The good-byes were said, tearfully and each hug warmer than the previous. It would be the last time we would be seeing some of them and the rest we would be seeing only after a long time. They had played with us, cried with us, laughed with us, wet their pants with us and today they wet their eyes for us as we did for them.
There was something about it, when you realised the human worth of that irritating, show-off whom you always ticked-off and fought with everyday. You could look the deadly teacher in the eye, as her eye just like yours, is moist, softened by the tears. Tears of sadness, that we have to say goodbye. Tears of joy, that we've grown up so far. All the fun would be missed, all the memories would be treasured. Hopefully a million to one co-incidence finds you and your old classmate neighbours in a far-off land. Till then, we have only the memories to live on.
Everyone said bye to everyone, memories re-lived, times looked back upon. It was sad, but we were moving on.
Now, two days hence, I've already met five off them, spoken to three more and hardly thought of it, immersed as I was in preparation for the exams. But while correspondence maybe temporary, Memories are forever.
And boy, will I ever forget that day? Exams dangerously close but beyond the horizon in our minds, filled as they were with friends and foes alike.