thought for a while.
"...It was good."
His grandma smiled in an understanding way.
"You have been smiling since you have come in."
Loid was embarrassed as he hadn't even realized that he was smiling.
Later on that night, sleep didn't come to him.
Instead of thinking about awkward situations, he was remembering the pleasant ones.
Charlotte laughing.
Charlotte teasing him.
Charlotte telling that she was impressed with how much he had changed.
For the first time, his memories were promising to him.
In another part of the city, Charlotte was standing by her bedroom window watching the last drops of water fall from the roof.
Her elder sister Emily knocked lightly before entering the room.
"So, how was the party?"
Charlotte answered with the words "good."
Emily beamed.
"And what happened next?"
"I spoke with someone," Charlotte announced.
"Oh really?"
Charlotte was unsure about her next statement. "He is not who I thought he would be."
"In what way?"
"He is a good listener."
Emily waited patiently.
"He recalls the little things."
Charlotte turned her face to the window.
"When he speaks, it's full of honesty."
Emily couldn't hide her delight.
"You enjoy talking to him."
Charlotte did not reply but, perhaps, she didn't have to because everything was already clear.
The weeks passed without incident.
And then right by Monday morning the group chat erupted with the party photos.
Jay somehow managed to upload at least six pictures of himself eating.
Aria posted one picture of the soaked garden.
Ava posted one more photo of the calm before storm.
Loid and Charlotte were captured sitting on the bench under the lantern lights, so it took them a moment to realize they had been photographed.
But it didn't take long for Noah to say:
"I had no idea that you two were together" with many laughter emojis to follow.
Loid's heart raced as he kept staring at the screen.
Before he could give it any thought, Charlotte responded without saying much.
Just a smile emoji.
That's all.
The teasing was over for the time being.
Loid reached the school that morning with many people chatting around him about their weekends.
He was thinking it would be strange.
But it was.
"Good morning, Loid."
"Hey there."
"Good to see you last Saturday."
People continued to greet him like everything was in order and natural.
It was… normal.
Charlotte spotted him standing across the hallway.
Their eyes crossed.
Charlotte smiled.
Loid smiled back at her.
Neither of them knew that they were being watched by someone else.
Shaw was standing next to his locker and observing the whole thing.
He looked at Charlotte…
… then at Loid…
… and then again at Charlotte.
For the first time in his life he felt not annoyed.
But threatened.
People like Shaw Donovan would hardly let anyone get away with such a thing.
As the first bell rang in the school, the new week began.
Loid and Charlotte were not aware of the fact that tranquility they experienced at the party would not last for a long time.