Jack had left for the US that morning. And Ember decided to meet his father. He walked towards his room and knocked at his door, walking inside, he stood before him. Ember's father was looking outside through the glass wall behind him. He looked at the traffic that seemed like ants.
"We need to talk," Ember's voice was cold. Harnston Helberg turned his head and looked at him. He had aged like a fine wine with blonde hair and white eyelashes, Persian blue eyes and white eyebrows, he looked an older version of Ember.
"Speak,"
"I need a break. I'm tired and I'm sick," Ember said.
Harnston chucked "You were born sick, what's new?"
"Then, you shouldn't have chosen me to be the company's successor,"
"I wouldn't have if you weren't this gifted. Now get your sorry ass out of here,"
Ember looked at his father and turned back "Okay," Ember walked out of the room with his head drowned in music and his thoughts.
"You were born sick,"
. . .
Rhea sat inside her room with a painting she had just painted kept right before her. It was complete but she felt otherwise. She felt as if something was missing. She looked into her watch. It was time to leave for the classes. She clicked the pictures of the painting and grabbed her bag. She wore a cream coloured turtle neck and a pair of brown jeans. She drank some coffee and left for the place.
Sitting on her bicycle, she plugged in her earphones. She began paddling and passed through the streets. It was November and Christmas was on in its way. Just like Diwali was an important festival for Rhea, Christmas was an important one for Ember. Summer was long gone and it was the season of the dead.
Everything that came into summer was washed away by the rain, leaving behind corpses of dead flowers, sinking into the soil, making the ingredients for spring. The days of November were reducing, she needed to find out what to paint and that too fast. She parked her bicycle outside the mall and locked it.
Ember pressed his cold hands on her neck from behind and she jumped immediately. She turned back and kicked his leg. He was wearing blue jeans and a black sweater which seemed a size bigger than his body.
"Don't come here after you smoke weed," She was grumpy right after meeting him. He smiled and leaned towards her "Then, tell me what should I do to feel this high?"
"Marijuana,"
Ember laughed as he walked beside her "Why are your hands so cold?" She asked.
"They always are,"
"That is so creepy. Don't tell me you're a vampire otherwise," She asked.
"I'm not interested in sucking blood,"
"Leaving that aside, finally, our Lord showed up,"
"Yeah, I'm serious about my studies,"
"Why didn't you attend the last lecture?"
"Oh, that! I went to the doctor,"
Rhea stopped and he stopped with her. She looked worried "Why?" She asked.
"Because I just broke my leg falling for you," Ember smiled.
"Why are you so-ugh!" She kicked his leg again and he almost tripped but balanced himself, "By the way, what are your plans for Christmas?"
"I don't know, a family dinner, I guess,"
Meenu and Arjun were seated already in the classroom, eating a bag of chips.
"I'm so tired," Rhea sat on her seat and Ember sat beside her.
"Of course you're tired. You've been running through my head all day!"
"Meenu, let's switch seats," Rhea looked at Meenu. She ignored her like a mosquito and stared at AJ.
"Nice hairstyle, bro" Meenu complimented.
"...I haven't even brushed my hair today," AJ gave her a weird look.
"You don't even have to brush your hair to look good," Rhea said.
"I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" Ember asked her.
"No"
"Well then, please do"
"You're jealous of me!" AJ shouted at Ember. Ember gave an icy glare to him and he moved back, whimpering like a newborn puppy.
"Guys are kind of cute when they are possessive or jealous," Meenu smirked.
"Ew, no way," Rhea looked disgusted and turned towards Ember "Are you jealous?"
"Yes. Yes, I am"
Rhea blushed and looked away, "Gosh,"
AJ played a naughty whistle in the background.
"So, Ember honey, do you like Rhea?" Meenu asked.
"Well, she is pretty and I'm cute, together we would be pretty cute." Ember smiled. Rhea plugged in her earphones to ignore all the chats. She pressed her head on the desk and closed her eyes.
The class started and ended before she could know it. Ember wasn't staring at her that day, he was busy talking to AJ amidst the class. He was laughing silent laughter while covering his mouth. It was her who would steal glances of Ember while laughing. She hated it because she was not the reason why he was laughing.
After class, Chuck came to pick Ember up and they left right away. She felt lonely the moment he left and left for home quietly herself. So, no more bicycle rides or after class snacks?
Ember, Loraine and Maple sat at the dinner table and the maids brought in the salads.
"I'm so hungry," Maple picked up the antique silver forks and dived into the food.
"You didn't even do anything today," Loraine tied the cloth around his neck. Mr Helberg was eating already. They ate quietly. There was an awkward silence where only the voices of forks and plates were heard.
Ember finished eating the asparagus and moved to the main dish.
Suddenly, he felt an intense pain in his stomach. He dropped the fork and clenched his stomach. Mr Helberg looked at him, "Is he okay?"
"Ember!" Loraine and Maple got up and rushed towards him.
He vomited out everything he had eaten till then. The maids and butlers ran towards him.
"Sir, are you okay!?" They asked.
"Do you have buttons for eyes? Of course, he's not okay! Quick, get him up!" Loraine shouted at them. Ember grabbed Loraine shirt and called out his name. Loraine looked at him. Ember was trying to tell him something but his pain only increased, "Bathroom,"
A butler picked him up in his arms and ran off to the bathroom with Loraine.
"I'll call the ambulance!" Maple dialled on his phone but Mr Helberg held his hand.
"Dad?" Maple looked at him.
"Don't call the ambulance. Just take him to his room,"
"What do you mean? He needs to go to the hospital!"
"No, he doesn't! He's going to stay here, in his room,"
"Fuck that! I'm taking him to the hospital!"
"Maple, go to your room,"
"No! I'm taking my brother to the hospital," He ran away, leaving Mr Helberg yelling his name. He sat back on his seat with his fingers pressed over his temples, while the maids started cleaning up.
Maple ran towards the bathroom, Loraine sat beside Ember as he continued throwing up, "He's vomiting blood,"
After losing a lot of blood, Ember lost consciousness. Maple pressed him on his bed and covered him with the warm sheets. Maple looked behind him but Loraine was gone. He knew exactly where he would be as he walking into the lift.
As the lift's door opened, he looked at the terrace garden, the broad glass railings surrounding the garden on the four sides of the buildings. Loraine sat on the floor, his back on the railings, his head hanging between his knees.
"Loraine," Maple stood before him.
"It's happening again," Loraine's eyes were wide open, he was in trauma, "He's going to die, he's going to die...He's going to die,"
"He won't. Look, you need to calm down," Maple got on his knees and looked at Loraine's eyes. The latter looked at Maple, "Everything will be fine, just like last time,"
"Did you see how blood he lost?"
"I've called the doctor, don't worry,"
Loraine broke down, "He shouldn't be needing doctors anymore,"
Maple hugged him gently, "It's okay, we'll get through it,"
"I hate mom!" He sobbed, "She ran away leaving this mess up for us to handle. Give me a break-I'm only sixteen,"
Maple patted his head, "I'll see to it,"
That evening, Maple stood in the hallways and looked at the message on his phone, "I miss you. Can we patch up? I won't fight with you again,"
He looked down at the text and blocked the number. He took a deep breath and walked ahead, towards his father's room and knocked on the door.
Mr Helberg opened the door,
"Oh, Maple. What business would you have at this hour?"
"It's about Ember,"
"We can talk about it tomorrow, go sleep," He closed the door but Maple held it tightly.
"No. No, we can't,"
-To be continued
Can't I Touch Your Heart?
Teach Me The Art of Living