Chapter 4: Zoya

" I once cried because i failed but then I saw the fire, fragile and weak but still it was giving heat, then i realised i never failed "

                                    .....

Jean was sitting on his chair, the room completely still around him, but his mind was loud. "a.....n.....d....there!! Yeah finally!!!!" he shouted, his hands trembling slightly from excitement. 

His heart was beating faster than usual, and for a moment, he didn’t feel like he was inside his room anymore. 

The game had pulled him somewhere else entirely, somewhere brighter, somewhere louder, somewhere alive. He kept staring at the screen even after it was over, his fingers resting loosely on the controls as the adrenaline slowly faded. 

That game was given by Anika. "Don't forget to try it ok...ok?? OOOKK?" Her voice echoed clearly in his mind, playful and persistent. 

He let out a quiet breath and put the game aside carefully. "I'm thirsty," he murmured, only realizing it now. As soon as his feets touched the floor, a sharp shock ran through them. 

"ahh... was i sitting for that long?" he whispered to himself. He stood there for a moment, letting the strange sensation pass, before walking toward the kitchen.

He grabbed a glass of water and drank it slowly. The cold, refreshing water hit his throat, and he exhaled softly. "Ahh.... that was great... I'll go for another glass." 

He filled the glass again, watching the clear liquid rise steadily. But when he brought it closer to drink, he suddenly didn’t feel thirsty anymore. He frowned slightly, confused. 

"umm.... what?" he whispered. He stood there staring at the glass, waiting for the thirst to return, but it didn’t. After a few seconds, he quietly placed the glass inside the fridge. 

Just before he closed it, something soft brushed against his legs. He looked down. "ohhh Zoya, girl come here." It was Zoya. Her small head pushed gently against him, her warmth reaching him instantly. 

He bent down and picked her up, feeling the softness of her fur and the quiet life inside her small body. He held her for a moment longer than usual. 

"You hunger? How about a treat?" he asked softly. She answered with a gentle meow. He placed her down and watched her eat, completely focused, completely present.

As he watched her devour her food, a thought suddenly appeared in his mind. "I'm hungry!!!" he said, surprised at himself. He blinked. 

"huh? why I'm talking to myself? What the hell I'm again asking questions to myself??" He stood there quietly, unsure why it felt strange. The silence around him felt different now. Staying inside suddenly felt heavier than leaving. 

Without thinking too much, he decided to go for a walk and maybe grab something to eat. He moved toward the door, and as soon as he opened it, the wind greeted him gently. 

It wrapped around him in a strange balance of warm and cold. He stood there for a second, feeling it. Behind him, he heard her. Meoww. He looked back at Zoya. 

"I'll be back soon," he said softly. She had stopped eating and was watching him. "how cute of you, don't leave the house okay?" he said before stepping outside.

The breeze moved freely around him as he walked. Trees swayed gently, their leaves dancing with the wind. The road reflected the warmth of the sun onto his legs with each step. He walked without thinking, without rushing, just letting his body move. 

Soon, he passed the mall. His steps slowed slightly as the memory surfaced on its own. The white scarf. His fingers holding it. Handing it to her. 

"i wonder what she is doing right now," he thought quietly. He continued walking, and in the distance, he noticed a vending machine. He stared at it for a moment. 

"No," he said to himself. "I'm here for a walk not drink." He turned his eyes away and looked toward the sea instead, watching the sunlight reflect across the surface as waves moved endlessly. 

But after a moment, his eyes drifted back again. The vending machine was still there, and so were his thoughts.

"umm what should I take?" a familiar voice suddenly said. He froze and turned. It was Anika. "oh Hey!!! Jean, which flavour should i take? You want I can buy for you too. 

And and did you tried that game? It's very good." Her voice filled the quiet evening effortlessly. He looked at her and realized something unexpected. He wasn’t annoyed. 

"yeah yeah i tried," he replied calmly. "How was it? Did you enjoyed? And and do you need a drink? You know what let me just grab one for you," she said, already moving before he could answer. 

"I'm not thirsty," he said, but it was already too late. She had already bought two drinks. "but i already bought it," she said. He didn’t reply immediately because something else had caught his attention. 

The scarf. It was still wrapped around her neck, clean and beautiful as ever. He stared at it quietly. "hey.." he began, but the words stopped halfway " nevermind" . She immediately noticed. "no tell me what, tell me!! Now you got me curious," she insisted. 

He hesitated, the words waiting inside him but refusing to come out. She kept staring at him, waiting, but he reached forward and took the extra drink from her hands. "thanks for the drink," he said. 

"no tell me about it!!" she insisted again. He looked away slightly. "the wind is warm no?" he said, avoiding her question. Then he looked back at her. "so tell me what are you doing here?" he asked.

She blinked, her thoughts immediately scattering. "me? Oh...ummm i...i was just out for a walk and I saw a vending and I saw you and and," she said, losing her breath as she spoke too fast. He watched her calmly. "calm down I'm not running away," Jean said. And for once, he meant it.

To be continue...