Zara

chapter 32

Zara averted her gaze. She captured human emotions well. Too well. Anybody could decipher these things by looking at the photo long enough. And it was pulling all the cursed memories from the dark corners of her mind- corners she usually concealed with a thin veil of indifference.

"The last drawing is dated two years ago and I am assuming this is your last sketchbook because it's not even filled yet. You don't draw anymore?"

She shook her head. "Why?" He prompted.

She bit the edge of her lip in thought, "It was getting difficult to draw after I got diagnosed with tritanopia. Everything was- is- so dull and I couldn't differentiate colours anymore. It was so difficult and frustrating."

He had noticed. While she had tried her best, leaves weren't supposed to be rose-tinted and sunrise wasn't supposed to be teal.

"You got diagnosed at eleven, I assume. Right after the accident. But you still drew despite that. Why leave it all of a sudden?"

She shrugged again, "Lost interest, I guess? Art was something I used to enjoy but over time, it became a chore. Picking pencils took too much effort. And hobbies take passion, not effort. Guess I just lost the spirit."

A frown appeared on his face and she chuckled, "It's not that serious. I just lost my passion. No biggie."

"Why'd you leave swimming?" He asked out of the blue.

She froze. Had she mumbled something in her sleep? Was it because she almost drowned today? Why did he ask that?

"I guess I just lost that drive too. Not that uncommon. Happens to the best of us." She forced another chuckle to leave her lips.

His frown deepened, "Suddenly losing passion for everything is not healthy, Zara."

"Hey, at least I still love baking." She tried to divert his thoughts to a positive outcome but he only shook his head.

He was seriously getting worried here.

She didn't want to worry him. She didn't want to worry anyone on her behalf. She racked her brain for a different subject they could talk about.

And then it came.

"I missed school today, didn't I?"

Dele nodded, catching her hint. Change the topic. He did, "Yeah. But don't worry about that. Sal already made a call."

"Oh man, I had some assignments to submit." But even she couldn't get over the relief that blossomed in her heart at the thought of not seeing Ava. She was safe, at least for today.

"Don't worry about that. You can submit them tomorrow. And if any teacher gives you a hard time over it, you can just ask them to call me."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, "Of course. I obviously can't handle some teacher trouble. I need my big brothers for that."

"You never know." Followed by him ruffling her hair. Typical.

There was silence for a moment before she spoke, "Did the other three go to school today?" She wanted to bring that topic up.

Dele nodded, though his jaw slightly ticked in anger, "They had no reason to stay home. They hadn't almost drowned."

"Don't be like that." She chastised softly, "They didn't know. It wasn't all their fault."

"Wasn't all their fault? After they chucked you in a pool despite your insistent pleadings of not doing so."

"It's not a big deal, Dele." She suddenly giggled, "Hey, that rhymed."