Vanilla Dusk ✓

Half Part 7

Shane booked a quaint six-star seaside hotel on their graduation day. Emir had just got their first collection of artworks displayed in the National Art Gallery and a job offer from a distinguished local Arts institution. Shane's debut film came on the screen the same day, where he played a beguiling extra-terrestrial being from another planet called Starlight disguised as a human youngster investigating potential ways of Earth invasion. The film became a massive box-office hit right after its release and Shane's fame went viral overnight. Emir remembered racing to Shane with the ecstatic news and Shane took him out for a celebration. They had been dating for five years and they both thought it was time to proceed to the next stage. Halfway through their extravagant candlelight supper, with their plates filled with mounds of lobsters, grilled steak and scallops, they both pulled out a ring box and slid it on the table towards each other. They immediately flushed and burst into laughter as they opened the boxes together and discovered the rings were actually a match.

Their wedding took place on Emir's twenty-third birthday, near the same seaside hotel. He walked down the aisle full of freshly plucked rose petals with a plain white suit and Shane was wearing a black one, his hair gelled to the back. They had invited their family, friends and college instructors all of whom witnessed their exchange of vows in the church, their shy kisses and wild smiles.

Emir would never forget the warmth of the sunlight and the undulating waves that greeted them as they stepped out of the church holding hands, the bells chiming around them.

The phone went chiming.

Emir picked up the call and froze as he heard Mr. Esposito's jubilant, husky voice.

'Ciao, Emir, so long for now.'

'Mr. Esposito?'

'Thank goodness,' said Mr. Esposito. 'I thought we could never reach you again.'

'What're you talking about?'

'The Annual Arts Festival!' Mr. Esposito exclaimed. 'We hold a reunion party every year. All the former students will be there, remember? It's been so long since I last saw you and a contest is coming up. I really think you're a suitable candidate so I've already passed your name to the organisation.'

Emir creased his brows, his hand shuddering as he held his mobile away from him.

'Emir? May I confirm that you're coming?'

'I'll talk to you later,' said Emir and he hung up. He sprang up from his chair and stormed out of his study, bouncing straight towards Shane 2.0, who was in Emir's bedroom folding his laundry.

'What do you think you're doing?' bawled Emir as he pushed the android back, gritting his teeth. 'You hacked into my mail account and accepted their invitation? Why?'

Shane 2.0 remained fairly composed as he flopped down on the bed.

'They want you to be present.'

'And you know nothing,' bellowed Emir as he punched the android. He had had enough of him acting on impulse and making reckless presumptions. 'Stop poking your nose into my business.'

He dragged Shane 2.0 to the corridor. He flung open a random door and shoved the android in, locking him inside the windowless room. Shane 2.0 scanned the pitch-black room and started knocking on the door.

'I'm sorry, Emir,' muttered the android. 'Please let me out. There's no light here.'

Emir walked away from the door and plodded downstairs.

His phone rang incessantly that night. He got dressed crudely and headed out. He returned to the Arts Studio. Two buildings were connected to each other through a skyway, so that students taking courses from both streams would find it more convenient to head to their next lecture during the movement time. Right across the Arts Studio Emir used to have lessons, situated in the next building was the Acting Studio. Shane would often steal a gaze or two of Emir through the single hung window. The pale boy was always stuck amid his painting, not sure where his next stroke should land. Shane would often giggle until one day he decided to give this perplexed boy a bit of help.