The hues of Red

Chapter - 2

Entry -2

"Do you think you can keep the binder at home? It's so big and you carry it everywhere. We are just going on a ride.", Lenah mutters while pedalling.
"I can't. I love how these petals have different shapes. I haven't found these anywhere. Except...."
"Except where??"
"I don't know. I keep dreaming about this tree which looks like a cherry blossom. It sheds these petals from time to time. People keep collecting it like some medallion. "
"You are weird. I keep my binder at home.", said Lenah with a smug face.
"I have seen your binder. It can't be compared to mine. Pale pink petals. Those can be found anywhere. ", I teased.
"Hey!!!"
"So you think yours is better?", I questioned raising an eyebrow.
"No. No! Just Hey!", said Lenah with his voice faltering accepting defeat.

Back and forth this went. We chuckled and raced down to the coffee shop. His giggle always brings life to this world. He has this peculiar scent which makes me nostalgic. I can't put a finger on the memories in my head but I think I have smelled it before. Its probably musk with a hint of honey in it, smells delicious. I could nuzzle up in bed and smell it all day without losing interest.

I smile back at him as we park our bikes in the bike stand.

"Soo?? Did you bring today's copy? ", I questioned pushing the door of the coffee shop open. The aroma of coffee in the air fills me up with delight. I have always liked coffee. The bitterness at the back of my tongue makes me take another gulp of the sweetened nectar and I finish it before I know.

"I did.", he said while waving the pages in front of my face. I dodged him and pushed him away laughing at his comical nature.
"Yeah yeah yeah. ", I surrendered defeated. We took our bikes and pedalled down the road, curving left at the fork. We raced for a while, breathless, coming to a halt. 

I couldn't pedal anymore, but, powered through as the images of the destination floated past me. The sun had started to suck up all my energy and I started heaving. I could feel my heart beat against my chest. It gradually started increasing, making me sweat. I called out Lenah's name but he couldn't hear me. My legs started to give up. I could feel my throat closing up and my face turning read. It started feeling like my heart was in my mouth. I tried calling him once again but couldn't. Suddenly, my eyes started blurring out. Fear striking, I tried to stop. As soon as I stopped my heart started palpitating. My legs started giving up. My calves started burning as tears started to well up in my eyes. I couldn't understand what was happening. Suddenly, I felt a twitch down my legs and I could see blood pouring out my ankles. Dark red streams just pooling slowly on the cemented road. I stared at it for a while and kept staring at it. It turned into a crimson red flower. 

'''The tape rewinds. The cassette started turning backwards erasing. The tape started recording again.'''

I couldn't pedal anymore, but, powered through as the images of the destination floated past me. The sun had started to suck up all my energy and I started heaving. I could feel my heart beat against my chest. I called out to Lenah and we agreed to stop for a while. Sweat dripped down our faces as we stared at the birds screeching under the scorching sun. Lenah pointed at the crimson red flower petal on the ground. "How did this get here", he said shocked. " The place is filled with green leaves and no cherry blossoms". "I don't understand it either. Do you think it came here with the wind? ", I questioned back surprised.  He hunched his shoulders and shrugged not knowing the answer. I took the petal with me placing it gently in my pockets. 

We finally reached our spot. The place felt like an oasis. It was surrounded by trees of all kinds and a narrow stream of water crossed our paths. We lay on the ground laden with grass. The hot skin against the wet grass soothed our weariness. I nudged Lenah to bring out the binder and the copy. I carefully placed the petal in my binder and Lenah started reading out today's story. His eyebrows do this crazy thing where they don't match the expression he has sometimes and it creeps me out in a good way. I find it amusing all the time. I chuckled at his expression and laid down on the grass holding my binder close to my chest. 

"Entry - 2", Lenah started reading. He read for a while and stopped, looked at me and started narrating.

"It's the child's first day of school and she is teary eyed. She doesn't want to go to school. She feels horrible and feels like puking every time someone comes and tells her how great going to school would be. She cries and cries but no one listens and is forced to go. At school, she is scared to see all the children and teachers. People she barely knew. The class starts and her heart starts flipping. She finds her palms to be sweaty and feels like her heart has come up to her mouth and is beating rapidly. She feels like all the blood has rushed to her head and is clouding every thought of hers. She feels the saliva build up in her mouth and suddenly finds herself puking all over the desk. She feels humiliated and doesn't know what to do. The teacher gets everything cleaned up and asks if she is alright to which she says that she doesn't feel well and the teacher calls up her aunt and asks her to take the child home. She rejoices at the thought of going back to her family but keeps her expression hidden. Her uncle arrives and soothes her by asking her not to worry. He loves her. Loves her too much to see her struggling. As they go back home, he finds her happy and jolly. 

The child starts doing it everyday. Soon the teacher understands the pattern and forces her to attend the class. When its lunchtime, she starts eating. Somehow, it gives her comfort. Some girl comes up to her and asks her to join and says that she can sit with her as she will help her with her classwork. As the next period begins, the teacher asks them to draw some shapes. The child is scared by the amount of work to be done and fears punishment. The girls draws the shapes for her. She watches as the girl crafts the pieces by her hand so elegantly. Suddenly, she feels a sudden thud and her cheek hurts. She looks at the girl who is now looking at her with a smile on her face. "It's what you get for making me draw your shapes", she says. The child doesn't understand and asks for her copy back and another slap. "I will draw your pictures and you have to do everything that I ask you to do.". Hearing these words, the child is confused by the treaty signed. She bears her slaps and scratches everyday. She doesn't tell anyone about it. She fakes an answer every time her aunt or her family members ask her about the scratches. Soon the aunt complains her teacher and the girl gets punished. The punishment made the child realise that something was wrong and she runs back to her uncle who was waiting outside the gate. She asks her uncle to drive back home and the girl would come back or the teacher would want them to study together again. Her school gets changed. She finds herself amongst new people all over again. ". 

As soon as Lenah finished the story, he sighed and laid down beside me. We were staring at the same sky. He held my hand and I felt his fingers cold against my warm skin. Soon I heard him sobbing. I held his hand tightly, reassuring him that it's just a story. He went to the stream, washed his face bending down. He came back to me and sat beside me. We went through the binder together. The petals had a sparkling hue to them. It felt unreal. Lenah looked at me and smiled. "Its all going to be alright, Jane. You are very brave." As soon as he uttered those words....

'''The tape rewinds. The cassette started turning backwards erasing. The tape started recording again.'''

As soon as Lenah finished the story, he sighed and laid down beside me. We were staring at the same sky. He held my hand and I felt his fingers cold against my warm skin. Soon I heard him sobbing. I held his hand tightly, reassuring him that it's just a story. We decided that it was our lunch time. We talked about Christine and her boyfriend and how they were fighting over if they give each other the same amount of attention. We laughed at the stupidity of people and I took out my copy of Call me by your name and started reading it out aloud. "Can you not sense the irony Jane????", he teased. "Oh! Not again. I like reading emotions, Lenah", I fought back. I pushed him on the ground and we started fighting as the sun set above us. 

We rode back tired, walking under the moonlight. The streets lined up with trees on either side reflect the moonlight, casting it on our faces. I reach home, throw my bag on the bed and take out my recorder out of the bag. 

"Someday, she's going to need it". As soon as Jane utters these words, she stops the recording and turns in.