As Long as We Both Live

Chapter 4: Cloud Canvas.

Following Erika and Aster to watch the sunset was a good decision. We were all standing and admiring the beautiful shade of every colour visible near the fitness area. There was a soft breeze, flowing and kissing our cheeks.

Aster immediately took out a small notebook and pen to doodle. Erika just took out her phone to take photos of the sunset. I'm just here standing, looking at the clouds slowly moving in the skies. The flowers nearby moved slightly in the breeze.

"Big sis Aster?" A small voice called out.

Aster glanced towards the direction of the voice calling out to her. It was a young girl. She had strawberry blonde, long hair with soft bangs. She wore a strawberry dress and black shoes. She had rosy cheeks and a pair of soft blue eyes. She was peeking from the pillar near us.

"Hasley? What are you doing here, little missy? Aren't you supposed to be in your dorm now?" Aster asked the young girl and patted her head.

"But... I wanna see the sunset, Big bro Xavin said that he wanted to work out and I heard that the best place to view it is here," Hasley answered. Her blue eyes looked at Aster's golden eyes.

"Aww, looks like Xavin has led you here," Asley said in a sarcastic tone. She then reached out her hand to Hasley. Aster smiled gently at her then glanced at me and Erica.

"Say, would the both of you mind if this little missy joins us?" Aster asked.

"Not at all! She's soo adorable, look at her dress! Such a cute outfit," Erika squealed in excitement. I just nodded while giving a soft smile.

Aster carried Hasley on her shoulders to give her a better view of the sunset and the buildings in front of us. Hasley beamed and her eyes lit up. She was in awe of the picturesque view.

"Big sis Aster, can I ask you a question?" Hasley asked.

Aster looked up and said, "Of course, whatever it may be I'll answer it." She then gave a reassuring smile.

"Is it true that the angels painted the sky?" Hasley looked at me then Aster.

"Hm... What if I said, they did it just so to bring people a sense of comfort? Y/N, Erika, your opinion?"

I just looked at the innocent, little girl who was waiting to be answered. I looked around and took a deep breath.

"Sweetie, do you mind me telling a story?" I said. Erika stood next to me and Aster put Hasley down.

"Mhm, I don't mind. I like stories anyway," Hasley replied while smiling sweetly.

"Once there was a girl, a teenage girl." I narrated. A sharp pain felt in my chest.

"She just finished her last session of school. Her mother then came to pick her up in a white, polished car. The teen girl had a lot of problems in school, facing bullies, grades, well-being and such." I continued.

"Did the teen girl stand up for herself?" Hasley asked.

"She did, however, the problems kept piling up." I glanced in front of me. The trees swayed even harder and the sun was kissing our faces.

"Continuing, the teen girl stepped into the car. The mother noticed her scars and bruises." I held my hand which had a bandage wrapped around it.

Aster saw me touching my bandages and had a worried expression. Her eyes widened slightly, her lips parted a little in shock. Erika just stood there with her left hand on her hip with a concerned look.

"Suddenly, a truck collided with the white car. The mother and the teen girl got into an accident. The mother didn't survive however and the father had left them since the start." I looked at Hasley.

She had her blue eyes on my bandages. She then let go of Aster's hand. She immediately ran up to me and grabbed my hand.

"I'm sorry," Hasley apologised. Her eyes glanced down and her face showed concern. I rubbed her hand lightly with my thumb and continued.

"The angels painted the sky because someone might've died. They then wanted to paint or make the sky pretty to signify one's death. It is to reassure the people acquainted with the dead that they're safe. Safe in heaven, up in the clouds." I ended the story.

I then looked down at the small girl and stroked her head. She then hugged me and my eyes suddenly felt hot with tears forming. I hugged her back and hold back my tears.

"Hasley, come on. We have to get you to shower now. We wouldn't want you to get scolded by the maids, yes? We can continue the next day or... I'll sneak into your room. Hehe!" Aster stretched out her hand to Hasley and she took it.

Aster then winked at me — "Go back now." Erika just dragged me aside and gave me a reassuring smile. She patted my shoulder and returned to her dorm. I was left alone, which means I can either follow Aster or go back to the dorm.

I then felt a strong gust of wind blowing force at me. I immediately left to go to my dorm and decided to wait for Aster.

Once I heard a click from the door, Aster entered. She then closed the door behind her and left to shower.

"Y/N! Which shampoo is yours again?" Aster shouted.

"Mine is on the top shelf, yours is below," I replied.

A few minutes later, she emerged from the changing room and dried her hair with her small white towel. She had her glasses removed and her eyes seemed larger.

"Have you showered?" She asked.

"Yes, while you send Hasley to her dorm," I replied while flipping the pages of the book I'm reading.

"Cool, anyways. The curfew for us to sleep is 10:30 pm. the latest. If you get caught, straight to the kitchen and they'll reprimand you and try to make you sleep. You wouldn't want to do that, would you?" Aster said with a sly smile.

"How will we get caught if we're in our dorms?" I asked with a straight face.

"Lights, sounds, I dunno. They have 'magic'." Aster sarcastically replied.

"Be serious..."

"Alright, alright. They will peek into your dorms. That's all together with lights and sounds." Aster sketched with her small sketchbook and a pencil in her right hand.

She sat near the window and she still didn't have her glasses worn. She stroked the page of her sketchbook multiple times and with aggression.

"Why aren't you wearing your glasses, Aster?" I asked.

"Hm? I always do this every night because my ears will be a little painful after wearing them, especially at night. There's another reason why. I need to constantly wear eyedrops that will stabilise my degree and make my pupils larger. It kinda stings but it's worth it." She smiled lightly and soon, she closed her sketchbook and put her pencil back into her pencil case.

"Be sure to sleep latest by 10:30. Good night, we'll go through the rules tomorrow instead." Aster lifted her covers up and soon drowned her face into her duck plushie.

"Night, sleep well," I said and continued reading. Soon, my eyes started to flutter. I then decided to close my book and sleep.