Till The Count Of Five ✓

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Samaritans are the worst kind of helpers unless the help involves losing virtue.

Ash

15th March 2018, Thursday
17:45

The bracelet broke in the morning, the necklace broke now and the invisible string tying us had twisted into knots. I could not break it, I could not keep it without letting her twist it further. Did she even know? Did she know how stupid her idea was? Did she know how her strokes were wrong? Did she know that she held the brush wrong? Obviously she did not.

I glanced at my phone, then at Vicky who raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"

I smiled. "Perfect."

He nodded and looked at the doors again, waiting for Kiara to return and Shay to show up. My phone's screen lit up and just when I thought she had messaged, I realized it was just another notification. I resisted the urge to grunt. This whole thing was stupid on so many levels.

"I'll think about it," I had said. And I did think. I just couldn't bring myself to admit the truth, so I did what I felt was right.

"Where's Shay?" Vicky asked.

I shrugged. It was funny how he called Sheereen Shay, Kiara Junior but Ashiamma by her full name only, no Ash; not that it mattered. It was just funny. It did not matter, not when I had what I wanted. I glanced at the phone again. I was not letting it go that easily. After watching numerous faces fall year after year I got a prize, I simply used my power to hold the one thing that made me feel good.

"We had a fight," I said.

Vicky turned to me with a frown. "What?"

"Shay and I had a fight, not really a 'fight' but disagreement about the portraits. I don't think she'll come here."

20th April 2018, Friday
14:15

When Rishab abruptly cut the phone, saying his mother was calling him, I did not pay any heed to it. They had silly banters at times, not that I cared. I had other things to worry about, like how he sounded just like Shay to me. To me. I knew that wasn't his tone but somehow my mind begged to merge the two.

She had never showed up at the party Vicky organised to celebrate our results but at my birthday. And she had brought up the silly, stupid, senseless topic again. I stared down at my hands and put the phone aside.

Paint a world that says nothing, paint a word that speaks for the world and the latter wins.

I laughed at the thought, a shaky, dry, tearful laugh that echoed above the words Vicky had once said, "Doesn't matter. The world is yours to paint and understand, not anyone else's to interpret or break."

My phone buzzed. I breathed out slowly and picked it up. The corners of my eyes wrinkled at the notifications. I clicked on one of them and Instagram's screen popped up.

Mirror mirror on the wall,
who's the smartest of them all?

I don't know who's the smartass

but dear little Ash
has some dirt in that pretty head. ;)

I blinked once, then again and rubbed my eyes.

"Wow," I breathed out. "Really, Shay?"