Five More Minutes

19 | isn't it lovely all alone?

EVERETT peered away from his canvas and found Aahana pouting while analysing her own. The paintbrush was held between her thumb and index finger in such a way that the blue paint on the bristles were brushing against her cheek. Smidges of blue and white paint were streaked across her face and thumb but she was oblivious. She was lost in her painting. She tilted her head as her pout deepened.

A smile cracked upon his face. He kept his paintbrush aside to take his phone out. He silently clicked a picture of her. He had been doing that for a while. He clicked pictures when she was driving, when she tried to skate, when she ate like a monster; oblivious to reality.

For the blog, he kept telling himself. And it was true, he was clicking pictures for the blog but what he didn't notice was that she was the main object of every image.

He tucked his phone back into his pocket and continued to paint while glancing at her more than he'd like to admit. He liked this—the silence between and around them. It was comfortable. He got time to think, savour, and relax. He had never done anything like this before. But his mind kept wandering back to the time when she was about to caress his face. It felt good. It felt soothing. He wanted her skin against his but the moment was ruined by Alex. He had come there just to "check" if everything was going great or not.

Everett despises him. Alex was trying so hard to hit on her. Even while climbing the staircase, Alex tried to go behind Aahana to check her out but Everett interrupted him. He couldn't help but stand up for her. She was his responsibility as long as they are together on this trip. He told himself.

"What are you painting?" She asked, not looking up from her canvas. He sighed in relief. He thought she would avoid him for hours after their so-called moment happened. He was glad she didn't. Everything just seems easy when he is with her.

"Take a guess."

"Mmm, give me a few hints," she demanded.

"It is yellow. A fictional thing and um, is cute." He wet his lips and stroked yellow in the unpainted corner.

"Lala from Teletubbies!" She squeaked in excitement. He shook his head as a childish chuckle left his mouth.

Her smile was replaced with a frown in a matter of seconds. "Um, then...uh-oh! Pikachu! Is that correct?" She grinned again. Her eyes glistened.

"Bingo."

"Really? Yay!" She stepped away from her canvas board and swayed her hips like a child. "I'm psychic, ya know." She laughed.

"Sure," he said sarcastically. "The hints I gave were of no use." She laughed again.

"What are you painting?" He questioned.

"Take a look for yourself." She winked. Everett took long steps to peep into her canvas. It was a blue van in the middle of the road. Above it was a large blue sky with clouds. It took him a while to realise that it was his van. It was his Breezy.

"It's Breezy." He awed. "Not bad for a rookie, eh?" She faked her offended face and folded her arms over her chest.

"I'm sure yours won't be any less good." She walked to his painting and her jaw-dropped. He could tell by her expression, she was mesmerised by it. And deep down, he knew she wasn't going to praise her because he didn't either.

"It's beautiful." He was star struck. "You never cease to surprise me, Miller." She looked at his painting for a minute before her eyes fell on her wristwatch.

"Holy shit. We should get going or else we'll miss the sunset!" She began to close all the paint jars. He helped her.

"Are you ready to see the best sunset in the world?" She raised her eyebrow as they stopped by a hilly region. She took a left when Everett's eyes fell on a signboard.

"Hey, wait." He ran behind her. "The board says that we're supposed to go straight." The sky was turning to the most beautiful shade of orange. The rocky hills on both of their sides began to narrow.

"The beach must be filled with tourists. The view would be less pleasant from there." She took another turn. To their left was a flat end of a small hill with large stones popping out which took them to the top of the hill. "I don't know how much of an adventurer you are, but rock climbing is the only way up here." She smirked.

He smiled. "Have you never checked out my blog, Aahana?" He dramatically places a hand on his heart. "Ouch, I'm hurt." He chuckled. Aahana watched him, interpreting his next move. He quickly glanced at the height and walked closer to the wall. He grabbed the top most stone and stepped on the first stone. He pulled himself as he climbed the hill, faster than a lizard. Aahana followed him, trying her best to beat his record which she couldn't.

"I only slowed myself to make you feel better," she said as she accepted his hand which he had offered when she was almost there. He mocked 'sure' as drawled every syllable. Their banter was cut off when his eyes landed on the sky.

The sun was about to set and the sky had turned reddish-orange. The water was shining. He could see the beach from the top. It was filled with too many people. It was a little chaotic there but not here. He couldn't hear a thing apart from the cool breeze swishing through the trees they were surrounded with. Occasionally, he heard a few birds hum. Aahana's eyes were on him. She smiled and asked him to sit at the edge of the hill.

"Isn't it lovely?" She asked after they sat down.

"It is." Despite the beautiful view in front of them, he turned to look at her. "I have a question, though."

"Shoot." Her face was illuminated with the orange shade reflecting from the sun. Like the moon who shines with the help of the sun. The moon is flawed yet beautiful. Just like her.

"How do you know so much about Peakview? I mean, I get it that you're about to move here but all these little things. Did you live here before?" He was genuinely curious.

"My maternal grandparents are from Peakview and they would bring me here. My grandad liked to play the violin with me. But then when he died, I couldn't pull myself to come here. My grandma too is...she is..." she took an unsteady breath in. "She is sick. The doctor said she wouldn't survive for more than two years. Things are getting worse." She swallowed and looked at Everett. She was trying her best not to cry.

His heart clenched at her words. He had failed to see the pain behind her eyes. The darkness behind her smile. The scars behind her soft skin.

"I'm so sorry, Aahana. I wish I could do something to ease it." Her eyes darkened even more. She took a deep breath and placed her hand on top of his, squeezing it.

"You are." She smiled a little. "This is the first time I'm visiting after my grandad...um, left for heaven."