With much to reflect on, the group walked along the street, faint pink and orange hues painted across the sky.
The area was quiet, with just the six of them roaming the streets.

Zee hung back and watched the others make their way back to Ellis' house. From the corner of his eye, Atlas noticed Zee stopping and turned to face her.

"Everything ok?"

Zee nodded.
"Yeah.
I'm just gonna stay here for a bit."

"You don't want to come back to the party?"

"What, and have everyone avoid me like the plague?
No thanks."

Atlas' face softened.
"I didn't know they were doing that."

"I don't blame them", she said.

She looked at Atlas, and saw that he was sad.
He had cocked his head to the side, and was staring at Zee.

Zee scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Stop doing that with your face, Atlas.
I don't need you to feel sorry for me."

"No, I–Zee", he started, placing emphasis on her name.
When she looked at him, he furrowed his eyebrows.
"You know you can be open with me, right?"

Zee turned to look at him, but could only maintain eye contact with him for a couple of seconds, before breaking away.

"There's nothing to say.
I just didn't like the way people were acting around me at the party.
That's all."

Atlas was the kind of person that liked to get to the root of a problem.
He could listen to someone vent for hours, and he'd maintain interest the whole time.
He knew when he was pushing too far though, and in Zee's case, he chose not to push at all.

If she wanted to keep her walls up, then that was ok.
He'd just stand on the other side of them and listen out for her.

Without saying another word, he turned back and looked up at the sunset.
The colours had melted into each other now, and the amber glow of the sun began to bleed out along the horizon.

Zee furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
"You can go back to the party, you know.
I don't need a babysitter."

Atlas didn't respond.
Instead, he smiled as he continued looking at the sky.
There was something about sunsets that brought him peace.
Maybe it was because it was a reminder that another day was coming, and that meant a lot to Atlas.

He feared the time where he'd stop seeing sunsets, because that meant he'd stop seeing those he loved.

Zee inched closer to him—only enough to make their shoulders touch.
Zee gave in to the idea of Atlas staying, and she allowed herself to drink up the sky's beautiful colours.
After a brief moment, she felt the gentlest nudge on her shoulder.
She looked over at Atlas, who was smiling, but still looking at the sky.
She playfully rolled her eyes, and looked down, to hide her smile.

◆◆◆

Aahan opened his front door, the scraping of dishes confusing him. Before he could call out to anyone, Aadit hurried past, with his phone in his hands.

"Aww, you brushed your teeth all by yourself?
Well done!
Go on, show me those sparkling teeth then, Avni."

The little girl on the video call grinned, her small teeth shining.
She giggled when Aadit gasped loudly.

"Haha, silly Daddy!", she giggled.

Aadit laughed.
"Oh, your Dad's silly, is he?"

Aadit noticed Aahan standing behind him and held the phone out to him.

"Here's someone way sillier!
Say hello to your Chacha Aahan!"

Aahan grabbed the phone, a bright smile appearing on his face when he saw his niece.
He waved at her, and she waved back enthusiastically, almost hitting her hand against the wall she was stood beside.

"Hello, Avni!
Are you being a good girl for your Mum?"

"Yeah!"

"Of course you are!
My Avni is always a good girl", he grinned.
"Are you missing your Dad?"

Avni nodded.
"Yeah.
But we're coming to see him soon! Mummy said we're all coming."

"That's right, you and your cousins are coming here!
I get to give you all the hugs you want!"

Avni cheered.
"Yay!
  Yay!"

Aahan laughed.
"Right, well, I've got to go now Avni, so I'll give the phone back to your Dad. Sleep well, Av."

"Good night, Chacha Aahan!"

Aahan handed Aadit's phone back to him, and his older brother patted his back.
He made his way to the kitchen, his stomach rumbling loudly.

"Maaji, why are you doing the dishes?"

"Oh!
Aahan, you're back.
We finished eating a while ago so I'm the cleaning kitchen now", she replied.

"Oh... you ate without me?"

"You were at the school."

"You could've texted me.
I was only marking books.
I could've made up an excuse to leave for a bit."

His mother shook her head.
"No, Aahan.
You chose this job, so now you must do the work that is expected of you.
Does your Yuvati tell her clients she needs to leave early?
No."

Aahan's father emerged from the living room.

"It's been a long day, Aahan.
Just eat the food your mother left in microwave for you.
Clean up after you've done too.
Don't ask your mother to clean up once she's done because she needs to rest."

Aahan didn't respond.
He learned a long time ago that replying never helps.
With a sigh of resignation, Aahan headed into the living room.
He wanted to sleep, but his room was the living room, and it was currently being occupied by his siblings.

"Aahan!
What took you so long?", asked Davkha. "Come here and look at the reviews for my new book."

"Uh, in a bit, Davkha.
I just... I need a minute."

Ganesh scoffed, before throwing a cushion at Aahan.
"You're a lazy bugger, aren't you?"

"Oh, and you need to stop leaving your socks lying around on the sofa", said Yuvati.
"People sit there."

"I'm sorry, but I mean, it is my bed whilst you're all h–", he started.

"Aahan!", called out his mother.
"Eat your food now, before it gets cold!"

"Wait, what is the chana masala in the microwave?", asked Aadi.

Aahan nodded.

"Oh cr*p.
I thought that was leftovers.
I ate it like ten minutes before you came."

Aahan wanted to scream.
He wanted to cry.
He wanted to wave his arms around and kick his legs.
He wanted to do anything to get rid of the irritation and anger that gnawed away at his skin.

'How was it possible for family to be this annoying?', he thought.

___________

Hi.

What are your thoughts on the Atlas/Zee part? I'd also love feedback on the descriptions please! If you have any tips for making it more enjoyable to read, I'd really appreciate them!

What will the group do about their discovery?

Any theories?

What are your thoughts on this chapter?

starryeyedturtle

DoodleYeet

LeMystical-Puffle

1-800-SHAWNHUNTER-

Tornado-Jockey