1.3 | Under The Pink Evening Sky | ✓

12 | fights

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It was Sana's eighteenth birthday. And it was completely different from the birthdays she was usually acquainted with.

There were too many people in the house - her mother, sister, her mother's relatives, her father's relatives, her mother's work colleagues. Too many people. Worse yet, too many people she didn't know.

Shrest wasn't there. Vihan wasn't there either.

Although they were all still in the same school, they were in different classes. While this had happened before, the weight of studies had hit like never before. They had no time to do anything else.

Shrest lived with his brother, moreover.

They scarcely saw each other.

Sana sipped the juice she was handed by her mother and watched how her party played out before her.

No one was really paying any attention to her. They were all talking amidst themselves. Just a loud crowd. That was all this party was.

Deciding she's had enough loud noise for one evening, she decided to slip out and trudge up to the terrace. That was the tradition she followed on her birthday. She'd go up and sit in the tent that Shrest would set up for her at night. Sometimes conversations would follow, sometimes it was just silence.

But she enjoyed it better than whatever she was made to go through that evening. Her mother clearly had no understanding of how she enjoyed her birthday.

As she climbed the last step, she froze.

The tent was set up and the lights were spread out, like they usually were. It gave the whole place a glow, casting away its usual dreariness.

And there he was. Just sitting and waiting for her.

"You came here today." Sana whispered.

Shrest motioned for her to sit next to him, with a smile. "I saw there was a huge crowd at your place and I didn't want to intrude."

"Your presence isn't the same as that of intruders, Shrest. If anything, the people you mentioned are the ones I regard as intruders."

"I didn't think you'd come up." He said nothing more.

"It's our tradition. How could I forget it?"

Shrest glanced at her as she continued, "I personally prefer to celebrate my birthday with you than anyone else."

His heart seemed to pause. All of the world seemed to pause.

She had really just thrown out those words carelessly, not knowing that they were now permanently etched in him. He wouldn't ever forget it.

"So, which college are you planning on applying for?"

"I already applied to a college."

"You did? And you never told me?"

Shrest shrugged. "It was quite hectic until yesterday. I haven't texted anyone, to be fair. My brother helped me with the applications. I only told my parents today."

"Oh."

"I've decided to go for a bachelor in arts in drawing and painting."

Sana met his eyes. "Are you sure? Picking that would completely narrow your horizon."

"I'm aware. I'm sure."

A pause.

"Wouldn't it be better to try for a more broader course? Something that'll give you more options-"

"You sound like my mother." There was a note of resentment in the statement.

Sana's eyes narrowed. "I'm just concerned for you, Shrest. As an artist, you will be living paycheck to paycheck. Do you think you can handle that? You've lived a life of luxury. Do you think you would be able to adapt?"

"I will do my best." He said, firmly.

"Well, alright then. If that's what you wish to do."

The tension in the air didn't pass like it usually did, when they fought. Sana's eyebrows remained scrunched up and a frown remained on Shrest's face.

"Here. This is my gift for you."

Sana glanced at the potted plant.

"That's nice. I haven't received anything like this before."

Shrest nodded, stiffly.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Shrest stood up, brushing his pants and glancing at his phone.

"I should get going."

"Will you be staying the night at your parent's home or...?"

"I'll be staying." He said, after a moment's pause. A pause that was a bit too long and had Sana frowning.

"Okay. See you then."

Shrest didn't nod back. He simply turned around and left.

Sana's shoulders slumped. She was probably being a little too hard on him. She knew he was probably already the object of ridicule. That was common in all the households in the country when they discovered a child was going to take up a profession that wasn't a government officer, lawyer, engineer or doctor.

He was probably already stressed and she had added onto it.

She let out a sigh as she gazed at the sky.

She should apologize to him in the morning.

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