"Chuck, vroom us away," Ember smiled and Rhea laughed "Vroom, such a funny word," Ember laughed with her as Chuck drove. Rhea looked outside the window, wondering where he was taking her when slowly, she began recognising the streets and before words could reach her mouth, they were already before the painting shop. It was closed that evening and only a single streetlight was lighting a patch of the street.

"Fireflies again?" Rhea asked as she got down. Ember turned off the streetlight and it turned pitch black. He took Rhea's hand and walked into the forest. "I can't see anything, what if we run into a snake?"
"Yeah, we have anacondas here," He laughed, "It's not the Amazon, Rhea,"

They walked to the centre of the forest and Ember finally stopped. He turned towards Rhea,
"Happy sweet sixteen, Rhea" He smiled and clipped his fingers. Slowly, the entire forest lit up with Persian blue lights and blue butterflies. She could see that the ground beneath her was covered with blue flowers. She knelt down, "This is so beautiful, you did all this for me?"

"Yes!" He smiled. 
Damn, he must really like me, she thought. Why else would he go through such lengths for her.
"Feeling inspired yet?" He asked.
She looked at him, "You just did this to inspire me?" 

"Everything I do is to inspire you,"
She looked down, her heartbeat falling, the euphoria slowly fading away, "But why?"
"What do you mean?" His smile faded away.
"Why can't you just do things...for me? Why is it always for art?" She asked, "What am I to you? Just an artist," She looked up at his face, "What is this relationship?"

He seemed confused, "I thought...You liked it, maybe?"
"I did," She said, "But it seems I...

I like you more,"

His cheeks turned pink, "What do you mean?"
"That I like it when you smile for no reason, not because it inspires me... but because I-..." She looked at his face, her heart was about to jump out of her chest, her face went red and she grabbed his hand, his face turned red next, she could feel his pulse grow, she squeezed his hand softly, "I-..."

I love you!

He looked at her lips, "You?"
"I-I've got something for you too" She rolled down a silver ring into his palms, "What is this?" He chuckled. Rhea was already wearing a similar one into her index finger. Ember's ring read '♡FOREL'. 
"Forel? A book case?" He looked at her and then at her ring. Rhea's ring read 'SKET♡'.

"Sket? A careless girl, yeah that's you. But how am I a bookcase?"
"Look at this,"
She pressed their hands together, and the rings together read '♡FORELSKET♡'

"...I remember teaching this word to you, you remembered?" Ember asked.
"Of course, I did. It has a beautiful meaning," She smiled, "The euphoria you experience when you're first falling in love,"

. . .

Rhea looked at the school bulletin board as other students passed by behind her. The corridors were filled with noises and so was her soul. It was a notice, a moment of dilemma.

"World Paints Art competition Level 1, 20XX.
Venue- South Delhi, India Gate park
Date- 1st March, 20XX Time 12:00 pm,"

"Winners directly get to the international round, where professional artists will judge the competition which will be held at Miami Beach, USA,"

She stared it for a long time. It seemed to take forever but it was happening. It was time to test herself. A test she felt she wasn't ready for. She could paint but she wasn't strong enough to participate in such a huge competition. What if she messed up and embarrassed herself? But, Ember would be happy if she participated. She couldn't choose; should she listen to her mind or her heart? She held her bag and walked into the noisy halls. The corridors were lit with a striking blaze of the afternoon sun.

After that, Rhea caught a cold and couldn't attend the school or the crash course centre for many days. Ember didn't come either because of his physical therapy, he walked between two bars, gently pressing his hands over them, "This is easy~" He laughed, "Does it mean I'm fine now,"
"Well, your tests are all normal,"

"But I don't feel hungry and my vision seems to go bad too," Ember explained the doctor.
"How is that possible. All your tests are completely normal,"
"But then, why this pain?"
"We don't know,"

Loraine looked at them, "We're back to square one," He told Maple.
"Maybe it's something psychological," Maple shrugged.
"But Jack said it isn't," Loraine looked at Ember, "Just what the hell is...Wrong with him. I want to help but I-..." He clenched his fist, "I feel so powerless,"
"Everything will be fine, Loraine. You know what they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And you know he's tough,"

"But for how long?" 

After a week, both Rhea and Ember came to the crash course centre again. She looked at him, sitting with AJ and Meenu, chatting and laughing. 
'I disappeared, and you didn't bother calling...
Why are you so cruel?

Sometimes," She walked towards him, "It feels like you almost like me too, but then sometimes, it feels like you don't care about me,"

He looked at her, "Hey Rhea!" 
She smiled, "Hi,"
It's the same routine. They attend the class, they talk and then she paddles back home with him on his back. Ember berries his face into his blue muffler and rubs his hands together, "It's really cold this year, isn't it?" He asked, "I'm looking forward to Christmas,"

"Ember," Rhea whispered.
"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath to appreciate his presence around him. His scent, his warmth on her back, his heartbeat. She looked down at the moving road beneath her, but it wasn't the road that was moving, it was her, "So, there's this painting competition coming up four months from now,"

"That's amazing. You're in?" Ember asked.
"I guess I am"
"I'll be there to see you,"
"Really?" She felt elated, "I'll be happy if you do. There are three rounds before the final one. One in December, January and February. Those who qualify them will reach the finals in March,"

"Oh, you'll do it easily. I know you will," Ember smiled and suddenly saw dark holes forming in his vision. He rubbed his eyes as to clear them away and they were gone, he was confused for a bit but quickly shook it off. "By the way, what are you gonna paint? What's the theme?" Ember asked.

"It's a really weird one so it's gotten me confused as to exactly what I should draw,"
"What is it called?"
"It's called 'Can't I Touch Your Heart?'"

"...That indeed is a weird one,"
"Right? What the hell should I draw?"
"Maybe something that has touched your heart?"

'Has something ever touched my heart though?'

The next day, Rhea filled the online registration form on Ember's phone while he sat beside her. She looked at him and he smiled, "Scared of what's coming?"
She looked back into his phone and submitted the form "There's no going back now, so no, I'm not scared," 

"I love how your eyes glow when you have your little brave moments,"
"There's nothing brave in this, I'm not defeating an army by myself,"
"But you are fighting your fears,"

She looked away, "You know yours are much more beautiful, they are blue. I want your blue eyes, not brown eyes,"

"My eyes are blue," He looked at the sky, "And yours are brown
Mine represents the ocean, the skies and life above
Yours represent the ground, chocolates and treasures unheard
My eyes carry the majestic storms and the rage of the seas
But your eyes carry the Earth, without which I cease to exist
So don't say you want blue eyes when your eyes reign queen," He looked at her, "And hold all the riches that I've ever seen,"

She looked at him, "Honestly, 
You make things seem so simple, I don't know what I'd do without you,"
"Hmm, probably cry a day or two, 

But then you'll be fine,
Everyone gets used to the way things are,
Whether they want to or not,"

-To be continued

Can't I Touch Your Heart?
Teach Me The Art of Living