บท 29: Feeling sick

It was six in the morning, and Adam's alarm buzzed beside him, breaking the silence of dawn.

He reached over, turning it off with a drowsy hand, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light of his room.

Just then, the familiar voice of Pratham, his AI companion, filled the air. "Sir, your morning routine has begun."

Adam sat up, stretching briefly as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Pratham's punctual reminder had become a comfort in his life, a steady routine that kept him on track.

His family, too, was now accustomed to seeing him awake and ready at the crack of dawn, a habit they had come to admire silently.

He got out of bed and, after some quick stretches, moved through his routine with practiced ease.

Soon, he was dressed, feeling more awake and focused, and stepped out for his usual morning walk.

The fresh air of the park reinvigorated him, and he completed his exercises with a quiet dedication.

By the time he returned home, he was ready for the day ahead.

After a shower and breakfast, Adam greeted his parents, waving goodbye as he stepped outside and made his way toward school.

But as he walked, a thought crossed his mind, and he glanced at Pratham's avatar interface in his phone. "Pratham," he began, a slight hint of curiosity in his voice, "has there been any message from Ani?"

Pratham paused for a brief moment before replying, "Lord Adam, there has been no message from Miss Ani."

Adam's brow furrowed slightly. This was unusual. ' Ani always reached out in the mornings. Had something happened? Was she upset with him for some reason?' The thought lingered, an unsettling question stirring in his mind.

Just as he was lost in these thoughts, Pratham's voice came through again, a note of concern lacing his tone. "My Lord, it's customary for Miss Ani to be outside her house by this time, yet she has not left her home."

Adam stopped in his tracks, his mind now fully alert. "That's strange," he thought, "she's usually on time, if not early. Could something be wrong?"

The unsettling feeling gnawed at him as he walked, and he couldn't shake the thought that something wasn't right.

Pratham's voice echoed in his mind, "Why don't you message her directly and see if everything is alright?"

Adam took out his phone, his fingers hovering over the screen as he typed a quick message, "Ani, where have you reached?"

He continued his slow walk, glancing at his phone every few seconds, waiting for her reply.

But there was nothing—no response, no indication that she had even seen the message.

The worry began to deepen, and Adam stopped mid-step, his jaw tightening slightly.

He looked to Pratham. "Pratham, can you hack into her phone and see if you can locate her?"

Pratham's reply was swift yet filled with hesitance. "My Lord, I tried, but her phone isn't connected to the network. It appears to be switched off."

A brief frustration flickered in Adam's eyes. "And you couldn't have told me this sooner?"

"I only checked once you asked, my Lord," Pratham replied, his tone respectful yet subtly apologetic.

Adam sighed, slipping his phone back into his pocket. His concern for Ani deepened with each passing moment. What could have happened?

Just then, he spotted Leo and Susan walking together down the road toward him. Leo, with his tall, athletic build and tousled orange hair, flashed a bright smile, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he noticed Adam approaching.

"Well, look who's up early today!" Adam remarked, raising an eyebrow at the pair. "You two seem to be enjoying each other's company a lot this morning."

Susan, a petite girl with strikingly intelligent eyes, smiled warmly at Adam. "Good to see you, Adam. How've you been?"

Adam raised a thumb in a cheerful response. "Doing well!"

Leo leaned in with a conspiratorial grin. "I wanted to show Susan something special today, so we met a bit early."

He winked at Adam, clearly hoping Adam might encourage him to spend more time alone with Susan. However, what Leo didn't realize was that Monika wasn't with Adam today and most likely wouldn't be coming to school.

As Adam continued his journey alone to school, he couldn't shake the sense of emptiness that lingered beside him in Ani's absence.

The path he walked daily felt longer, quieter, without her lively presence by his side. Ani was always the first to greet him, always full of energy and positivity. He couldn't help but miss her warmth and liveliness.

Throughout the walk, his mind was filled with thoughts of her.

He found himself repeatedly glancing at Pratham's interface, hoping for an update.

Noticing the pattern, Pratham decided to take the initiative, updating him every few minutes. "Lord Adam, Miss Ani has not yet left her home," he would say, each time reminding Adam of her absence.

At last, Adam reached the school. As he walked through the gates, he was greeted by his friends Eric and Cole, who exchanged a few light-hearted words with him as they headed to class.

Yet, Adam's gaze was drawn to each passing student, hoping he might spot Ani. He entered the classroom, his eyes scanning the seats instinctively, a small hope blooming that she might be there, waiting.

But Ani's seat was empty. Adam's heart sank a little as reality set in. She wasn't there.

As he sat down, Pratham's voice cut through the silence once more. "Lord Adam, Miss Ani's phone has just been switched on. You've received a message."

Caught up in a conversation with Eric and Cole, Adam couldn't take out his phone immediately. Instead, he quietly instructed Pratham, "Read it to me, Pratham."

Pratham's voice softened as he recited Ani's message: "Sorry, Adam. I overslept. I'm feeling a bit under the weather today, so I won't be able to make it to school. Don't wait for me; you go on ahead."

A sense of relief washed over Adam as he listened to her message, but it was quickly replaced by a gentle worry.

She was unwell. He thought back to yesterday and wondered if perhaps the exertions of the day had worn her out.

"Lord Adam," Pratham interrupted, "I've taken the liberty of replying to Miss Ani, suggesting she take care of herself."

Adam smiled, a hint of pride in his AI's initiative and foresight. "And what did she say in response?" he asked, curiosity piqued.

Pratham read out Ani's reply. "She asked if you've reached school yet."

A surprised smile touched Adam's lips. She was still thinking of him, even while sick. It was endearing.

He took a moment to consider his response, then turned to Pratham. "Send her a voice message, exactly as I say."

Pratham responded immediately, "Whenever you're ready, my Lord. I'll record and send it right away."

Adam covered his mouth subtly, ensuring his voice remained private. In a soft, caring tone, he spoke, "Ani, please rest well. I know you've been taking on a lot lately, and you need to take it easy. Don't worry about anything. Just focus on getting better."

Pratham, with quiet efficiency, sent the voice message.

---

Meanwhile, the scene shifted to Ani's room. Soft pink walls framed the cozy space, adorned with an assortment of plush toys and decorations in hues of pink and blue, each carefully arranged around her bed and shelves.

Ani lay on her bed, a light, cooling cloth resting on her forehead, her usually vibrant eyes dulled with fatigue, with faint dark circles hinting at her exhaustion.

She was bundled in her pajamas, her hair loosely tied back as she sniffled occasionally, battling a relentless cold.

In her hand, she held her phone, fingers tracing its edges absentmindedly.

Just a short while ago, she had remembered that Adam would be waiting for her at the Futaba station, just as he did every morning.

The thought had jolted her awake, and she had hurriedly reached for her phone, only to find Adam's message waiting for her.

A soft smile tugged at her lips as she read his message. Even as the aches in her body reminded her of her illness, her heart warmed, thinking of him.

Without hesitation, she quickly sent a reply. Only moments later, another message notification popped up, and she saw it was a voice note from Adam.

She pressed play, listening as his familiar voice filled the room. His words were gentle and sincere, urging her to rest and take care of herself.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, and she pulled the covers up over her head, hiding her smile as she listened to his message on repeat, savoring the warmth in his tone.

After a few moments, she gathered the courage to record her own reply, her voice soft and slightly shaky as she whispered, "Don't worry about me, Adam. I'm just resting today. I'll be back at school tomorrow, I promise."

She hit send, a flutter of excitement in her chest as she imagined him hearing her message.

Almost instantly, a final message arrived from Adam, simple yet heartfelt: "Get well soon."

Ani hugged her phone to her chest, cherishing the small, meaningful exchange as she drifted off, lost in the memories of their time spent together. Those moments filled her dreams as she drifted

To be connected.....