For a while everything was quiet. I sat in my room with Minnete. She was laying across my bed trying to lay claim to territory she knew was mine. But I didn't care at the moment. I listened to the men downstairs and from what I gathered Matt was letting this asshole stay for a few days, or something. I scoffed and gazed out my window. The two pines among the forest of maples are still mocking me. Their unique beauty is different from the others. Their constant watch over me, yet taunting me with the prospect of freedom made my blood boil. How I wanted to cut them down, I wanted to take an ax to them. I wanted to see them fall then use them as firewood.
"Collette," Matt knocked on the door. I didn't respond. "Collette, don't let him get to you. He finds it amusing. And it's not your fault you're different." This is comforting? Yeah Matt, that's what I wanna hear. "I don't think anyone cares anymore, maybe you can come with me next time I leave the country?" He waited for me to respond. And hang out with a bunch of white men jerking eachother off? No thankyou. "Collette, are you okay, you're acting weird. Well, weirder than normal." I didn't answer, instead I listened to Matt's footsteps disappear. I wanted to go away from here. I wanted to forget everything and start over. I looked outside at the pine trees. They were still there.
"Hey, Collette." Another knock at the door. "I feel like I should…apologize." Bastard, Matt probably made him do this. "Matt told me about your relationship with the rest of your family. We're not so different ya' know." Why is he being nice? I got up and walked over to the door. "I didn't know anyone other than Oliver was magic, or whatever. Anyway it's nice I guess."
"What do you want?"
"I just fucking told you." He sighed, and I saw his shadow change position. "Matt told me about what happened, it sucks, sorry." I didn't respond. "How do you do it?"
"Do what?" I immediately regretted my question. He was probably going to ask me how I did magic, or controlled people.
"Deal with Matt everyday." I laughed a little and smiled.
"We put up with each other." I heard Al laugh. "Why are you here?"
"Had some vacation time, I actually like the woods, they're quiet."
"Too quiet, there's no excitement." I smiled and listened to Al's laughter. "Hey, weird question, but have you ever had a dream that was so vivid you knew it was real somehow?" Al was quiet.
"Sometimes, not recently though. Why do you ask?"
"No reason." I walked away from the door and I think Al got the message that I was done talking to him. I looked out the window expecting to see the woman with ripped skin again. But she wasn't there.
Suddenly, I got a burst of energy and inspiration. I pawed through my stack of unused canvas and found a rather large rectangular one. After placing it upon my easel I gathered some paints. Blue, white, black, red, and yellow. Those were the colors I needed along with liquid white. I covered the canvas with a layer of liquid white and looked out my window one final time before getting to work. Dark blue mixed with the white and created sky and snow. I mixed red and yellow and painted the maples. I was so into my work that I subconsciously drew Kuma running out of the woods with something in his mouth. And by the time I was done the sun had begun to set. I looked at my painting, the pine trees nowhere to be found. Smiling, I knew that this was better. Everything was perfect. Then I turned my attention to the real world. The trees that continuously tormented my existence.
Minette pawed at the door, and in that moment I forgot someone else beside Matt and I was in the house. I let her out of my room and she ran out, down the stairs.
"Holy shit," I heard someone drop a glass. "You have cats too? What the fuck man!"
"Collette!" Matt didn't sound too happy with me. I felt anxiety rise in me as I trudged down the stairs, twirling and pulling on my hair. Matt was busy trying to get in between Minitte and Allen. Al wore a sort of terrified expression and was backed into the corner of the kitchen counter. "Damn it, come get your pet." I shrugged and grabbed Minitte's collar and brought her away from the two men.
"She's just excited and curious about you. She doesn't bite." I scratched behind her ears and knelt down so I was at her eye level. "You're just a curious kitten, yes you are."
"What is with your family and giant animals?" Al finally got the courage to stop hiding behind Matt.
"Listen red," I didn't know where the nickname came from. It could have been his auburn hair or striking ruby eyes. Nevertheless he seemed visibly angered by the nickname so I decided to keep it. "If ya don't like her just leave." It wasn't like I wanted him to leave, I just specialize in being a bitch. I heard Matt begin to laugh, and I smiled a little. Truth be told, I was enjoying having someone else around. "Aw come on, I'm just messing with ya' red." I began to bring Minette back up to my room. Red still seemed angry, and I could tell he was plotting his revenge.