Can't I Touch Your Heart?

Chapter 58 Rebuilding Ourselves

"You and Neel are spending a lot of time together these days," Mrs Laghari stood at Rhea's room.
"Yeah, he's teaching me some techniques," Rhea said as she continued painting.
"Your dad doesn't like it,"
"Why?" Rhea looked at her.

"Boys are not good. They use girls,"
"Mom, I don't like Neel, and neither does he. And anyway, he's not like that,"
"Everyone is the same. Some people are good actors, that's all. Ask him not to come from tomorrow,"
Rhea looked into her mother's eyes
"I won't,"

"Rhea! Your dad will be mad!"
"Oh?" Rhea kept her paintbrush aside and walked into her father's study, "Dad, if you want to talk to me, I am here, you don't have to send mom there,"
He got up, "I thought doing it the easier way,"
"Why? Why do you always have a problem with things I love doing?"

"Because these are not productive things you are doing. You should be studying, you have your exams in February,"
"But I want to focus on painting,"
"Don't be an idiot, Rhea. Painting is not going to give you a stable job! We have invested a lot on you, we don't want you to end up like a failure like your grandfather! What will the relatives say?"

"I don't care what they say! I want a job where I look forward to waking up the next day! Not like you, who keeps on complaining about how shit your job is and how much you hate it!"
"Oh yeah, and painting will get you that? Nobosy cares about painters, Rhea. You could've taken science and given your medical entrances-"
"I DON'T WANT TO BECOME A DOCTOR!"

"Even if you did, you can't anymore. You took humanities even when I kept telling you not to, now just study and apply for a government job when you graduate your high school,"
"But I don't want to government job,"
"THEN, WHAT DO YOU WANT? BECOME A PAINTER?!"

"No, an artist,"
"You are crazy! How much are artists paid?! Not more than thirty thousand a month!"
"And it's not about the money, I do it because it makes me happy. Besides, it depends on what firm you work for and what is your level of skills,"

 "And you think you are so good you'll get a top-notch artist job?"
"No, but I can improve and become a top-notch artist, and that's what I'm trying to do if you let me,"

"You think practising will make you become the best? Your grandpa thought the same and ended our entire family in debt. I had to get a job and pay back all that rent,"
"Things were different in his time! Now, you can easily sell art online and earn!"
"And you think you are so good people will buy your paintings for thousands?"
"Dad-"

"Okay, fine. That competition will be your only chance to prove yourself. It's a small competition, you should be able to win if you think you're so good. If you don't win it, you will start focusing on your studies and stop painting forever,"

"But I love painting!"
"It's pointless if you're not the best at it! That's the option I give you,"
She felt angry. Her father never supported her hobby, and she didn't mind it, but now he was trying to take it away from her,
"FINE! I'LL WIN AND SHUT YOU UP AT ONCE!" She stomped out of his room.
"Arorhea! That's not how you talk to your father! ARORHEA!"

She went into her room and slammed the door, she grabbed her hair and slowly fell down, crouching against the wall, 

. . .

"I have to win it,"
"But you're not so good," Neel said and Ember looked at her as they sat in a park, "Doesn't mean she can't get better at it,"
"But we don't have that kind of time, we only have three months to go,"
"Then, I have to be my best in the time I have. I just have to win it, guys. Or I'll have to give up on painting again, and I don't want to."

Ember looked at her,

"It's just starting to get fun,"

He smiled, "Well, in that case, half of the work is already done,"
"What do you mean?" Neel looked at him and Ember wrapped his hand around his shoulder, "We'll help you get through it, won't we?" He looked into Neel's eyes.

Neel scrunched his nose,
"Man, you guys such a pain in the ass,"

-To be continued

Can't I Touch Your Heart?
Teach Me The Art of Living