It was late in the morning of the first day of December. Mr Laghari stood outside the bathroom, waiting for Rhea. Rhea looked at her face in the mirror and observed her skin carefully "What the hell! I got a pimple again?" She said to herself "I hate puberty," She sprayed half a bottle of deodorant on herself and walked out of the bathroom.

"Shall we go?" Mr Laghari glared at her. She chuckled nervously and picked up her bag. It was the big day. The first round of World Art completion prelims. She was well prepared. She had all her paintbrushes and paint packed up inside that bag. The canvas would be provided by the organisers themselves. Mr Laghari work was to drive her to India Gate. That's where the competition was to be held, in the green parks.

Rhea sat in the car and looked outside as they drove. She knew what she was going to paint, she had decided it last night. They arrived at the destination and she stepped on the grass. There were so many people around, everyone was arranging their easels and paint.

She felt the anxiety hit her hard. She felt nervous and her mind was in a state of panic. She walked towards the administrative counter where they were distributing the canvas boards. She took her ticket and signed the confirmation papers. Then, she carried the canvas board to one of the stands. She fixed the board on the stand.

She looked into her watch. Fifteen more minutes and the competition would start. They had three hours to complete their painting. She took out the paint from her bag. People began gathering in the audience stairs. Everyone had set their eyes on the participants. She closed her eyes and pressed her arms on her ears.

She only focused on her breath.

'This is for you, Ember,'

She breathed out and opened her eyes. She looked at her glass paintbrush and then looked at the canvas board as she wrapped an apron around her waist. She opened her bottle and filled some water into a bowl. Everyone was being cheered on by their family or friends. She turned and looked at her father. He was looking at her. He wanted her to lose, so that she could give up on painting once and for all. 

"Thank you so much for coming here tonight, everyone. Before we start, remember that it's not always about victory. No matter who loses or wins today, don't ever give up on what makes you happy. You are all artists. You were created to create!" A young man said on a mic, "You may begin now, good luck!"

Rhea pressed the paintbrush on the canvas. Her hands were shaking but she painted nevertheless. It had been ten years since she felt a feeling like this. With the feeling of breathlessness and blood gushing through her veins, she was alive again. A smile slowly covered her face as she painted. The chief guests moved across the site while looking at people's paintings.

At a point, she drifted away from what she had planned to paint. Her hands were moving on their own, the colours seemed to blend in aggressively, time was running like grains of sand sliding through an hourglass. The sky seemed to turn red, her mind was not bound by the rules of space and time anymore, she felt like she was in another universe, where she was alone on a psychedelic feud. Her hands were at work even as she lost her mind. She could have explored more but suddenly she heard sirens and came back to the present. But, she didn't realize the painting was complete. Time was up and everyone was asked to put their paintbrushes aside and paste their tickets behind their boards.

Rhea did the required and signed her board. Then, she submitted it and started washing her paintbrush. She got up and looked at the crowd. Her father wasn't there anymore. She looked around as the people started dispersing.

There was a scent of sweet autumn clematis. She turned aside and found Ember standing afar, among the crowd. She looked into Ember's eyes and he gave her a thumbs up with a smile. She felt like crying. She just wanted to run towards and hug him tightly. It all felt like a fatal adventure. But she could paint again. She could feel again and that feeling was worth all this anxiety. E

She was about to drop everything and run to him when she heard her name. It was her father "Let's go back home, Arorhea," He already had the car out. She looked back and he was gone. Ember was gone. Was he really there? Or was it her imagination again?

She went back home and sat at the window, wondering if she would be able to make it to the next round. What if she failed? All of Ember's hard work would go into vain. Maybe he loses hope in her too, just like her father and then, she'd have to give up on painting. She waited till the evening and finally the results came in, she had cleared the preliminary round. She quickly forwarded the message to Ember.

@Ember☆Helberg
I knew you could do it! Congratulations, Rhea! I'm so happy for you!
Let's work for the next round from tomorrow. Take a nice rest :)

She smiled as she looked at his text. And then forwarded the message to Neel. She lay on her bed and read Ember's text again and again. She wanted to talk to him. She began typing when suddenly Jessica cane into the room. Rhea upturned her phone and Jessica jumped on her.

"Congratulations!" She squealed.
"I only cleared one round,"
"But still, I'm glad you painted,"
"Well, I can even paint even with my eyes closed,"
"Can I see?"
"You don't trust me, huh,"

Rhea took out her drawing book and pressed it on the canvas stand. She closed her eyes and imagined a river flowing through a valley. She started painting and Jessica started laughing. Rhea opened her eyes and saw that it was a mess.

"What the hell happened?" She said to herself. Jessica began laughing loudly "Don't get on cloud nine. 'Paint with my eyes closed' Hell if you can,"
"It happened last time!"
"Yeah right, "
"It'll try again,"

After three failed attempts, Rhea threw the drawing book aside and lay on her bed. She knew she had been fooled by Ember Helberg. He must have helped her while painting and that's why it came out so good. She felt angry and deceived. Next time she'd meet Ember, she'd make sure to give him a piece of her mind.

Ember sat at the window, playing the guitar while Loraine stood before him, with a bowl of oats in his hands and Maple just sat near the window, listening to him play. Loraine had been persuading Ember to eat up because Ember wasn't eating properly. He finished playing and looked at him,

"I'm not hungry,"
"Blowing mind!" Maple clapped.
"It's 'mind blowing'" Loraine corrected him.
"Yeah, but I prefer it the other way round" Maple smiled "Blowing your mind-It can have a dirty interpretation,"
"Ew,"

Loraine and Ember took a sigh and Loraine turned towards Ember.
"Eat,"
"I'm not a kid anymore for you to tell me when to eat,"
"What? Blowing mind! Loraine specially made that for you. Even though he can't cook, so I wouldn't eat it either if I were you,"
"I tasted it, it's good" Loraine glared at Maple and Maple decided to shut up.

"I don't like oats," Ember looked away.
"It's not about your preferences," Loraine brought the spoon in front of Ember's mouth.
"Now eat,"
"No,"
"Maple, say something. You're elder," Loraine looked at Maple.
"Blow-me-..." Maple stopped abruptly and they stared at him as if he were another species altogether.

"I'd rather have oats. Pass that to me," Ember took the bowl from Loraine.
"No, wait! That's not what I meant!"
"You are disgusting," Loraine walked out of the room.
"Trust me, Lorry, I would never cheat on you!" Maple continued babbling as followed him. After Loraine and Maple were gone, Ember smiled as he looked at the oats. He ate half of the bowl but then felt uneasy. His stomach was in mild pain. He decided to upturn the bowl into the dustbin.

He looked at the huge wooden wall clock, with about a metre long pendulum hanging in the halls.
"It's time," He kept the guitar on his bed and wore a black coat. He walked out of his room. Madison met him inside the lift. Ember took the file from him, ready to present the presentation at the meeting that day.

When Loraine and came back to his room, he was gone. Maple told Loraine how busy their father had been keeping him after that incident. It was like he was hurrying up with all the stuff he wanted Ember to do. The reports didn't show anything. They said Ember was fine but he wasn't. Maple walked into the room and clenched his nose with his fingers.
Something stinks!"
"Like what?" Loraine asked.
"I guess it's the oats you made," Maple looked into the dustbin. Loraine looked into the dustbin.

"He does hate oats, huh. But, earlier he used to eat everything you made for him. Even the most disgusting food,"
"How did I realise it so late?" Loraine took a step towards the dustbin, "He doesn't eat. But it's not because he doesn't want to. It's because he can't,"

"But I think he has eaten some of it, it's looking less in quantity," Maple observed and Loraine turned towards him "Where is he?"

-To be continued

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