He was the other guy. No, not the one who was exchanging stares with the girl. He was sitting at the other table. He was quite glad seeing their little tale unfold in just gazes.

He wasn’t the one who put the ball through the hoop. He was just there by the court. Everybody cried the shooter’s name in unison. And he joined them too.

He was never the one who took walks in the fog. But he did listen when someone narrated conversations they had during those walks.

So, he once told her about the guy who played basketball. Then he told him about her. He was standing by the balcony when they held hands in the Atrium. And his eyes welled up in joy. Then he went inside with slow steps to have lunch with his friends. He always laughed when his friends cracked jokes. In their gossips he somehow remembered experiences he never even had.

But sometimes it rained in the afternoon. Then he’d try to run out to the lawns. But he always ended up by the window and watched those who got wet. Hours later when the rain stopped he got out for strolls. He smiled while passing through the empty part of the road. Sometimes, he sang too. But he was too nervous about being heard.

During one such stroll he saw someone cry. Maybe he was the only one who saw her cry on that night. He didn’t know what to say. So he just asked if I could get her water. But she left because she didn’t know him and it was getting dark. So, he stood there after she had left. Then he cried too.

But he really liked the girl with short hair. He liked that unconventional expression that was always glued to her face. But whenever she was around he always pretended like he didn’t see her at all. So he ended up being sad when he drank, and lonely when he played music.

So one day, he kept the plugs aside and walked out of his room. He quietly slipped into some late night Maggie talk - the ones where everyone told their stories. He didn’t tell his because somebody was always telling theirs. But somehow he was there in all their stories. He was just never the hero. He was always his friend.