The month passed by quickly. Diya and Arjun were beginning to be nicer to each other, understanding each other's temperaments while working together. There was balance of informal and formal working culture with individuals from different back grounds heading the task.
Diya liked working for some one else, it felt like it gave her more focus for her designated task and she didn't have to worry about all the decision making etc involved in the task. She had made the news of Gupta Goenka's CSR, public, in a very contained manner.
It was decided that the event would be held on independence day in the already functioning boys school. Preparations were being made, young tanned boys were practicing marching for the day. Arjun and Diya went for another site inspection to the school. As she passed by, she noticed and empty room with paints set on the table and a few canvasses lying here and there. It was dusty making it clear that the students barely used it. As Arjun walked ahead talking to one of the employees, Diya asked the headmaster, "why is this room so dusty? do the students not use this?"
"Madam, as you know, this is a boys school, they make fun of the boys who even want to paint, they think it's a woman's job, all of them used to not turn up to school, there was one painting teacher, she also stopped coming due to no cooperation from the student, so we just removed the period for them"
"But, art is essential right? There must be a few children at least who'd like to do it"
"yeah even if they like it, they don't do it due to peer pressure"
Arjun called her from ahead saying that they were getting late to inspect the electricity plant, she bid good bye to head master and went on.
Every night when Arjun and Diya would sleep they ensured that their faces weren't on the same side, it was kind of an unspoken rule.
Arjun pulled the sheets over him, his back was facing Diya's back, he was going to drift into sleep had Diya not called him, "Arjun" She whispered, their backs still facing each other.
"hmm" an exhausted Arjun replied
"Listen no"
"What Diya, did you see another Lizard" he said groggily
"oh shut up" She turned her face towards his back, she continued, "I was talking to the head master today"
"Hmm"
"Can you just listen for once!" Diya exclaimed as she demanded his attention. Arjun turned his face towards hers.
"You were talking to the head master and?" Arjun demanded
"and he said that the students in the boys school didn't want to paint and that they didn't have a teacher"
"and what do you suppose we do about that?" Arjun asked annoyed. Diya had a habit to find new problems every where and then try to solve them and as much as he appreciated that, it was also exhausting!
"I have an idea, but you have to promise to not get mad" Diya said. Arjun turned his back again towards her face, "Diya I'm really tired and sleepy, please!"
"tsk, Arjunnn!" She said as she shook him with her hands.
"ughhh" Arjun groaned like a baby, "What?"
"promise to not get mad?"
"DIya just say it!" He shouted, diya heard him scream at her after a really long time.
"Okay so, why don't you teach them how to paint"
Arjun turned his face towards Diya, stared at her for a moment and said, "No" before turning his back towards her again.
"But why not Arjun! You did it as a kid and you know how much fun it is! you don't want them missing out on such a joyful thing!"
"Why can you find them another teacher or something!"
"Because, you have an effect on them that no one has! they think painting is a girl's thing, if they see you do it, the CEO of their school then they'll want to do it too!"
"I dont know DIya, No, I'm not doing it!" He said as he closed his eyes. Minutes later he heard Diya whisper into his ears, "Arjun, please do it"
"Diya!!!" Arjun screamed at her and she suddenly fell on to the bed. He turned his face to the ceiling and his body become straight as his hands lay on his stomach. A defeated Diya stroked her pillow and postured herself into her sleeping position
Arjun suddenly began, "I haven't even held the brush in years now!" That means he was considering it, Diya thought to herself.
"But you have held the brush for so many years, come on Arjun, remember how you were in the painting room all the time!"
Arjun had almost forgotten that Diya was his junior from his school. "How do you know about that?"
"You were the tall senior always in the painting room everytime I entered it!"
"How do you suppose I take out some time from my busy schedule!?"
"Oh Mr. Ambani, I'll handle it, I promise, one hour right, I'll do some extra work"
"But why would you do it, for me?"
"Because I don't like talent being wasted" Diya said as she adjusted herself and closed her eyes.
"Diya" Arjun broke the silence, a few minutes later
"Hmm?"
"what if they make fun of me? the children?"
"They won't have the guts" Diya said her eyes still closed.
"Diya" he again repeated the way he had said previously
"Hmm" Diya said this time longer to express her annoyance
"what about all the instruments and stuff"
"Every thing is already there Arjun!"
"Diya" Arjun said for the third time
"TSk, oh god Arjun, what?" this time she opened her eyes
"Nothing" Arjun said as he laughed. Diya rolled her eyes. Their backs were facing each other as both of them smiled unknown to each other.
-
Diya patiently waited, for the bell to ring, the empty corridors were suddenly swarmed by children holding their bags on their shoulders running out, as did exhausted teachers. She looked at her watch, what was taking Arjun so much time. She decided to see herself, so she went to the painting room, She saw Arjun engrossed in explaining a certain technique to the students as the students carefully listen to him, had they even heard the bell.
"That's all for today class, I'll see you tomorrow then" he concluded. Students began packing their bags and running out. She then noticed Arjun explaining a certain thing to one student.
"Excuse me sir, can I come in" She said from outside the class
"yes come in" he said absent mindedly as he continued explaining. Something prompted him to notice who was at the door, he was embarrassed as Diya continued to snigger.
The child satisfied with his clarification, picked up his bag and ran outside.
"You have become a complete teacher in 10 days ya? Arjun sir!" She said as she picked up a ruler on the table and imitated a strict teacher by storing some air in her mouth to make her cheeks look bloated.
Arjun laughed. "I thought you were going to do extra work" he said as he assembled his tool kit.
"I did so much that there is nothing left to do for now! You need to confirm a few things so I can start working on them" She said as she walked into the room and noticed the canvasses around her after flipping through the pages of a drawing book.
"Damn, the teacher seems to be good" She commented like an education inspector
Arjun laughed and nodded at how quirky she could be.
"You know even I wanted to learn to paint as a child? paint and create a master piece" she said looking at the ceiling and spreading her hands in the air
"Accha, then why didn't you" Arjun said removing his plastic apron.
"Hmm, kya karoon, I'm not that poetic na" she said pursing her lips "and I never got a teacher like you" she added
"Well, I can teach you now if you want, it's not that hard really" Arjun offered
"Really!?" exclaimed Diya
"depends, is there loads of work at the office today?"
"Oh Arjun, haven't you understood yet, the perks of working with me, no deadlines are missed" Diya said with pride seating herself on the table, her eyes gleamed with self appreciative sarcasm as her voice echoed in the empty class room.
"Okay, so what do you wanna make?" Arjun said as he unfurled his kit and replaced the canvas on the easel with a new canvas.
Diya thought for a moment and then said "sky"
"You know me and this friend of mine, Akhil" She realized it wasn't distressing to take his name any more, "we went to the Juhu beach once and we zoned out at the sky, and you know it was the time during sun set, and the sky was like a mix of color" She continued, "Oranges, purples, pinks, blues, reds" she said with force, her palm opening opening with each color that she named.
"I want to make something like that"
Akhil, Arjun thought, it was the name Diya had taken when she was drunk a few months ago.
"Very well then"
Arjun began putting a few colors on the palette and mixing them with his knife. He handed the knife to diya and began instructing her to do the strokes as he had shown her. Diya nervously applied the paint on the knife in different strokes. She suddenly felt her hand held by another hand. Arjun came closer to her, she could hear him breathe. He took her hand and began making it stroke the knife in different directions. Diya had lost all her focus from the painting, she could feel her hair fly because of the air from a half open window while Arjun continued explaining something to her. She couldn't process a single thing, there was a churn in her stomach she hadn't even realized when the knife had been replaced with a brush!
They were interrupted by a knock on the door, it was the peon holding a bunch of locks and keys, it was understood that he had to lock the place down.
"We're leaving in a minute" Arjun said as he looked around. He picked up the canvas in one of his hands and asked Diya to bring his phone and his kit.
-
Diya continued staring at the canvas as it stood on one of the shelves, she barely knew herself how she had moved the knife and the brush and yet it looked so good, even if 5% of it were done.
"This is just the beginning, we are no where close to completing it" Arjun interrupted her as he wiped his head with a towel. Diya kept looking at it.
"And the way you were doing it today, I've gotta say Diya, you're a terrible student!"
"Haw" Diya said as she widened her mouth, "I wasn't that bad"
"Oh please, do you remember anything that I told you through out the session, or any of the strokes?"
"yeah" Diya lied, "Oh really" Arjun asked straightening his lips
"I know that the brush is supposed to go round round for the clouds" Diya said while making circles in the air with her hand and then laughed as Arjun nodded his head in disapproval while a smile adorned his lips
She kept looking at the painting. "Arjun why did you stop painting?" she asked. Arjun was caught off guard. He had no answer. "Dad wanted me to handle the company" he bluntly said.
"You should run away like Shreya, maybe then they'll let you do what you want" Diya said with a laugh
Arjun realized that he wasn't really bitter about this topic any more, "No actually, in the beginning it was a nightmare, but now I like what I do. On some days I do wish I would've painted rather, but on the other days, it's not that bad"
"Hmm" Diya nodded in thought.
"Besides, we all have to repay our parents some how" Arjun said
"yeah, we do" Diya whispered