MIZPAH

19 | pastel coloured

CHAPTER: 19

"Did you find it?", the younger person asked, a mocking tone under laced with it.

The older man as if breathing fire said nothing but clenched his teeth in anger.

The younger person spoke again, "And I am sure you won't find it anytime soon."

"Can you tell me what your problem is? For god damn just focus on your studies", the father not able to control his anger admonished.

"I would have! I would have been able to focus if you had let me study what I wanted to. I want to study and research history if only...if only you had let me", his son exclaimed.

"I know what is good for you. There is no future in this. Look at me son, just look at me!" the father cried out.

"You think so. I will have a future and stop playing the victim, you are doing fine and just watch when a twenty-two-year-old finds what you old and experienced folks are not able to then", the son looked at his father square in the eyes and continued, "there is no going back".

He shut the door loudly on his way out, then there was silence.

❀

Vrishti had not been able to sleep the entire night even after she had closed all her windows and locked the door. The silver piece laid on the mirror stand facing her bed.

When Naaz came to the room in the morning with a disheveled appearance in her pj set, Vrishti finally breathed in relief.

"Good Morning", Naaz greeted going toward the bathroom and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good Morning", Vrishti said silently as she held onto the pillow in her lap.

In the morning, after that, they had silently gotten ready for the day. Naaz in her signature hijab and pastel-colored clothes while Vrishti decided to go with something simple and comfortable but effortless.

The stomach-dropping feeling was almost gone now when she started a light conversation about what they will do when they reach home and what the teacher assigned for today that she almost forgot about it.

She straightened the oversized graphic t-shirt which she had pulled over a basic light blue jeans. She did a messy knot with her hair and when she eyed down to put the brush down, her eyes fell on the silver piece from last night again.

She picked it up and put it in the small pocket at the side of her bag which she sometimes used to store keys or bubble gums.

"Ready?", Vrishti asked Naaz who was sitting on the bed and typing rapidly on her phone, a frown etched between her brows.

Hearing Vrishti she looked up and slowly a smile appeared on her face, she turned the screen off and nodded at her.

When they closed the door they saw Lee coming their way, he wore a black cotton shirt over a white t-shirt checking out his silver rings and glinting on his fingers in the low lights of the hallway.

When he looked up, there was a small smile on the corner of her lips. He came closer and greeted, "Hello Munchkins".

Both the women said their greetings and they descended the stairs together. Lee and Naaz before Vrishti when her eyes fell on Lee's shoes in passing, she noticed there was dried mud on his black boots but then she looked up where their other friends had been waiting for them.