I sat on the edge of my balcony, gazing at the beautiful sky, feeling the soft breeze brushing my cheeks. I aimed for a proper projectile and left the paper plane to glide.
3 years later....
I rush to the bus , and climb in when Ms Rochelle says that the bus is full and I have to board the other bus. I frown. All my friends were in this bus and I had just lost the first chance to make this vacation perfect.
So I take my chances to get bored in the journey and climb into the other one.My hand creeps into my sling bag. I stand there nervous. Not because I didn't have friends there, but because only one last seat was left.
It was beside Jaden Kram and he is such a fidgety idiot. I gather all my courage left in me and walk up to the seat. Fine, if I had to travel in the vehicle of eternal boredom, I would need the window seat. The zest outside is always fascinating.

"Please shift Jaden." I say softly.
"Well, look who is here, Rivana Cruisals everybody! So what do want missy?"
"Shift please. I would need the window seat."
"Why, this seat too big for ya?"
You know those crazy assholes we have in every story, who hangs out with a gang of few 'too cool' fellas? Jaden was one of them.
"No, this seat too good for ya, as you get to be with your friends, and have access to every single person on the other side. I, on the other hand have no intentions to break the connection, just a peaceful window seat. Care to find logic in my words mister?"
"Fair point made but I don't want to give the window seat. I wish to have both." He slides his bag on the seat.
"The seat's too small for your big ass I suppose." I was boiling with anger now.
He is trying to come up with a rebellious line when due to a sudden jerk I almost fall over him while he grips his rough fingers on my body. The bus starts.
Every one else was enjoying the show. "Ouch bud, you ok, or she squashed you?" Drake says from the other end. I have a good will of screaming at every1 but I ain't a coward. I wriggle out of his grip onto the window seat and wink.
"Sometimes you got to have tactics get your way." The bus fills up with hoots and claps, half as the bus has finally departed, and rest hooting on my statement.
Amongst all the decibels booming in the bus I glimpse at Jaden while getting comfy on my seat. He looks odd, different. His eyes are soft and humble, but his smile is not affected.

I quietly take it out of my sling, my poem diary. The one thing that never fails to please me or calm me down on reading. I made diary from scratch when I was in 4th grade. I stitched the pages, personalised them by making a unique sign. It's a sign I made when I was in third. Later on I decided to give it a meaning. I kept it a secret, but I just happen to love it. I made the cover with strong cardboard embedding my sign beautifully on it. The finished product was a sky blue,with a tinch of marine colour, covered diary of white soft but strong pages. From then on I always keep it close to me. It's either in my pocket or in my bag.

The personalising part is I write poems in the diary, and fly a copy as paper planes into the air. The paper planes have my sign drawn at the edge. I never cared where they went. I flew my first paper plane of love in 8th grade. To me love was not just a feeling felt for another person but the urge in me to write poems from the roots of my heart to keep myself motivated. My hand finds the diary in the bag. I don't take it out. My hand stays in with it as I watch the beautiful scenario outside. Then I hear a whisper.
It takes me a few minutes to realise it was a 'sorry' . My angular vision sees Jaden whispering the words to me. I go into shock.
"Did you..did you just say sorry?"
"I say my words one time, your responsibility to catch the word you need."
"Nice note, but that rule applies only to a hint provider in the test, not to some one who is trying to apologize."
"K fine, I'm sorry, I wasn't aware the bus was gonna start. I could have hurt you."He says it a little clearly but still softly.
"Who are you? Where is the Jaden I've known over the three years?"
"Lot changed, things happened, this is the new me. Deal with it."
I quiet giggle slipped out my mouth.
"Do you actually need to add the harsh tone to the sweet things you're saying right now?"

He ignores me but a sight a slight curve in the edge of his lips. He twitches a smile. Man, I am really in shock! Jaden has a soft side?! But a question raises in my mind.
"Hey why didn't you apologize louder in the first time then?"
"You really want to make a big issue out of this? We both know how equally they would tease us if I said sorry loudly. Plus I believe that The number of people listening doesn't matter, what's important is how honestly you express your feelings."
I stare at him stunned. He just spoke something I really believed in and this is one of my poems in my diary. I am confused. This doesn't seem real at all!

As we travel Jaden and his friends play spin the twister. It's just spin the bottle except that we couldn't spin the bottle without it falling due to the velocity of the bus. I am offered but I decline. Call me whatever but a kiss is something I prefer really close people giving me. It's a feeling of true love that, not everyone can provide.
Jaden kisses Janet although they were known to mutually like each other only as best friends. Xenon kisses Jason. To spice it up, Mal and Liv force lipstick on their lips facing severe objections from both the boys. When they kiss, Jaden clicks a photo of the sweet couple kissing. The whole bus breaks into fits of laughter.

After three rounds they ditch the game to play enact a phrase. Now this is something for which I would readily join. I am surprised to see how generous this gang has become. Three years before it was just like they were ready to put you on your death bed, if you even slid past them. The girls have become all the more friendly. The boys though still having their teasing sense of humour have shown improvement.

The game starts and Jaden enacts the first phrase. It looks really tough as Jaden thinks for ages before starting. Then he shows it. He enacts a broken heart joined into a heart at one end. Then he shows a small flower blooming inside. I am dumbstruck. The words come out of me instantly.
"A broken heart with still some hope, some day a new bud shall bloom, love again shall show.!"
For a moment everyone looks at me bewildered, and then I receive fits of claps and praises from my team. Every one is highly impressed by my abrupt but brief answer, but Jaden's and my eyes are fixed on each other. HOW DID HE KNOW this?
This symbol is unique, it's mine!

JADEN...
I am stunned. How did she know this. Lost, in my love's world, I enacted the symbol!
It's the only thing I know about the girl I love. Never seen her, talked to her, just knew her through the paper planes. All the paper planes have this symbol. It is special to her and it means what Rivana just said!
How did she know? I search for answers in Rivana's eyes but she gives the same blank expression I am giving her. I can't call it a fluke. No one guesses something like that by fluke. I want to ask but I don't. I wish to find out the other way! I left my search a few years ago, but now I shall resume. Rivana appears to be some clue that I'm going to figure out.
Every one is asleep, even Rivana. She has angled her head towards the window, tightly grasping her bag. I kind of want to search her bag. Seriously, she has been grasping something in it for the whole evening. She lay there looking so cute. I've never seen her from so close till date. I lean my head on the backrest and dream off to sleep.
In the midst of the night a scary dream wakes me up. I don't remember what it is. I look around to find everyone sleeping. Then I turn my head towards right. Rivana's not there! In fact the seat is empty. There's nothing of her. Just a tiny piece of paper. I pick it up to read it. It says 'Enjoy both the seats, birthday boy!' just then it strikes twelve. The bus roars with a happy birthday song. All my friends sing. Even people I never knew chime in. But I am not satisfied. Yes I am impressed with my friends' efforts but I didn't find my dream girl on this birthday yet. But I have got a clue, something's signalling me close to her. I don't know her name or anything but I know the sign she uses. Riv's thoughts again come to my mind. Jason punches me back to now.
"Happy Birthday bud! You turn 18!"
"Shut up and sleep. Birthday cheers in the morning now. Sleep in the night. You guys got a big day tomorrow." Miss Roosevelt announces from the front row. To this, my friends agree. I can guess I am awaiting something tomorrow. I am excited! What are they gonna cook up for my birthday?! The guys n girls size off to sleep. I am again lost in the mystery of Riv's disappearance. I read the note more carefully. Then my eyes fall on the right corner. This gets me baffled. IT IS THE SIGN!! She has it. Now It's quite clear she is my clue. I search for her. She is nowhere.
Then a sudden scary thought comes to my mind. Did she.....suicide or something like that? Don't blame me, you don't get many girls vanishing from a moving bus.
I peer out of the window. The wind is cold. I gaze at the grasslands shimmering under the moonlight when a known voice comes from above my head.
"Hey birthday boy, not sleepy yet."
I jolt my head up to see Riv's head popping out from above the bus, smiling at me.
"Holly hell, Riv what are you doing up there?"
"Having fun with nature. Hey, if you're free come on up. Got a birthday gift ready for you"
I nod and oblige. I got serious questions to be answered by her. So I climb out the window grip the railing and reach the roof of the bus. There's Riv, sitting with a book in her hand. I watch her for some time,as she is jotting down something in the book.
I don't know where to start my questionare so I small talk.
"So what's that in your hand?"
"Oh, nothing just my diary."
"You mean like you write your own?"
"Who makes others write their own diary?"
"I don't know."
"Well, your diary doesn't have to always be just texts. It can be poems about normal things learnt in life too. "
"That sign I enacted, how did you know what it means?"
"Cause it's mine. I made it when I was eight. Well I guess I'm not unique at that since you know it and believe the same thing ."
I GOT IT!! She is my paper plane girl! I give a baffled look at her filled with admiration. The moonlight brightens up her face, her slicks , falling from the side shine grey. She looks just like my dream, I had seen once, in a never ending wait session for the girl. I smile. I collapse beside her leaning on the crest.
"So, can I see it?" I try for hold on the diary, but she swiftly takes it back.
"No. I've already given you too much information about it any way. I never even told about my diary to my friends. You know wayy too much now, more than anyone did or will. Talk about something else"
I adjust myself closer to her. She doesn't seem to notice. I know you from a long time Riv, it's just that I didn't know it WAS you.
"Wait, no one read the poems. Literally no one?"
"No. Well, yes some stranger might have but that's another story."
"The stranger is beside you, from now till forever."I whisper in my mind happily.
"Hey close your eyes." Rivana jumps up and searches her bag.
"Why?"
"Just do it!"
I close my eyes. Then suddenly Riv gives something like a soft, little spongy thing to hold. I oblige quietly.
"3....2....1. Open your eyes."
I sit dumbstruck. It's the break of dawn. The sky filled with a yellow, red, orange and pink hue. The lake passing by shining merry bluish green. The birds are singing. The sun slowly mixing it's beautiful colours to the sky. The bus still in motion adds a sweet beauty to the whole scene.
"WOW!!"
"Now wish for something and blow your candle. "
I see a small cupcake and a candle on it placed in my hand.
I close my eyes and blow the candle wishing for just one thing. In fact just one word, the name of the girl I wished for every birthday, but now I know her true name. "Riv" I whisper.
She ignores that.
Very softly and tenderly she says "Happy Birthday Jaden!"
RIVANA
The busses stop in midway to gain fuel. I see a chance and exchange busses with another fella who kind of was willing to come to this bus. I wink at Jaden before I leave. He just keeps on smiling, like the best thing ever has happened to him Yeah well I can't blame him who ever sees the sky at the break of dawn for the first time, feels the same way. I still love watching it even after a million times. The moment I enter the other bus, I'm given a grand welcome.
"Hey Hey, Riv's here!"
"What's up bud?"
Stephanie embraces me. "We missed ya gal!"
Dave waives forward through the crowd, "so sissy you finally caught up, huh?"
Right, Dave's my brother from another mother. He loves to call me sissy. I hate it sometimes, but with Dave you can't help it. Besides I believe that it doesn't matter by what name do you call a person, it's the love and affection with which you call him or her. Otherwise there's no meaning.
"So what now?"
"You came right now. Your decision."
"You guys tired?"
"Nope"
"Then turn on the music and let's dance."
"Ok, play one direction best song ever."
We dance and sing enjoying ourselves together.
JADEN
"Where the hell were you?" Janet asks angrily. I've been searching for you. I thought you were in the washroom at the fuel station."
" Shut it. Now listen. I have found her!" I exclaim with equal expression of nervousness and excitement.
"It's her! I found her! I found her!" I said repeatedly as Janet holds me firm.
"WHO?"
" Poem girl!"
"Who is it?" Janet seems excited too. She is the only one who knows. I couldn't just come up to the others with this secret. That too she knows because she caught me collecting a paper plane once and ms inquisitive can't stand to not know something.
"You wouldn't believe, but it's Rivana!"
" As in Rivana Cruisals?"
" YES!!!"
" Are you sure?"
" Yea. It has to be. No one gets that sign so quickly unless he or she made it. And she actually did!"
" Hey, ok chill. You are acting like a dog right now and What?" Janet seems to half believe I'm kidding.
"No, dude trust me. It is her. It has to be her. The poem diary, the sign, the divine view, it's her. And even though it's just Riv but I know her better, better than any one I've known any one in my whole life!"
"So what's next? Are you gonna propose to her or something right away?"
" No, are you crazy she'd kill me plus we aren't actually in friendly terms. I would rather just get to spend some time with her."
"Then what now?"
" I don't know. I am just too happy to think right now!"
" Well we can invite them over to your party."
" Then do it! That will be the best birthday gift ever!"
"Okay okay fine!"
Our conversation is interrupted by Xenon.
"What's going on here?"
"Nothing. Let's get out of the bus already. We are there!!" Janet exclaims.
It feels like different all over. I never felt this before. It's fear and assurance mixed. This is surely the best birthday I am ever going to have .
As we get down, I scan the other crowd, if Riv 's there. She seems to be having fun with her friends. Man this is going to be an interesting holiday
RIVANA...
This is amazing! Apparently the best thing ever! As I look at the beach with the light blue, sparkling white ocean waves drowning my feet I am reminded of when I first had come to the beach. I was in sixth grade then. My parents used to call me queen of the ocean. There was no other person who would willingly get tossed around in the waves. However dangerous they were, I would always jump in. My mom was the only person who freaked out watching me do that. Dad knew of all I was gonna handle it.
I breathe in the air feeling it's essence whole heartedly when Cesie pushes me off guard.
" If you are going to get wet it's not going to be this dress."
She is my another mom though we are of the same age. Mom allowed me on this trip only because she was going. Mom thinks Cessie is a boon to me. Well that's quite clear as they speak the same "mom" language all the time.
'Ok "mom" we'll change into swimsuits and then run into the ocean. Ok?'
'Hmm that seems right. Wait I'm coming.'
She leaves with that note to talk to our trip councillor. Lizzie joins me. She is just me with short hair and a different but honestly beautiful face. She's the one I can relate to any time I need.
"So, Crus, how was the journey with those people you like to call horrible insensitive idiots '(Hii)'?
"Well, it was fun for a change! They've really changed. And especially that Jaden! He said sorry. Can you imagine? Jaden! Of all the people in the world, Jaden. He was so nice to me!"
" Sounds interesting. Spill the beans, every single moment."
So, I tell Lizzie about how I got the window seat, how we played games and ofcourse, my one moment when I had a very strong good feeling I didn't experience before. It wasn't alarming though. The time I spent with the guy on the top of the bus was quite good. I never believed that Jaden could change, and so drastically.
Lizzie doesn't say anything. She just smiles a very intriguing kind of smile. She does that when she finds something suspiciously funny. I know what she's going at.
'Shut up, you, it's nothing like that. Yes, it's surprising how we became friends all of a sudden, but it's ok. Happens a lot.'

'Only when something is long awaited honey. Often its just guilt that leads to liking or love. Hmm.'
Before she can investigate further I cut her words. ' Don't you start playing Sherlock Holmes here. It's nothing. Besides all of that only happened because of the view I showed him. That's something he clearly can feel he owes me for.


' Hi, umm Riv , I had a proposal for you and your friends.' Janet says.
'Umm, what exactly?'
' Would you like to join us today? We are having a party for Jade's birthday. You know where we are staying. It would be great to have you and the rest there.'
My eyebrows are high up on my forehead. 'Seriously?'

© Sanjiti