"The world is so quiet

Without you around."

-----●●°●●-----

Kylie

Dragging my tired body into my room I dropped my school bag on the desk carelessly. The corner of the bag slipped causing everything inside it to fall.

Not this now. The bag puked, literally.

Groaning I bent down collecting my pencil bag, notebook and diary. It's been nearly three days since I opened it. The little peace and comfort lasted for only two days, then it went back to nothingness.

Isn't it unfair how he had been able to ignore my existence, but I can't, even after his death?

Bright sun rays came peeking through the open window making the yellow paint of my room stand up, too bright for my liking and in complete contrast to what I felt.

I drew the curtains eliminating the light coming from outside. Isn't it uncanny how a thick piece of cloth can make it worlds apart? The inside was dark while the outside remained sunny.

Instead of changing out of my clothes, I lay there motionlessly in my bed curled into a ball. Sleepiness consumed my entire being, I felt like every joint of my body is paining. I closed my eyes feeling myself dozing off slowly.

The loud banging on the door echoed through the room, I stuffed my face in the pillow ignoring it. But the banging only got louder making it impossible to ignore. People in this household don't know how to let others be in peace, can they?

"Christ, what have you done to your room Kylie?" why did she even bother knocking if she was gonna barge in? Pushing aside my dirty blonde hair I looked at her. She picked up my dirty socks from the floor, crunching her nose. If my stuff isn't supposed to be in my room then where are they supposed to be?

"How came all of your socks have a hole in the corner?"I watched pitifully as she add my socks to her laundry basket. My poor socks, bye-bye socks. After my mother is done washing and sewing it, it will be anything but my socks.

"They are my signature mark." she cast an unamused glance at me. It's true. Those holes are the reason Kai can't steal my socks. The golden boy always needs everything spotless and perfect.

"Come down and eat something at least."

"Later." I moved to the other side cosing myself for a quick nap. "Kai said you skipped breakfast," she added softly. Did he notice that? "I just don't have the appetite. " I spoke honestly wishing wholeheartedly that she leaves and let me sleep. The faint cracking of the door echoed meaning she left.

I checked the time on my phone, I have yet two hours before I need to go to the studio. Switching off the phone I placed my palm below my cheeks and closed my eyes.

🍁

I was six when I first attended an art competition and won the very first prize in my life. That's when my parents took my interest in painting seriously. They signed me up in an art school. The more I grew the more my chase to win grew. The thirst to prove my worth, and the will to be at the centre of my parent's attention grew. The aftermath wasn't good for me. Nowadays painting seems more stressful and less peaceful.

I took out my painting supplies and laid them on my table. Fixing up the canvas, I pick up my brush to paint but nothing comes out. They say art is the form we turn the depth of our hearts in colours. But, mine is blank just like my papers.

A tug in my sweatshirt brought my attention. I looked below to see Max standing there timidly." What happened Max?" I asked him softly, he is just so small. Probably four or five. I don't understand what's the meaning of shoving this small kid into this world of competition, rules and rules.

"Mr Baker said I can't paint in it." he showed me the big paper held in his hand. "He is right you can't. I will give you another one. Come on" I took the paper from him changing it with a cartridge paper. Sparks of being a senior student you are responsible for half of the kids in here.

"Why can't I?" Max asked me fizzing with his shirt's hem.
I glanced at him looking behind my shoulder. "You aren't old enough."

"Why?" he asked me the same question this time his voice trembling.
Why are kids always so tough to handle?

I crouched down to his level looking at his glossy blue eyes. "Because you are special that's why you get to paint on special papers. "

"Really!" I nod my head convincing him. He goes back in his seat beaming. I pass by all the other juniors while going back to my place.

" Lily, what's wrong?" the ten-year-old turns to look at me.

"I don't feel like painting today. I don't know what to paint." the little ginger head huffed looking at her blank canvas.
"I don't feel like painting all the time either. I just paint a flower vast at that time." she looks at me blinking her eyes. I winked at her smiling." It's a secret. Why don't you try that too?" she smiled at me mirroring mine.

Going back to my place I picked up the pink colour tube from my box squeezing a little in my colour plate and splashing a little in my hand. I wipe it off in my sweatshirt. I have seen many people who are hell-bent to keep everything neat and clean while they paint. They will never know the fan of getting paint all over you.

"Kylie is that all you can come up with? The inter-school competition is coming up. You should prepare for it, and take it seriously. A flower pot can't make you win. You Weren't this ignorant before." Sensi slaps the painting on his desk shaking his head in disappointment. Isn't it funny from my mother to my teacher everyone is so worried about me winning a competition that I am the least interested to participate?

"I will try to do better, Sensi." Nodding his head he showed me the door out of his office. I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding stepping out of there. Well, that went better than I thought it would.

Stepping out of the art school I started running in an attempt to catch the bus. The bus leaves at 5.00 am. It's already 4.45 am. If I can catch the bus then good and if I can't then.. bad news for me it's the last bus and the next stop is another thirty minutes walk.

Lady Luck has never liked me since the day I was wrong and she proved it yet again as I am standing at the bus stop panting like an asthma patient while watching my bus leave. The bus was just one foot away from me, one moment earlier and I could have caught the bus. Can I be more pathetic? Huffing I start walking along with the path. It's gonna be a long way home. I think it's gonna rain soon.

It's evening, my most cherished period of the day. I don't think it was a bad thing that I missed the bus. I wouldn't have been able to see the sun on his knee admiring the moon inside the jam-packed bus. Why are all the beautiful moments, and memories so short-lived?

Small water droplets hit my body soaking me slowly. Life does go fast. The last time it rained Ali was here with me. It was the first rain of the season. He always used to wait for me outside my art school so that we can go home. He never told me but I know he took a part-time job near my school so that he can make sure I go home safely every day.

"It's raining," Ali mumbled as we walk side by side." And my ice cream is melting. Would it hurt if it rained a few minutes later?" I pouted watching my chocolate ice cream getting washed off. My poor ice cream. I tried to save the remaining of it shielding it with my hand.

The speed of the raindrops increased and I started eating it faster. I paused when I couldn't feel the raindrops dropping any more. I looked up to see Ali holding out an Umbrella for me while he was drenched in the rain.

"You had an umbrella with you all this time! You dumb fuck why didn't you tell me and why are you showering in the rain? You know that both of us can fit under it." I asked him while he remained unfazed. Ali is way taller than me but he isn't the muscular type. Both of us could easily fit under the umbrella.

"Try to get closer to nature once in a while, it's beautiful. You are a writer aren't you supposed to know about that stuff?" I shot him a glare while he looked away smugly. That was a jab at my poor writing skill. Fine if he wants to get a fever then let him shower in the rain.
He wiped his face took off his glasses and continued walking without glasses.

"You can see without your glasses?" I asked him licking off the remaining of my ice cream. I was pretty confident even if a ghost came in front of him. He would be like- wait, let me wear my glasses before screaming.

"Just because I have poor eyesight doesn't mean I am blind. " he shot me an un-amused glance.

"Isn't it the same thing?" he glared at me taking the umbrella on his side and leaving me under the rain. Wrong time, wrong joke. "Wait." I tried to squeeze myself under the umbrella and he started walking faster. He knows my short legs can't keep up with his long strides. That jerk. It's not my fault he lacks a quick mouth.

"You guys are a cute couple." an old lady passing by commented smiling at us. What did she see cute on us and wait. ... Did she say a couple?
What the fuck?

"What the fuck?" was Ali's response while I scrunched my face in disgust. "How did she think I will date an animal?" I pretended to puke, wiping off my hand on Ali's white shirt.

He gasped gripping the side of his shirt which is adorned with an ice cream stain right now.

" KYLIE! "

I smiled at him sheepishly. It's just an ice cream stain.

I sniffled unable to stop the teardrops as they flowed down my eyes. It seems like the faster the rain is washing off the tears the more furiously they are flowing down my eyes. They just wouldn't stop.

The world is so quiet without him around.

That's the new chapter of Dear Ali. I never thought that writing a sappy character would be the only source of comfort for me at some point. Kylie, I don't plan to shove any love interest in her life. I know kids her age will date and have fun that's what they do. But, I know Kylie better than anyone. Someone who has an abandonment issue will always fear getting close to someone, let alone for some flitting feelings.
I want her to grow up, to be enough mature to accept that she will never be the same again. I want her to be the toughest version of herself.

Updated on 26th June 2023.

No. Of recheck - 3