A Bad Piece of Art

Mal was in her art class and her teacher was passing out a paper.

"This paper is about an art competition the district is having. You will have a week and two days to do any kind of art. Then, you'll go over to town square and you'll get judged on your project. This is definetly optional. You don't need to do it. Those of you who enter will miss half an hour of art class, but you will not have to make it up. If you make it into the finale you'll go to town square again and have the audience and different judges decide. If you win, you're art will go in the museum and you'll get a $200. Just fill out the form if you want to enter. If you don't want to, put it on my desk." Mrs. Smith informed.

Of course Mal wanted to enter. She loved art. She put her first and last name, wrote her e-mail address, and agreed to all of the rules.

After school, she told Evie, Jay, Ben, and Carlos about the competition. Unfortunately, they couldn't support her because they had school. But they still were going to give her confidence. After she was done with her homework she brainstormed some ideas. She wanted to do a painting that was abstract and meaningful. This is what she had so far:

Ideas

1. Limo going to Auradon

2. The Enchanted Lake

3. Door in the Isle leading to Auradon

4. Set It Off

5. Fairy Godmother's Wand

Mal thought Fairy Godmother's wand was too simple. The limo she though wasn't that meaningful. Then she thought the Set It Off scence would be too much for the eye to handle. It was down to the Enchanted Lake and the door in the Isle leading to Auradon. The Enchanted Lake was really special because that was the first time she actually felt love. But, the door symbolizes how much better her life is now than it was before. So, she chose the door painting.

After all of that thinking, she went to bed.

The next day, she sketched out her thoughts. She imagined: About a third of the canvas being he Isle and the the rest being Auradon. She wanted to paint a special place in the Isle for that third. She did the location where she had her first steps. Then, there would be a huge door in the middle of the walkway leading to Auradon. She wanted to paint herself going through the door. She wanted to have the viewer actually see through the door from a perspective. So it looked like you were actually looking through it. In the Auradon part, she wanted to paint everyone outside the front of the school waiting for her and telling her to choose good.

Mal showed Ben, Evie, Jay, and Carlos her sketch. They thought it was a really good idea. Today, Mal took a break on her art. It was Friday and she wanted to hang out and put art aside. She still had until Thusday to finish. They all went to a smoothie place to get a drink and talk.

On Saturday, Mal got all of her materials with Evie at a craft store. She needed to get a white canvas, a variety of paints, brushes, and a paint pallet. When they got back Mal drew an outline on her canvas to make it easier. She started working on the Isle of the Lost side. She only painted less than half and had five more days.

It was Sunday and Mal just a little more to finish in the Isle side. It was harder to do than she thought. There were a lot of details surprisingly in the Isle of the Lost. On Sunday she was done painting the Isle of the Lost half. It took until Wednesday for her to finish the whole thing. On Thursday she put a little bit of finishing touches that didn't take too long.

Mal didn't want her friends to know how it looked like until the day she has to got to town square. Ben couldn't wait and snuck into her dorm while the four of them were at the gift shop. His excuse was that he forgot his jacket there and he was getting cold. He left it on purpose. Mal told him not to look, but he did anyway. When he saw the canvas on the stand her took off the sheet.

"Wow, even in a painting...Mal is still beautiful." Ben shocked himself.

He admired her work. He grabbed his jacket and when he gave it a little toss, the zipper got caught in a piece of cotton that was on the painting to use as clouds. Ben gave it a little tug and the cotton was so stuck on there that when Ben pulled it, the canvas ripped!

"Oh no! What have I done?!" Ben screamed.

He tried to figure out how to put it together but he couldn't do it. How was he going to tell Mal?! He got to the coffee shop and they got into a conversation that Ben forgot to tell Mal. It was until Monday that he remembered. But Monday was the day she had to go to town square. He tried getting to her around campus but she was so busy he barely saw her. If she pulled that sheet off... that was going to be the end of it.

Ben saw the bus park out of the school. He saw students lining up and saw Mal.

"Mal! I need to tell you something!" He came running to her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"It's kind of hard to say." Ben hesitated.

He didn't have enough time to tell her. He was too scared.

"Well, tell me later I gotta go." Mal replied.

Ben was really disappointed. What was she going to do when she saw the painting. Ben couldn't think and somehow he came up with an idea. There was another bus coming five minutes later. So, he was going to get on the bus. He ran to the office to tell Fairy Godmother his excuse which was: "The government team told me I had to do something that was important." Luckily, Fairy Godmother fell for it and let him go. He got on the bus.

When he got to town square he saw the judges carrying the paintings.

"Excuse me." Ben interrupted.

"Oh...your honor. What could I help you with?"

"I need to take that painting that's in your hand. I need to...inspect it."

"Alright. But, do understand that we need it for the competition."

"I know. You can count on me."

Ben ran to a storage room that in the theater that was full of paint cans. He took of the sheet of and took some tape he saw and tried to tape the rip from the back of the canvas. But, as he ripped a piece of tape off he pulled back and an opened can of paint fell on the painting! He tried wiping it off but it only made it worse!

"You've got to be kidding me! Mal will never forgive me! I'm the worst boyfriend ever."

When he looked down to pick up the can he noticed he got it all over his clothes too. He just decided to cover it up and put the painting outside the door. When he put it oustside he went to the bathroom to clean up. But the paint was already soaked in his clothes. When he got back to give the painting it was gone. He ran to the theater, took a seat, and saw the painting right next to Mal. It was almost her turn to present it. When Mal was about to present it, Ben yelled out:

"Stop!"

He went up on stage to tell Mal.

"Ben what are you doing here?"

"I'm here because I accidentally ruined you painting."

Mal pulled off the sheet and everyone gasped.

"I didn't listen to you when you said not to look at it. I lied that I forgot my jacket. I left it there in purpose. Then the zipper got stuck in the cotton and then the tape made the paint fall on he painting." Ben explained.

"You should've listened to me. If you actually listened, my painting wouldn't be a huge mess!" Mal argued.

"I know. Because of me you'll make a fool out of yourself. I'm the worst boyfriend ever." Ben ran out of the theater.

Mak was really mad. When the judges came to see her painting they knew their answer right away. They didn't even let Mal explain her idea.

Ben was outside sitting down on the stairs.

"Hey." Mal bursted and sat down next to him.

"Hey. Look-"

"I know. You're sorry. Besides I'm not mad."

"Really?"

"No. You just couldn't bear to see my painting because you wanted to see it that much. I understand."

"I just wanted to support you the best way I can."

"That's really sweet. So, before it was destroyed...what did you think?"

"It was amazing. You know what?"

"What?"

"Even in a painting. You still look beautiful."