# Chapter 3: After the BellAfter what felt like the longest school day in history, Milo finally stepped out into the warm afternoonair. The sounds of chattering students and the distant hum of traffic filled the atmosphere. As hewalked towards his usual spot by the old oak tree, he caught sight of his friends gathered there,already deep in conversation.## The Gathering"Hey, Milo!" called out Jake, a lanky kid with a shock of blue hair, waving him over. "Over here!"Milo grinned and quickened his pace. "Hey, guys! What's up?"Sam, seated on the grass with her sketchbook open, looked up and smiled. "Not much, just trying to
figure out our plan for the weekend. Got any ideas?"Milo plopped down next to them, leaning back against the tree trunk. "Well, there's that vintagemarket downtown," he suggested. "I've heard they've got some cool stuff.""Yeah, and maybe we can find something for our collections," Jake added enthusiastically. "I needmore pins for my jacket."Sam nodded, her eyes lighting up. "And I can sketch some of the scenes. It's always so vibrantthere."## Finding ThemselvesAs they sat there, the conversation shifted to more personal topics. Milo was feeling contemplativetoday, and it seemed like his friends were too."I've been thinking," Milo started, his voice quieter, "about what it means to really be a part of vultureculture."Jake raised an eyebrow. "You mean why we collect things and love old stuff?""Yeah," Milo replied. "It's like... we're trying to connect with something bigger. Like, all these itemshave stories, and we're piecing together a part of ourselves through them."Sam closed her sketchbook thoughtfully. "I get that. It's like we're curators of our own identities. Andmaybe that's why it's so important to us—to figure out who we are."Jake nodded, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by a rare moment of introspection. "I guess it’sabout creating a space where we feel we belong."## Enjoying LifeThe conversation drifted back to lighter topics, filled with laughter and plans for the weekend. As thesun began to set, casting a golden hue over everything, they stayed there, enjoying each other'scompany. "You know, sometimes I think we're just trying to make life a little more interesting," Milo said with asmile. "And I like it that way."Sam chuckled, "We wouldn't have it any other way, right?""Definitely not," Jake agreed. "Here's to vulture culture and figuring things out, one day at a time."As they gathered their things and headed home, Milo felt a sense of contentment. Life was a puzzlehe was still piecing together, but with friends like these, the journey was half the fun.