1.2 | Under The Hazy Winter Sky | ✓

9 | life is a puzzle

28th december 2013

IT WAS a cold day. Saina and Maya had spent the day huddled behind their blankets, reading their respective books.

Saina switched from sitting on the bed to sprawling on the bed after an hour.

"Maya..." She whined.

"What?"

"I need food."

"It's been only two hours since we had our lunch."

"Two hours is an ample break to have some snacks."

Maya smiled as she placed her book down. "If we want snacks, we need to go out. It's really, really cold out."

Saina thought about it. She grabbed her phone and typed something. Then, she picked her book again.

Maya picked her book up and began reading again, wondering what Saina was up to.

Half an hour later, their cabin's doorbell rang. Saina leaped up and opened the door. "My food is finally here!"

Gaurav and Ved stepped in, holding bags of snacks. 

"I'm also here." Gaurav muttered.

Quickly, Saina began munching on her snacks while shifting the pages of her book. Gaurav and Ved watched the sky from the doorstep of the cabin.

"The weather report said it might snow today."

"I told you to not trust the weathermen." Maya called out from the kitchen.

Ved shot her an amused look. 

As they turned forward, they realized it had started to snow.

"It's snowing." Gaurav stepped out, holding his hands out, cupping the snow that fell in. The group hopped out of the cabin, feeling snow fall on them.

"This is the first time I've seen snow." Saina commented. "Once it snows enough, we should build a snowman."

They waited for an hour, letting the snow pile up on the ground. Once they ascertained that enough snow had collected, they wrapped themselves in fur coats and stepped out.

Gaurav and Ved watched the girls squat on the ground and roll snow into balls.

"They look like snowmen themselves. It's funny." Gaurav whispered.

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing."

Saina went back to her task.

The men were given the task of rolling the bigger ball while the girls rolled the smaller ones. After nearly two hours, they were finally done. But they didn't have a carrot or sticks with them.

Maya put her shawl on the snowman.

"That makes it a little better."

Saina and Gaurav began a snow fight, shortly after. The other two squatted by the compound wall and watched them.

"I envy him sometimes." Ved mumbled.

Maya turned her head to him, realizing their proximity only then.

"He has it so easy-" Ved turned his head and stopped abruptly. Their lips were only a few centimeters apart. With wide eyes, they stared at each other.

"Lovebirds, come out here and join here!" Saina interrupted them, after a moment. Noticing the couple's teasing grins at them, they quickly stood up and started rolling snowballs and throwing it at each other.

After they had grown exhausted, they entered the cabin again and rested. Maya and Ved sat by the entrance. 

"What were you saying the other time?"

"Hm?"

"Before the snow fight?"

"Ah, that." Ved paused, gazing at the sky and the snow before him. "I envy my brother sometimes."

Maya said nothing, waiting for him to explain his remark.

"He has it easy. He's doing engineering. His career will be secure. He's already met his soulmate. He practically has everything he needs in his life."

Ved sighed, the breath he let out turning into a small puff of air and disappearing into the atmosphere.

"When I think about my future, I don't see anything. It's all black in my head. I don't know where I am going."

"He has it all planned out. I...don't. My short film is a complete disaster."

"You're done with it?"

Ved nodded. "I mailed it to my professor."

"Already?"

"The actual editing is pretty easy."

"What did he say?"

"He said it was quite good. He submitted it to the college annual fest to display as part of the movie night."

"That's great!"

"I thought I would be happy with the news. It was my goal, all along. Getting screened at the college fest would get me some attention. I might get some offers to work with production companies."

"So, you do have things planned out, too, don't you?"

Ved met her eyes.

Maya sipped her cup of hot chocolate, which she had let warm her hands this entire time.

"If you wanted things easy, you wouldn't have chosen this line of work. There are some of us, who prefer the comfort of a pre-planned future. And then there's us, who prefer a challenge. You and me."

Maya took another sip.

"I don't have a film analogy or quote to tell you. I don't watch films that often. But, my aunt said something to me that I've stuck by ever since I chose to pursue fashion design. If you don't know what the future holds, that's ok. Think of it as a puzzle you'll keep solving as life goes."

"The fashion industry has quite the reputation. Many horror stories have erupted from there and it's all true. But I want to fight through it all and succeed. The film industry is not very different. You'll make it."

  Maya gave him a smile and stood up, joining Saina and Gaurav in the kitchen.

That night, Saina texted Gaurav.

Saina
Don't you think the ship has had a major moment today?

Gaurav
When?

Saina
You know, when they were seated by the doorstep? When Maya came to us, Ved looked like he had had an epiphany, you know.

Gaurav
Wait, that happened?

Saina stared at the text and sighed. She simply closed her phone and went to sleep. On the other side, Gaurav stared at his phone. 

How did he always miss these things?

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