Live, Laugh & Heal (DISCONTINUED)

SKYFALL 3

The pictures, they have all yellowed. When did we grow older? When did the years pass by? she thought, fingers tracing each picture, trying to relive the memory that was forever captured. Her thirteenth birthday, a very blurred picture, courtesy of her brother. Her thirteenth Christmas, where they both dressed like ghosts— something they were supposed to do on Halloween, but nobody ever came to their house, so what was the point in following the rules?

She smiled as she closed the photo album and put it back. It was all in the past— and it looked good only in pictures and polaroids, but the past was a time she would never want to go back. Never. That was a chapter closed, and even though it sometimes opened by itself— she'd never allowed it to open completely. Here, in the present, she was good. In the present, she was happy.

Daydreamer, lookee here, maryam said grinning, snapping her fingers in front of her face. She shook her head and looked up at her face. 

It's night. 11:30 pm, to be precise. 
—Yes.
So what exactly do you need?
—I want us to sneak to the terrace. 
It's late, the halls are quiet and empty—
—I want you to see the night sky. Also, saba and aiden are there.
Count me in. Fuck it if anyone catches us.

Grinning, maryam threw her a jacket. It's cold, she said, when zara looked at her questioningly.

How did you get the guard to keep the gate to the terrace open so late? she asked, a tingle of fear slithering down her back.
—Bribes actually do work, zara. C'mon now.

She looked at the impatient figure in front of her questioningly, but gave up and went according to her arrangements. Bending the rules a little does not harm anybody, after all.

Pulling her arm, trying not to laugh out loud like a couple of schoolgirls and disturb the invisible souls floating in the dark hallways, they climbed up. And sure, there was aiden and saba, laughing softly.

zara stopped and let go of maryam's hand as she took a moment to appreciate how ethereal he looked. The moon, falling on his face, coloured him in its pale glow, how his soft laugh sounded like the purest thing in the whole world, how good he looked when he threw back his head and laughed, how mesmerising his eyes, painted in a shade of olive, looked as he gazed upon her and locked eyes with her for a second— she stood there in her place, for a solid minute, even though to her it felt like hours, as she took in every feature, every flaw etched in the boy who now, was looking down, hair covering his face, his hand hugging the wall. 

I am enchanted to meet you. I am wonderstruck at how the darkest of nights, and the palest of pale moons somehow still manage to make you look like Achilles. And somehow, the night, so dark, is still so flawless in all its mysterious peace and quiet.

Am I in love?

Come on up, saba brought the pakodas* she bought yesterday. 
—Save some for me!
We won't be able to unless you move those legs of yours quick enough. These are damn delicious, aiden said, grinning.

zara jogged to the corner where they stood and ate the last four they left, mercifully. 

The stars, they look beautiful, the night is sparkling with their beauty. The entire darkness, the mysteriousness makes you curious to look deep into the night— but as you do, you get enchanted, because didn't the poets say that the night sky is always magical, in a dark way? The night sky is naked, not covered in fake smiles and brightness— isn't that exactly why people cry at night? Isn't that the reason why people let their deepest, darkest secrets and pain out in the night? The night is enchanting, magical, cold— cold to the point where'd you love to be frozen to death. It is dangerously beautiful— and it makes you fall in love.