Chapter 2: The Silence and the Storm

Chapter 2: The Silence and the Storm

The next morning, Rick woke up earlier than usual. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, replaying the previous day's events over and over. He had barely slept, tossing and turning, wondering how he would face Miki. But he had made up his mind—he would apologize. No matter how awkward or painful it was, he owed her that much.

He reached the classroom early, his heart pounding as he sat in his usual seat. The room was empty, save for a few students scattered here and there, quietly chatting or reviewing notes. Rick kept glancing at the door, waiting for Miki to arrive. Minutes felt like hours.

Finally, she walked in. Her expression was calm, almost indifferent, as if nothing had happened the day before. Rick's stomach churned. He took a deep breath and stood up, walking over to her.

"Miki," he said softly, his voice trembling. "Can we talk?"

She didn't even look at him. "I'm busy, Rick," she replied curtly, pulling out her notebook and flipping through the pages.

Rick felt a lump in his throat. He had expected anger, sadness, even awkwardness—but not this cold indifference. It hurt more than he had imagined.

"I just… I wanted to say I'm sorry," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "For yesterday. I shouldn't have laughed. I was just… shocked, and I didn't know how to react. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Miki finally looked up, but her eyes were distant, unreadable. "It's fine, Rick. Let's just forget it, okay?"

Rick nodded, but he couldn't let it go just yet. "I… I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore. But if you ever change your mind, I'm here. I won't force it, though. I just… I just wanted you to know that."

Miki didn't respond. She simply turned back to her notebook, her pen moving across the page as if he weren't even there. Rick stood there for a moment, feeling the weight of her silence pressing down on him. Finally, he walked back to his seat, his heart heavy.

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks into a month. Rick and Miki didn't speak a single word to each other. In class, they sat as far apart as possible, avoiding eye contact. Rick tried to focus on his studies, throwing himself into his books and assignments, but the guilt and sadness never left him. He replayed the conversation in his head constantly, wondering if he could have said or done something differently.

The final day of the 4th semester arrived. Rick sat in the classroom, staring at the clock as the minutes ticked by. The semester was over, and soon they would be in their 3rd year. He glanced at Miki, who was chatting with Rose and a few other classmates. She seemed happy, carefree—completely unaffected by his presence. Rick sighed and packed up his bag, feeling more alone than ever.

-

Two days later, the 5th semester began. The campus was buzzing with excitement as students returned from their break, ready to start the new academic year. Rick walked into the classroom, hoping for a fresh start. But Miki's cold shoulder hadn't changed. She didn't even glance in his direction.

That afternoon, as Rick was leaving the campus, he overheard a group of students talking in hushed tones. Their voices were tense, their faces pale.

"Did you hear about the train accident?" one of them said.

"Yeah, it's all over the news," another replied. "The train to Ujjain derailed and fell off a hill. They say no one survived."

Rick stopped in his tracks, his curiosity piqued. He pulled out his phone and searched for the news. The headlines were grim: **"Train to Ujjain Derails, No Survivors Found."**

The article detailed how the train had mysteriously gone off the tracks and plunged down a steep hill. Rescue teams had searched the wreckage, but no bodies had been found. It was as if everyone on board had vanished into thin air before the train exploded. The government had declared it a tragic accident and announced that all passengers were presumed dead.

Rick felt a chill run down his spine. The news was unsettling, but it didn't seem to have any direct connection to him or Miki. Still, the mystery of the accident lingered in his mind. How could an entire train full of people just disappear? It didn't make sense.

Over the next few days, rumors began to spread across the campus. Some students claimed the train had been cursed, while others speculated about a government cover-up. Theories ranged from supernatural phenomena to secret experiments gone wrong. The accident became the talk of the town, but no one had any real answers.

Rick tried to push the incident out of his mind, focusing on his studies and his own struggles. But every now and then, he would catch himself wondering about the passengers on that train. What had really happened to them? And why had the government been so quick to close the case?

As the days went by, Rick noticed something strange. Miki seemed… different. She was quieter than usual, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a distant, almost haunted expression. Rick wondered if the accident had affected her in some way, but he didn't dare ask. Their silence had become a wall between them, and he didn't know how to break it.

One evening, as Rick sat alone in his room, his phone buzzed. It was an unknown number. His heart leapt as he answered.

"Hello?" he said, his voice trembling.

There was silence on the other end, followed by a faint, distorted voice. "Rick… help me…"

The line went dead.

Rick stared at his phone, his blood running cold. Was that Miki's voice? Or was his mind playing tricks on him? He didn't know what to believe anymore.

But one thing was certain—something strange was happening. And whether it was connected to the train accident or not, Rick couldn't shake the feeling that he was being pulled into a mystery far bigger than himself.

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**To be continued...**