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I shifted in my seat as a pleasant dream came to my mind. Then in the distance, I could hear someone calling my name. My subconscious braced itself. The next second my forehead got flicked.

I yelped and shot up massaging my temple. I looked up and simply said, "Why?"

"You tell me if you're supposed to be dosing off like that," Manas said with a stern look on his face.

"It's lunchtime..." I began to protest.

"So why aren’t you eating lunch?” he pressed on.

“Manas, nobody wants to have a micromanager in their lives,” I said trying to get him off my back.

“Well, some of us need one, don’t we?”

Dropping my head in defeat, I asked him “Must you have an answer to everything?”

“Trust me, it’s harder than I make it look,”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,”

Manas let out a sigh as he sat down beside me. “How has this month’s issue been coming along?”

“Going good, just need to place the artwork and then send it to the teacher for proofreading,”

“Great, you’re sleeping as well, right?”

I chuckled as I replied, “Yes, yes I am.”

“I’m sorry to be forcing so much work on you,”

“I know, you tell me every chance you get.”

“Yeah, it’s just that… without him… I feel like the whole process has been skewed.”

“Yeah, he did find ways to keep this entertaining…”

“Well, I just wanted to check in with you. I need to head over to the staff office to ask about the junior magazine submissions.”

“Sure, see you later.”

As he left, I took out my lunch and began eating. After lunch, classes resumed, and my mental fatigue started to weigh down on me as the classes drove on.

The school bell tolls at the end of the day. I welcomed it with a sigh- a sigh, not a yawn- as I threw whatever stationery and books left on my table into my bag. Friend groups were reuniting for the last time of the day before they would have to leave for home. Looking at the door, I saw the photography club picking on Valencia, before they too went to leave. I was picking up my bag when someone tapped my shoulder. I looked around and then froze on the spot.

“Hi, you’re Daniel, right?” Melinda, the second class’ representative asked me.

“Uh… I… Yes, yes I am.” I replied.

“You’re a member of the editorial committee?”

“Yeah, I’m in charge of the magazine’s design.”

“Do you know where Manas went to?”

“Uh… I…” I strained to remember, where does Manas go at the end of the day?

“Right behind you, what is it, Melinda?” Manas appeared through the door.

Melinda spun around. “Oh, where’d you disappear to?”

The two continued their conversation. I remained there listening. As Melinda left, my eyes followed her. Then suddenly, I felt a whack on my head.

“Alright buddy, back to Earth,” He said stifling laughter.

“I am the most down-to-earth person you know, why would you tell me that?” I replied.

“Eh, I could almost see the rainbows in your eyes, so you sure about that?”

I pounced onto him and after a small bit of scuffling, he apologized. “So, you do see other people in this world, she’s a nice person too, I like her.”

“Eh, what?” I said looking alarmed.

“Hmm?” He turned to me and looking at my expression he chuckled and said “Oh no, I say that as your future best man, not as a rival.”

“Ah, so then… What about you?” I asked him.

“Me? Oh no, no, no.”

“Why not? It’s only fair.”

“You wouldn’t let me hear the end of it,”

“And you will for me?”

“No, of course not.”

I shook my head admitting defeat and smiling. “Sam taught you well on how to get the last laugh, didn’t he?”

He looked back grinning at me, “Yes, yes he did.”