I took a seat in front of the blank easel waiting to be filled with life and color. In front of me were her paintbrushes ranging from small and thin tips to large brushes with heavy tips that were used more for watercolor and her paints ranging from the purest form of white to the darkest shade of brown. I never used black because I felt that it was too solid and impossible to shade in. The color would only leave a big empty hole without life.
I took out my sketchbook from her bag and flipped to the pages I used earlier that day. They were sketches of two girls having fun and spending a day together. I followed these girls around all day and as I did I wondered about them. I wondered whom they were, how they meant, are they lovers or just friends?
I'm not some crazy stalker but I enjoy watching people. I see so many people on the streets and I wonder whom they are and where they are going. There are just so many possibilities about these people and what kind of life they own. These girls were two people that caught my eye. They looked so happy together.
The first sketch I have is of one girl waiting for the other. The girl has dark skin and blonde hair but judging from her long pants and concealing shirt I don't think that she is that type of girl that every one associates with dark skin and light colored hair. She reminded me of peaches so I decided to name her the Japanese word for peach, Momo. She was standing in front of the famous stature of the dog that's owner died but being the loyal mutt that he was he still waited. It's a common place for people to meet and like the girl I was also waiting for someone.
I sat down on a bench and took out my sketchpad. I begun to sketch the girl and think about why she was waiting there. Was she waiting for a boyfriend or maybe a friend or a group of friends? As I quickly sketched her I noticed her face changing into a smile when another girl walked up to her.
This girl was very beautiful. She had beautiful light almost blonde hair. She was wearing a long flowered skit and a white button up shirt that made her appear older and more mature. I noticed that she had two pieces of jewelry on, a bracelet and a ring. This girl was married? She was so young. Was it an arranged marriage or was she lucky to find true love at such a young age? She looked so sweet and innocent to the world. She needed a nice name so I decided to call her Kira.
Momo and Kira must have been close friends judging from the way Momo hugged Kira the moment she saw the other girl. The two were smiling at each other and laughing. They must have been talking about where to go next and what to do that day. As they were leaving I decided that I wanted to know more about them. My friend was already an hour late so it was her fault that I left. I'd deal with her later. I packed up my sketchbook and pencil as I got up from the bench and followed the girls.
I'll say it again; I am not a crazy stalker. In fact this is as far as I've ever gone when it comes to watching people.
I followed them into a small shop. The shop sold perfume of all different smells and shapes. There were bottles that smelled roses, lilacs, peaches, strawberries and the list goes on. I've never been inside of a perfume store before. I never liked the stuff but the bottles were beautiful. They had so many different styles, shapes and colors. The bottles were a work of art themselves!
But I'm getting away from the subject. I found a quiet little place in the corner of the store to sit down and sketch some more. I'm glad no one could see me or else they would have thought that I was some kind of freak and called the police.
The two girls were picking out random bottles and holding them up to each other. Then they sprayed the contents in the air to get a taste of what the perfume smelled like. I watched as there faces varied from disgust, laughter and peace. Momo was trying to convince Kira to buy something in a pink bottle. I couldn't hear what they were saying but Kira kept shaking her head no. Momo kept insisting and shoving the bottle into Kira's hands. Finally Kira gave up and Momo gave her some money to pay for the perfume.
A few moments after they left I got out of my hiding place and followed them. I was just in time to see them turn the corner. We went to a few more stores. Kira brought some new clothes, Momo brought a new purse and some shoes. Momo tried to get Kira to go into a "Victoria's Secret" store but Kira resisted and got away. It was a comical sight to see little Kira blushing over some underwear.
After hours of them shopping and me sketching, the girls decided to get something to eat. I found myself sitting in a tiny café behind a plant as I watched the girls. I still had no idea what they were talking about but judging from their facial expressions they were having fun. They were always smiling and laughing, not a single sad emotion played on their faces all day.
More then once I had to dismiss the waitress away. Finally she told me that I could either leave or ordered something. So I ordered a glass of water. Let me tell you, for a glass of water it sure was expensive. Now that I got the waitress to leave me alone I was free to sit down and sketch the friends sitting at a tiny café as the sun set and hundreds of people passed by in the window behind them.
After they shared a piece of strawberry cheesecake and each had a few cups of tea it was time to leave. By now the day was gone and it was starting to get dark out. They walked back to the familiar place where they meant earlier that day. Stopping in front of the dog stature the two hugged each other and said their goodbyes before walking away in their respective directions. Maybe they would see each other again.
That day is gone and it's eleven o'clock now. I've finished my painting as I put the paintbrush down and step away from the easel. It is a beautiful watercolor painting of two friends sharing tea and cake together at a small café in the middle of summer while the sunsets. That's too long of a titled. I think I'll just call it "Peaches on Fire".
Looking at this painting and thinking about the day I wonder about friendship. They say that friends are always there for you. I wonder if that is true. I know that I have not seen my old friends from high school nor do I think about them. Is there such a thing as everlasting friendship? Will these girls still be friends 50 years from now? Regardless of the future they are friends now and maybe that's all the matters.
