1.3 | Under The Pink Evening Sky | ✓

6 | birthday

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Sana checked the new message on her phone, eagerly.

Mom
I'm near home. Be there in five.

Smiling, she flipped the phone and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She stepped out of her room, catching Mani doing something on the floor.

"What are you up to, Mani?"

Mani whipped her head up and quickly put away her paper. "Hm? Nothing."

Sana eyed her. "You were doing something."

"Nothing much. I wasn't doing anything."

"Uh huh. Show me that paper you're hiding."

Mani's shoulders dropped. "I'm just trying to prepare your gift, okay?"

"Alright, alright. Carry on."

The doorbell rang. Sana's eyes lit up. It must be her mother. She hastened to the door and opened it.

It was Shrest.

Her expression fell. "You."

"Yes, me."

Sana groaned in her head as she opened the door wider to let him in. Her mother had insisted on inviting him and his family for her birthday celebrations despite her vehement protests. She didn't want to spend the one happy day she gets in a year, staring at his face.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened.

It turned out that Shrest's parents needed to go out for work and decided to drop Shrest at her house before they left.

"Here you go. Your gift."

Sana eyed the gift.

"Why is it so...slim?"

She rotated it around.

"It's a canvas. A blank canvas?"

"No, my painting."

Sana looked up at him. "You gave me a painting?"

"Yeah. It's all I could manage."

"Don't tell me you drew a potato again."

Shrest coughed.

"If it's a potato drawing, take it back."

"It's not. Keep it with you."

Sana hesitated before storing the wrapped painting in her room. The sound of a knob turning filled the room and the kids quickly stood at the doorway.

Madhu Das glanced at them as she entered the house, smiling at all of them. "Happy birthday once again, my girl. Hey there, Shrest. Ready to have some fun?"

Shrest nodded.

"Cool. Sana, get the cake-" Madhu paused as she heard the chime of her phone, indicating a notification. As she glanced at it, her smile faded, replacing itself with a frown.

Sana already knew. Her mother didn't have to tell her. Her shoulders drooped a little, as she pretended it didn't affect her.

"Sana, dear..." Her mother crouched, her expression a complete contrast from her beaming smile.

"It's okay. I understand." Sana said, in a small voice. "You should go."

Madhu let out a breath. "But I can't leave you kids alone."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I'll be back in 2 hours." Sana's mom eyed the clock.

"That's fine. We can take care until then."