Cherry Blossoms
"You're a brilliant artist Erin. Don't you know the potential your fingers hold?"
"Did you hear? Erin the art prodigy has painted a new picture!"
"Erin! Look here for the picture! This is going to make the headlines!"
Words. They swirl around in my mind. They have been repeated so many times, so many times, that they have lost their meaning. Empty words.
People praise me. They compliment me, appreciate my art. But they do not understand me. I have been alone my whole life. Because, because of my talent.
This is not a blessing, being able to create paintings in the blink of an eye. This is a curse. People, friends, they enter my life, just to leave because they feel inferior to me. They can play catch up all their life, but they can never see me. Never catch me. I am always ahead of them.
But he was different.
"What color do you want to be?" I asked him, head cocked to a side, my light blonde hair flowing in the wind.
"Me? I've never thought about it. But right now? Probably opal." He replied, shooting me a smile. Opal? It was a conflicting color.
"What about you?" Me? No one bothered about me. The moment someone answered my question, they ignored me. Sent me out of their world. Out of sight, out of mind.
"I don't know. I've never thought about it. But maybe, right now, white?" The color of purity. The unblemished one. The one every other color started from.
"White's a nice color," he said with a grin, leaning back. The wind blew his hazel hair into his eyes, and he puffed out a breath, blowing his fringe back.
"You're not alone, you know. There are people like you." Not alone? He does not know. I am alone. No one ever catches up with me. They give up chasing, and leave.
"That's not true." Did I say that out loud? "Yeah, you did."
"I am alone. I don't have any friends."
"That's not your fault. It's not your fault that you're born with talent. You're at a level that normal people can't reach, true. No matter how they run, how they chase, they'll never see you. It's an endless chase. But what people don't realize is that you can't see them too. You're not alone."
His words, struck a chord in my heart. Not… alone? What he said… It was true. I never thought of it that way. "Do you know where there are people like me?"
"Maybe. You'll find us someday, wait for me," he replied, winking at me. He ruffled my hair, making me scowl. "Keep going."
"But… No one understands." I sigh, leaning on his shoulder.
"You know what? I changed my mind. I won't be opal. I'll be the color of cherry blossoms."
"Cherry blossoms?"
He nodded. Cherry blossoms? A bright color. Cheerful, happy. The color of fortune. Of luck. Of hope.
"You'll find friends someday Erin. Don't worry." He whispered in my ear, causing a slight blush to dust over my cheeks.
"Promise?" I asked with hope in my voice.
"Promise." He said, kissing my forehead.
With those last words, he stood up, stretching. Stepping out from the shade and into the sunlight, he turned to wave at me. In a wave of white light, he faded away.
I stood up, ready to face a new world. He had moved me, motivated me, given me a new way to look at life. Yes, I may be alone, but I'll live. It's me against the world. I'll find friends eventually. But for now, I'm alone.
Wait for me…