Coloured Me Grey (Book Two)

Chapter 36

The weather was growing too hot for warm clothes but it was too cold to start wearing the summer clothes already.

Well, to be very honest, there is nothing such as "too cold" in Kolkata. But be careless during this change of weather and you'll be down with a flu.

And so, my "warm-blooded" sister caught a terrible cold accompanied by a mild temperature when she stopped wearing her cardigan to school. With mother and father both having to leave for their work, I offered to stay at home to look after her.

I carried her into my room, all bundled up in her little blanket, and placed her gently on my bed so that I could keep an eye on her while I worked at my table.

The week that followed after the fest had been full of assignment deadlines and students getting strung up in deeper slumps. In my case, I seemed to be getting even less work done than in the odd semester, swamped with assignments which in my opinion, had nothing to do with art.

Complaining about the curriculum is the last thing you should do. Be grateful that you got a chance to study what you've always wanted to.

Yes, yes, I am very grateful but –

I had to take up Basic Drawing classes this semester and okay, WHAT KIND OF A DRAWING CLASS IN AN ART COLLEGE REQUIRES STUDENTS TO COMPLETE FIFTEEN LINE-DRAWINGS EACH AND EVERY DAY? Shouldn't line-drawing be a preset skill required to be in an art college in the first place?

I know it's for our benefit, but this sucks. I wasn't going to be an illustrator or a comic-artist. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXEMPTED FROM THIS TERRIBLY EXHAUSTING AMOUNT OF WORK.

During what was supposed to be the break-time at college, Yash called on my phone. "How is your sister?"

"Still sleeping, but she's been sweating out the fever," I looked at her curled little shape under the blanket. "I'll have to make her eat something and give her another dose of the medicines once she wakes up."

"Look at you being the responsible big brother," he cooed. "I need to drop off some notes. Can I come over?"

"Are you sure you just want to drop off some notes?"

Yash cleared his throat. "Uh yeah, if you don't have something else on mind?"

"Okay," I hummed. "You can drop by after classes. Mother will be here by then so she can look after Zara while you're here."

"Won't that be –"

"It'll be fine as long as you leave before my dad comes back. I'll text you the address."

Zara slept peacefully for another hour or so before she started thrashing around. A light sheen of sweat covered her and the blanket was making her uncomfortable.

I woke her up gently. Her eyes snapped open as if she was having a bad dream that I had interrupted suddenly.

"It's okay, Zara," I rubbed her back and massaged her scalp through her hair to help her calm down. "Are you feeling a little better now?"

My sister nodded and wiping her face with the sleeves of her night suit, she held out her arms towards me.

I picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Pee and back to sleep," she mumbled out as I wiped her face, neck and arms with a wet towel.

"You have to eat a little in order to take your medicines," I left the bathroom. "Come to the kitchen when you're done, we'll eat together while watching Tom and Jerry."