Intrepid Hearts

6: Clark Street Diner

ZIRA'S POV
5TH JANUARY, 2022.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

A lot has happened during the past fifteen years. Things I never imagined would happen, happened. How I survived through those years are still a wonder to me.

Sixteen years ago, I was enrolled into the same school as Aryan and Meenah which was one not too far from their house. I became even more introverted back then because I knew I had nobody.

I didn't find joy in the things I used to love. Makeup, dress ups, fashion, the color pink, dancing and even sunsets. Every single thing I did brought back the sad memories of my deceased family. They were nights I cried myself to sleep and would wake up with a headache which would often affect me the whole day. Even with that, my Uncle always made sure I never missed a day of training. Training was the toughest part of growing up. The first skill I learnt was how to fire an arrow with a bow—-that was when I clocked ten years old. After two long years of training, I finally shot an arrow at the target. I can never forget the gleefulness that ran through my veins on that faithful day.

It pushed me to try harder in for me to perfect every thing I do. After a year, I mastered archery at the age of eleven. Of course with the help of my Uncle and Aryan who never for once gave up on me. We kept that aside and decided to dig into another aspect.

Gunshots.

It was the scariest amongst all but it wasn't like I had a choice. I signed myself up for it when I agreed to what he asked me the day I step foot into that white mansion. I could never hold a gun perfectly without my hand shaking like a chicken's leg which frustrated the shit out of me. I figured I had to learn sooner or later, so I eventually developed an interest in it. I didn't wait for Aryan to wake up after Subh prayer for training. I set a personal alarm for it and even started before they arrive at the shooting range.

I googled and bought magazines on marksmanship. I mastered and memorized the four fundamentals of marksmanship—-the grip, stance, aim and trigger pull. Learning to shoot 101, gun safety 101, rifle firing techniques...just everything that has to do with guns.

Getting it up in there wasn't an issue because I was a guru when it comes to cramming and understanding. The challenge I faced was the theoretical aspect. I cried, shouted, stayed in the range all night, spent my weekends there, I dedicated most of my time there.

When I clocked fifteen years old, I had mastered marksmanship in ways Aryan, Meenah, Aunt and Uncle couldn't even begin to fathom. My hardwork didn't go in vain because even after I perfected it, I still remained constant in training. The good thing about it all was that I was doing well in my academics and also training.

Archery and guns were checked.

It was only remaining the physical training.

I always thought that shooting was the hardest part of it all, but when Aryan flipped me over on the ring during my first day of training, I knew the hardship was yet to begin. I didn't go for training for almost three months since then. It was Aryan, whom I had eventually grown fund of, that talked me into it. He was the closest thing I had to a friend back then.

Meenah and I weren't exactly the best of friends. Well, it's all my fault to be honest. I was always rude and curt whenever she tries talking to me or befriending me. Truth be told, I purposely made her cry and I didn't feel remorse for it. I didn't know when I had started morphing into a completely different person, but when I realized how awful I've been treating my cousin, I knew I was changing.

Changing to a completely different human being that eight year old me wouldn't be able to recognize.

The relationship I had with her is complicated. We're more of frenemies. Well, I am. She's always sweet to me no matter how cold I am to her. She's too good for her own sake. I think the reason I always had something against her was because I envied her.