Can't I Touch Your Heart?

Chapter 36 British Sarcasm

Rhea looked ahead at the pavement, with her knees on the road, her hands tugging to the lock of her bicycle, she looked at Ember. He stood before her, his skin looked pink and his hair golden, just like he used to. But he had an air of transience to him, like soap bubbles, he seemed like a figment of her imagination.

She stood up and slowly walked towards him. She touched his red cheeks and felt the warmth. He was real, "You are here,"
He smiled, "Why wouldn't I be? Monsoon is finally over,"
"You weren't here just because it was raining?"

"Water is gross,"
Rhea kicked his knee and he fell, "OW!"
"Why didn't you reply to my texts then?!"
"Oh! Oh... I lost my phone,"
"You're so-I hate you!"
"But why? What have I done?"

"Shut up! Don't talk to me! Fucking idiot, you are!"
He got up and ran after her, "Rhea!"
"Get away from me!"

Rhea sat in the class and looked at him sleeping with his head on the desk. She drew his sketch at the back of her notebook. Now that he was physically there, she could notice the finer details. 'You didn't catch my eye right away, I can't deny that. But once you did,'

He slowly opened his eyes, 
'I swear I couldn't look away,'
She closed the notebook and looked ahead. He got up and stretched his arms, "That was a nice nap,"
She shook her head and got up. The class was over and they were walking out of the mall. AJ and Meenu walked behind them. Ember got on Rhea's bicycle, "I'll paddle,"
"No, I will,"

"What?" He seemed surprised.
"Shut up and sit behind me, you dumb blonde,"
"Okay," He laughed and sat back. She paddled slowly, looking at the dry roads, the sand storm slowly began surrounding them, "Ember," She spoke.

"Yeah?" He covered his eyes from the dust. Rhea stopped the bicycle and looked down, the sand was prickling her skin, she clenched her fingers, "Is there something you do not like about me?"
"Huh? Why would you ask that all of sudden?"
"Just answer, I want to know,"
He looked at her back, "Well, you yell a lot,"

She looked down, "And?"
"And you're too skinny, and I really hate your fashion sense too, plus you can't cook, and you're too tall, and your capricious, you're reckless and lowkey annoying sometimes,"
"I see..."

"But," He sounded as if he was smiling, "That's what makes you you. And that is what I like about you. Maybe I wouldn't like spending time with you if you were any different from how you are. But if there's one thing I'd like to change about you, that has to be...

Your last name,"

Her eyes widened. She turned to look at him, "You think it's funny?"
"A bit, yeah? Kinda,"
"I hate you so much,"
He laughed, "Me too," 
"That's such a sad thing to say"

He looked into her eyes, "Arorhea,"
Her face grew red and the dust storm behind them made her hair flow towards her face, and his bangs away from his forehead, they looked at each other. He leaned towards her and she bit her lips, pressing them inward. She held her breath but he didn't. She could feel his warm breath on her cupid's bow, "I want you to always remember this moment," He smiled.

She was confused, "...What?"
He smiled and moved back, "We have to keep moving forward no matter how much pain and disappointment we go through. It can't keep us from doing what we love. You gotta... appreciate the time you're given, you don't know when the expiration date may come and everything is gone...within seconds..."

He was talking about painting.

Right?

Memories flashed in her head, old memories, too old. A blonde boy, rain, blood on the streets, weapons, darkness. Everything came in a flash and left just as fast. She covered her eyes. His blue eyes widened, "Are you crying?!"
She shook her head, "Rhea, what happened? Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry if I did-"