Forgetting Billions | ✓

21 | Forgetting Colors

She dug through her closet until she made her way to the left end. Fabrics of all textures brushed over her fingertips, showcasing bright and colorful patterns as far as she could see. She pushed past them, knowing they would only fade in comparison to the color of the Holi festival. She had to find a way to stand out.

Making a random reach through the ethnic dresses, her fingers grabbed a smooth salwar, the one she stole from Bianca's dresser on her tenth birthday.

She pulled it out from its hiding place and marveled at the elegance of its white silk, with the only spark of color being the gold embroidery along the edges. Wrapped along the hanger was a matching gold dupatta, and she knew that this was the perfect dress for the occasion. With a soft smile, she hurried off to get dressed and ready for her re-emergence into the world.

⇣⇣⇣

AFTER A ten minute walk, she made it to Shayan's house. It towered above her, protected from the world by a Victorian gate with stone eagles resting on the pillars of each side of the mansion. Their land expanded from the left and right, so much so she couldn't quite tell where it ended.

When Shayan's parents were still together, they lived on the other side of town in a smaller home. She hadn't been to his house since then, but she knew that when his parents divorced and Shayan's father left for Manhattan with the kids, his mother tried to make up for the incredible loss by buying a house that was much too big for just herself.

Jasmine, however, had only dreamed of houses like these. For a second, she envied his family, even though it was more broken than her own.

She knew better than to wish for his life. She knew how his mother tried to apologize for the breaking of their family with material pleasures and how that could never satisfy Shayan. She was selfish to want that when she had a complete family already.

Jasmine ran her hands over her outfit, worried it was too plain in the wake of his house. She sighed, not wanting to waste more time dwelling over insignificant details, and pushed open the gates with a grunt.

The latest Bollywood music floated through the air and reached her ears, along with the elated screams of the others invited. Jasmine felt a smile of her own play on her lips as she relished the familiarity of her culture and Shayan's family.

"Shayan, beta, find your sisters. We need to serve the second round of Gobi Manchurian," a woman called behind her as she ran to the gate, her long black hair whipping her in the face. Jasmine tilted her head to see the woman's face, but the wind had rendered her efforts useless.

"He Bhagavan, San Diego cannot be this cold at this time of year," she muttered as she made a lame attempt to push the hair out of her face.

Jasmine let out a laugh. "How have you been, Auntie, besides the cold?"

Shayan's mother caught all her hair in her hands and stared at Jasmine blankly, only just recognizing her. Her lips parted slightly. "Jas?" she asked. "I can't believe it's you!" She pulled Jasmine into a hug and kissed her temple.

"Surprised?"

"More like astonished. Last time I saw you, you were just fifteen," she said, her eyes running over her face with newfound worry. "They really beat you up bad, huh?"

Jasmine shrugged, "It isn't too bad, even though it is noticeable. It looks worse than it is."

Maya nodded and turned her head back to the house as if to hide her pity stare. "Shayan, your guest of honor is here," she screamed.

"Jasmine's here?" Shayan hollered back and Jasmine could hear the excitement in his voice as he ran out the door, his eyes lighting up like a child offered chocolate. He stopped in his tracks when he saw his mother holding Jasmine like her own, trying to hold back her laughter. "I mean, who is it?'