Day 232 — Sunday — 11:30 PM
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I lay on my bed, staring at the stars through the rooftop, my fingers gently holding a two-sided photo frame. On the left side, dry hibiscus petals were carefully pressed behind the glass. On the right, an old KitKat wrapper — faded, but still bright with memories.
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That frame held more than just things.
It held her.
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Her name was Valli.
Back in school, the moment I saw her for the first time… something clicked inside me. Her eyes, her voice, the way she smiled, the way she tied her hair — everything felt perfect. I remember whispering to myself, She is the one.
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Over time, we started talking more, and eventually became close friends. She wasn’t just beautiful — she was kind, thoughtful, and full of life. When she came to my birthday party, even my parents liked her. She just fit into my world so easily.
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But still… I never told her how I truly felt.
Every time I wanted to confess, something inside stopped me. Maybe fear. Maybe doubt. Even Ajay, my best friend, told me to wait until after the big SPM exams.
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Time passed.
After getting our results, we started moving toward our careers. I chose mechanical engineering. She followed in her mother’s footsteps — nursing. Even then, we still met often. Until one day, we received an invitation from school:
A reunion for former students during Sports Day.
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The night before the event, Valli and I were on a video call. She told me she would soon be leaving for Johor to continue her studies. That same day, Ajay told me:
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> “Machan, this is your chance. Tell her tomorrow. Don't let this go.”
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I don’t know what came over me. But right there, on that call, I told her…
I love you.
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She froze.
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She didn’t speak for a moment.
I could see the thoughts racing through her eyes. Then she said:
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> “Tomorrow. At school. I’ll give you my answer.”
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And she ended the call.
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That night, I couldn’t sleep. My heart was in chaos. What would she say? What if I ruined our friendship?
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The next morning, I got ready early. Wore my best shirt. On the way to school, I plucked a hibiscus flower — her favourite. Bought a KitKat chocolate — her weakness. I wanted everything to be just right.
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I reached early with Ajay and told him everything. He smiled and said:
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> “Relax, da. This is your moment.”
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I sat under the old tree near our school bench — the place where we always hung out after class. I waited.
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And then… it happened.
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From a distance, I saw three guys walking toward me. Something was off — their walk was stiff, heads twitching, faces red, eyes green. It looked like some prank — maybe the juniors were trying to scare us. I even smiled. I thought it was all just a joke.
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Then I heard Ajay scream:
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> “Machan! Those are real zombies da... RUN!”
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He hit one of them with a hockey stick and threw me another. My heart dropped. I looked toward the school gate — Valli hadn’t arrived yet. If she had… I would've seen her.
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We managed to escape — a few students, a couple of teachers, and even the old gardener. That day changed everything.
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And now, I’m here. At U-Zone. Still alive. Still holding onto that moment.
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Just then, Ajay burst into my room.
He had been searching for me. I had left the conversation with Mr. Amar without telling anyone.
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I told him about the photo Mr. Amar showed.
He stared for a moment, silent.
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Then he turned around and said,
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> “We’ll talk tomorrow. For now, get some rest.”
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He closed the door gently.
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I sat alone, heart heavy. I opened my old treasure — a plastic Magic 8 Ball. A gift from my grandfather before he passed. He told me:
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> “Whenever you don’t know what to do, shake this ball. Whatever answer you get… it’s from me.”
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So I closed my eyes, thought of him, and gave the ball a shake.
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The answer slowly appeared:
“Follow your heart.”
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And that’s when I made my decision.
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I’m going to find her.
I’m going to find Valli.
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