Chapter 6:Art generation
Sitting in AP English Lit was kind of boring, I placed my head in my propped up right hand and opened my notebook to a blank page and grabbed my pencil starting to draw randomly, I hadn't drawn anything in a few days and it'd made me even more depressed because of it, so I decided while I listen to Ms. C's boring speech about English Lit I sketched a carnation flower with a butterfly atop it filling in all the right spots and leaving blank a few areas.
All my lines were precise and organized like they always had been, I started to smile as it came together nicely, but it honestly hurt to smile…it hurt because I hadn't done it fully since the fire, I'd had shadows of smiles, light hints that I may have shown but never a full grown smile, a tear escaped my eye as I continued to draw…it had been a talent my mother loved to do, a talent my younger brother possessed even at his age…
it was a skill that ran in my family for generations….and despite how much it hurt to think about them, to think how they used to be and realize they weren't here anymore…to draw in memory of them…it hurt…but at the same time it felt so completely right that I couldn't stop even if I wanted too.
The boy next to me held out a hand with a tissue in it and I looked up at him with such translucent eyes into his beautiful mismatched ones and for a second I gave a small smile and took the tissue from him. I put my hand flat against my lips and then lowered it as it signed thanks in sign language, he simply nodded a small smile on his lips as well and I looked down at my drawing and felt a sense of pride that I'd thought I'd lost the day I lost my family.
After school was over I got lost on my way to the art club, it being Monday I had to attend as Nathaniel so clearly stated. When I finally found the club of my own accord I took a seat in the back in the second empty table, the first table in the back was taken by a girl with violet hair and eyes to match…she looked sad and distant, as if she was experiencing the whole world in a different setting…in imagination and color…
I could tell she was an artist because of her hands that had charcoal and paint under her fingertips and the shapely way of an artist's hand. I had to admit the girl was very beautiful and in another life we may have been friends even…[i]'maybe you can be in this life too Selene'[/i] my thoughts bit in and I sighed…[i]maybe[/i]…I thought before the club started.
"Alright we have a new student joining us today, Selene Arten would you like to introduce yourself?" My eyes popped as everyone turned to look at me, not another teacher who wished me to introduce myself, plus she'd just introduced me! I shook my head no and she sighed nodding.
"Alright then, everyone get out your partner sketches that we've been working on and get with your partner to work on them, Selene I want you to work with Violet, Violet introduce yourself to Ms. Arten." She said as the room scrambled to get their supplies together and when the girl with purple hair stood up and came over to me I almost chuckled, the girl with violet eyes and hair was actually named Violet…it was beautiful irony.
"H-Hi…." The girl said in a soft whisper. "I-I'm Violet." She said before she opened up her sketch pad and grabbed a very well sharpened number 2 pencil from her art supplies case that she had with her…she's shy which I could have figured from my earlier observation from her but this just proved to show she was…if she had a hard time introducing herself maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I used my voice to make her feel more comfortable…and make me less comfortable, I pondered that thought…
"S-S-Selene" I stuttered out quietly before grabbing a large sketchbook from the back and coming back to my seat to start sketching Violet. The girl smiled with sweet sincerity that I knew I'd made the right choice in voicing my name instead of just writing it down. After that we were quiet as we worked on our sketches, I was curious to see how good of an artist she was but wasn't too eager that I distracted from my own work.
We finished our sketches before the rest of the class, which made each other smile slightly, we showed each other our sketches and smiled at how excellent they were, Violet smiled at my sketch even traced her drawn features with her hand. "Y-You're really good!" she exclaimed shyly and I smiled.
"Y-you…a-are…t-too." I stuttered out, my throat hurt from the talking, it felt like it'd been closed shut and was just now being cut open to breathe again, she smiled and grabbed her and my sketch books and showed them to the teacher, Mrs. H was really impressed with both of them from her expression, she took the sketchbooks for class and then walked over to our table.
"Wow looks like we have another fantastic artist in our midst, great job Selene, I was wondering if I could put up your art piece in the art gallery this Saturday and maybe any other works you have that you'd like to show?" She asked and I froze…back in the eyes of the teachers….already? I'd only been here one day and I was already getting something put up in an art gallery…family talent strikes again. I nodded letting her know it was okay…usually when something of mine was put in a gallery my family always came and supported me…
[i]"Come on guys it's time to gooo!" I whined waiting for my brothers and sister to get in the car, they were always so slow! I thought rolling my crystalline blue eyes before getting in the backseat of my dad's maroon 2011 Chevrolet Suburban just as my brother and sister got out to the car getting in as well.
"Geez Sellbelle impatient much." My sister Savannah said as she got into the seat next to me and pinched my shoulder, I pouted before punching her arm back.
"Dang girls got an aarrrrrmmm" My elder brother Mark said in an announcer voice, and I leaned back and slugged his knee. "Ow and one heck of a punch." He said with a chuckle. I stuck my tongue out at him as we pulled out of the driveway. "Big girl on campus, getting her art put on display for a charity auction, giiirrrrlll you got it going on." He said and I just looked at him like he was bloody crazy, which he was but that was beside the point.
"Yeah she'll be better than Mom in no time if she's not already!" Savannah said and my mom looked back at us in her seat and glared playfully.
"Oh really, did I just get dissed? Oh hail no girl you're grounded." She laughed and so did the rest of us.
"Aww come on mamacita you know I love you." Savannah said playfully hugging mom from where she sat.
"Yeah uh huh sure." Mom teased before looking to dad. "Can you believe them? Dissing poor old mom." She chuckled and dad stopped at a red light and looked at mom.
"Come on sweetheart you have to admit you gave all that artistic talent you have to your last two kids. The rest are meh." He said lowering his head knowing Savannah was about to hit his head, he chuckled.
"I can't believe you!" mom said slapping his arm chuckling and looking to the backseat at me. "Though he's right, I'm so proud of you sweetheart, and when Tommy is older he'll have days like today and he'll be competing for the title of Best Arten Artist!" mom said posing like a superhero the best she could while in a seatbelt and I chuckled looking back at my 8 year old brother who was smiling.
"We won't compete huh TomTom we'll just be really awesome and make art together!" I said and he smiled wider.
"YEAHHH!" he said cheerfully and I mimicked him.
"YEAHHH!" I laughed, I couldn't help but think this was a perfect moment, when we got to the art gallery where my pieces were showing we got out of the car and entered the gala. "Wow I didn't realize this place would be so big." I said in aw looking at all the beautiful art.
"Get used to babydoll you'll be seeing places like this when you're famous." Dad chuckled as he put his hands on my shoulder and leaned down and kissed my cheek. "Proud of you kiddo." He said sincerely and I smiled.
"Yes yes we're all proud of the wonderful the fantastical the supreme the-UGH" Mark exclaimed before I hit him in the stomach chuckling." "The very mean Selene Lavanya Arten." He finished holding his stomach in mock pain. "Just kidding, you're alright kid, you're alright." He said in a tone you'd hear from private eyes in old movies. Tommy grabbed my hand and we walked around the gallery until we found my selection of art…I felt so proud to see it hanging there that I shed a tear of happiness.
"Great job babygirl." My mom said putting her arms around my neck from behind and giving me a hug. It truly was a perfect moment, being there with my family celebrating my accomplishments… [/i]
Too bad it ended only months after that gala opening…I sighed and looked around noticing the place was nearly empty except for Mrs. H and Violet, I wiped the tears I felt covering my face and grabbed my things exiting the classroom in a hurry running out of the school and down a large hill past several houses until I reached a river bank and I sat down on the grass and cried thinking of my family…of home.
