The red paint drips down the page like a stream of blood, mixing with the blue and yellow hues making up the painting. The colors swirl together throughout the page and the landscape takes form. The painting starts to look more and more like I had planned. I get completely lost in the music surrounding me and in the paint brush balanced in my hand.
The painting is inspired by a dream. The dream was of a land that holds a beauty like one could never imagine. The scene I am trying to portray is a beach where the sand is made of pure gold and crystal clear, glass-like stones. The ocean itself is blood-red, swirled with purple, and a deep turquoise foam that leads each wave to the shore. Though the colors are so vibrant they're almost painful to look at, the sea is a sort of transparent. If I were to walk into the water, I would be able to see myself clearly as if I were still standing on the beach. The sky is a neon green with pink and blue cotton candy-esque clouds.
A loud knock on the bedroom door breaks me out of my trance. "Alix! Wake up!" I jump, nearly knocking my easel and all of my paints to the floor. The clock next to my bed starts to beep and I rub my eyes. I never went back to sleep. I look down at my bell bottom leggings and loose white tee. I'm covered in paint.
The knocking on my door becomes a persistent pounding. With each loud BOOM I become more and more irritated. "Cut it out Bryanna Elizabeth!" I yell at my fourteen year old sister, using the middle name she hates.
Stomping footsteps recede from my door getting quieter as my sister goes down the steps. Finally looking over at my clock, which is still beeping, I notice that I only have fifteen minutes to get ready. "Crap," I mumble.
I had woken up at ten after only having been asleep for about an hour. The dream had been so vivid in my head that I wanted to get the image onto paper before I forgot. Now, it's 6:30 in the morning and I'm nowhere near done. I was surprised that Bry hadn't heard the music I had been blasting until I realized that I had my earbuds in. I'm just so smart when I'm tired.
I sit down on the floor after turning my alarm off and decide, right then and there, that I'm going to wear my paint covered clothing to school,
instead of worrying about finding a new outfit. I'll just have to throw on a colorful flower-crown and call it a day. I close my eyes and try to clear my head before going down to face my crazy siblings and my lawyer of a mother who doesn't approve of my 'gypsy stage.' The image from my dream plays through my head vividly while I sit here, running my fingers through the short, curly mess atop my head. Down below my room I can hear my mom laughing at something my brother, Cam, said. I can practically hear Bryanna rolling her eyes.
After sitting there for about two minutes, I get up to look in the mirror. I let out an audible sigh of relief to see that my hair isn't in too bad of a state. With my curly hair in a pixie cut, the top of my head can sometimes look like a red loofa. I quickly look back into my room for the time. When I'm running late, time seems to fly by even faster. I quickly brush my teeth and grab the closest flower crown as I rush out of my room. Flying down the steps, my mom starts to get impatient waiting. HONK, I hear the horn and, once again startled by the sudden noise, jump. Laughing at myself, I yawn and grab an apple off of the counter before heading out the door.
"Mornin' Momma," I say as I get into the back seat of my mom's Subaru. I take a big bite of my apple and whack Bry on the back of the head.
"What was that for, Lix?!" she exclaims, turning around in her seat to flick me.
I stick my tongue out after swallowing the apple, "I called shotgun last night!"
My mom starts the car and starts to back out of the driveway. "Ladies, please. Can we go one morning without this fight?"
Bry and I look at each other and roll our eyes, "Yes mother dearest." We both burst out laughing and I see a smile playing at the corner of my mom's lips.
"Girls," Cam says in an annoyed tone next to me. I shove his arm playfully.
"Awe, it's okay little orphan Annie," I say, joking about the bright red, curly, mop of hair he has. "By the way, Harry Potter wants his glasses back."
Cam scoffs, I can practically hear the gears grinding in his head as he tries to think of a comeback. "Yeah? Well, Shrek wants his face back!"
I roll my eyes, "That's so original, baby bro."
"Enough Alix! I'm disappointed in you Cameron, usually you're bigger than your sister's games." My mom shoots me a look in the rearview mirror. I cross my arms and turn to look out the window. I was just trying to have a bit of fun!
We all sit in silence the rest of the way to Cam's school. I find myself thinking back to the dream. I desperately want to get back home so I can finish my painting. Besides, I didn't get any sleep so I'm definitely going to crash at some point. The car jerks as it comes to a stop and I hear the door open beside me. Mom and Bry call out goodbyes to Cam, but I just stay quiet. The car starts moving and I can hear my sister saying something to my mom, but I just tune her out and stick my earbuds in. Even though it's not a far drive from the middle school to the high school, the soft music and images from my dream lull me into a light sleep.
A little while later, the Subaru stops behind my large high school. I lazily open my eyes. Students are rushing everywhere in the parking lot. For the average high schooler, there's so much to do before the first bell rings, catch up with friends that you just saw the previous day, go meet up with your girlfriend or boyfriend right in the middle of the doorway, or do the homework that was due a week ago so you get at least half credit. For me, it's pushing my way past the groups of people gathered in between cars, split up the makeout session that's blocking me from the getting into the school, and finding my only two friends.
"Bye Mom," I say, slowly getting out of the car and stretching. Bry stands in front of me, towering over me and my 5 foot 1 frame. She just has to wear four inch heels, adding on to her 5 foot 4 height. I try to get past her, but she blocks my every move.
"Bryanna, don't make me use your middle name. Let me past," I cross my arms and look up at her. "It's not funny, I have to get to homeroom."
I shove her aside and walk away, despite her protests. I know that she wants to share some 'Juicy gossip,' but I really am not in the mood to hear about how Julie Henderson is pregnant or how Greg Farnley got busted with drugs for the 16th time. In the distance, I can see my favorite twins and their 6 foot frames and stick-straight, deep brown hair piled on top of their heads in messy buns.
My best friends are completely oblivious to the world around them when they're talking about boys. I walk up behind them and hear a small bit of their conversation. "Will and Lix would be so cute, right?"
I roll my eyes but blush slightly, they both knew I have a huge crush on Will Barker. "Well if it isn't Veda and Zadora Twill," I say with a grin, interrupting their conversation.
Vee and Zady turn to look at me. "And here we have the infamous Alix Kryss," Vee says. "Speak of the devil."
The three of us laugh and head into the school. The next seven hours are going to be rough. Arm-in-arm, we go into homeroom. Just as I sit down, the booming voice of Mr. JW sounds through the loudspeaker.
"Alix Kryss, please report to the office."