"Those who want power and get it live in the terror of losing it. That's why we have to give power to those who do not want it"~ Veronica Roth, Divergent

~'~

Serville, Spain:

"This is very scary," Akane said, sitting on the seat of the plane, adjusting her helmet and her backpack, making sure she had her parachute in it.

Agnes, Jason and Takumi nodded in agreement. They were going to experience sky-diving and jumping off a plane which was 3,500m above sea level was no joke. Jason looked at Agnes who was shivering. After all, she did have a fear of heights.

"It's going to be okay," he smiled at her.

"I know," she nodded. I have you.

"Ready?" the guide questioned. Despite their shivering selves, they nodded.

"Alright. Don't panic. And don't forget to open your parachutes," he continued.

"Roger," they said in unison.

"Come on now," the guide said. Takumi got up first. He had wanted to try this since childhood. He jumped off without hesitation, screaming his lungs out.

"Next?"

Agnes and Jason held hands as they got up.

"GO!"

The both of them jumped. Akane came behind them. Their hearts were pumping so fast that they felt it beating in all parts of their body. The clouds covered their view of each other, the pressure on them was also very high. And yet, somehow they felt light. They felt like someone had given them wings. They felt at ease.

"This is amazing," Agnes said to a flying Jason. He nodded his head, grinning.

"PULL YOUR PARACHUTES YOU LOVE BIRDS! WE ARE IN THE AIR! SAFETY COMES FIRST!" Akane screamed.

Agnes shook her head. She doesn't even spare us in the air!

They pulled their chains. The parachutes fluffed up like a balloon does when filled with helium. The gravity slowly pulled them downwards, and as they descended their faces filled with smiles.

"This was one of the best experiences I have ever had," Agnes said.

"I know, right," they replied.

Their feelings were immeasurable. It was a feeling that an author gets when he sees his first published work. It was a feeling an astronaut would get when he first steps on the moon. It was priceless.

Agnes looked at Jason who was looking up at the sky. She smiled. Because she knew that it was him who had given her strength up there.

~'~

Rioja wine region, Spain:

Rioja was a wine region in Spain. It was made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and Basque. The region was further divided into three zones- Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa.

The four of them looked at the vast, abundant wine region- so colourful and serene. Some parts were deep red, some bright green, some dark and deep and some yellowish green. It looked like a child's drawing book where he fills in colours with joy.

"Rioja has a total of fifty-seven thousand hectares cultivated and yields nearly 250 million litres of wine annually, out of which 85 percent is red," the guide apprised them.

"This is wonderful," Agnes said.

"Just like yourself," Jason smiled, looking at her beautiful face.

"Aren't you both getting tooooo romantic? Jason, be our teacher. Our romantic lives are boring," Akane smirked.

"Hey!," Agnes shouted.

Akane and Takumi burst out laughing.

The guide took them to a warehouse where each of them were given a glass of red wine.

"This is yummy," Takumi said as Akane drank it all.

"Agnes," Jason said, taking the wine glass away. "It's better you don't drink this. You know what happens to you"

"What happens to me?"

"You get all-too-honest about Jason, that's what," Takumi said. Agnes blushed as she remembered the incident in Ireland.

"Shut up," she whispered, embarrassed.

~'~

The four of them stared at the cultivation of the Baja wine region. The Baja wines were deeply coloured and the short coloured grape plants were looking beautiful. They silently looked at them, feeling the wind blow lightly.

"Uh, guys?," Akane whispered. "I have a serious problem"

They looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"I seriously, seriously need to micturate," she said.

"What's that?," Takumi asked, confused.

"WHAT? But there's no w--," Agnes began.

"I know, I know. But please," Akane said, urgency in her voice.

"Fine, come on!," Agnes said, pulling her as they ran. Jason and Takumi ran behind them.

"WHAT IS MIC--", Takumi began.

"JUST SHUT UP BROTHER!"

"NO SERIOUSLY! TELL ME!"

"I SAID SSHHH"

Agnes and Jason burst out laughing.

"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"SIS, WHAT'S--"

"TAKUMI, JUST BE QUIET!"

"I'M YOUR BROTHER--"

"I DIDN'T REALISE!"

Jason and Agnes couldn't control their laughter as they ran through the wine regions.

"YOU BOTH FIND THIS FUNNY?"

"AKANE WILL YOU TELL--"

"NO I WON'T! JUST RUN!"

"YOU'RE SUCH A MEAN SISTER!"

"AND YOU REALISE THAT AFTER 25 YEARS OF OUR LIVES?"

"YES! I DO! WHAT'S THE MEANING?"

Agnes had tears in her eyes and Jason couldn't control either. They were somehow preventing themselves from falling on the floor and laughing.

"I AM IN SUCH A SITUATION AND YOU BOTH ARE LAUGHING! LIKE SERIOUSLY!"

"AKANE, I'M SORRY--"Agnes laughed.

"SIS IF YOU DON'T TELL ME I WON'T LET YOU GO--"

"TAKUMI STOP MAKING THIS WORSE!"

"BUT--"

"JUST SSSHH"

"STOP SUSHING ME!"

They ran as fast as they could. Finally, after fifteen minutes of running, Akane pushed the door of the restroom and slammed it close.

"Oh.. she meant she wanted to use the washroom," Takumi said as realisation struck him.

And that was enough for Agnes and Jason to fall on the floor and burst out in peals of uncontrollable laughter.

~'~

That evening Agnes and Jason sat down together on one of the wine yards between the small grape plants, wiping the tears of laughter that had formulated because of Akane.

"I can't believe this," Agnes said, shaking her head.

"I agree," Jason smiled, his brown eyes boring into Agnes' night sky ones.

The sun set looked beautiful. It was different from the others- the sky was a beautiful homogenous mixture of light blue, white and grape purple. The clouds shined orange, their outline did. The sky looked like a painter's masterpiece where he had tested all the colours in his palate which had worked wonders. The clouds pushed each other and spread, as if playing with each other.

"Tomorrow is their birthday, Jason," Agnes said.

"I know, I remember. Here's what we can do"

"And this too"

They whispered to each other, smiling as they planned how they would make their best friends' birthday special.

"I think this is a great idea," Agnes said.

"I know. I hope they like it."

She nodded as she resumed looking at the sky. "You know Jason," she began. "I always wanted to live each day like it's my last. Death is so unexpected and tomorrow if I die, I don't want to regret that I didn't live to my fullest yesterday when I was alive and breathing. It's not important to live long. What's important is to live big. I might not be famous, but I want to be the one to inspire people"

"You inspire me"

She laughed. "Yeah? By what?"

"By your words. Your actions. Your books. Your thoughts. Most importantly, you yourself inspire me"

She smiled. "Thank you, Jason"

"No, thank you Cherry. You have taught me to live. I guess I've found my soulmate"

She smiled at his pleasing words. How destiny brings the best people into your life was something beyond her comprehension. She was glad there was someone who accepted her insanity, who accepted her thoughts, who accepted her as a whole. She was glad to have Jason.

And as for him, she had taught him to live. Very soon, she would be the reason he would want to live.

~'~