Broken | ✓

CHAPTER FORTY NINE: BRAIN FREEZE

                          Ireti

Jide had a loyal fanbase, Calvin and I weren’t the only ones obsessed with him. How could we be? His art was what the world needed. His art cut across age barriers. Sitting on some of the stools were wrinkled hands waving brushes at their canvas and bodies that were able to fold themselves like worms when met with salt.

Jide chose Jabi Lake for this exercise and it was perfect. There were so many things to paint; the boats at dork, the jet skiers and the ripples that followed them, the trees that surrounded the lake like it was shielding it, the cars that passed by looking down on us and my favourite, the sunset that saw itself in the body of water. Jabi lake is the closest to a beach experience in the city.

Jide’s eyes kept running towards me and I wondered if he was painting me. I shivered at the thought. When he looked over again, my eyes caught his, unwilling to let go. I tried to retrieve them but they were glued to the spot then he returned his gaze to the canvas in front of him, not before I saw the smile that stretched his lips a little. I went back to painting the bright bold sunset that was slowly exiting the sky for a place in my heart.
Hands were beginning to drop brushes when Jide stood up strolling around. His eyes latched on to every painting, analysing them before his face said what he felt about the painting. With the woman two feet away from me, lines appeared on his forehead then they rested. He was first confused but settled on the fact that art should sometimes puzzle you. I couldn’t see clearly what the woman painted so I couldn’t judge. The man to my farther right received a full-blown smile, he never left their side without commending them. When I saw that smile, he gave that man, I began to crave it. I wanted him to like my work as much. The teacher’s pet in me was crawling to the surface.

Finally, he got to  me. His eyes went round the painting, taking in the sun that hung at the top lying in the blue sky of my strokes, the reflection of the sunset on the water which was another shade of blue and the brown sand closely seated to the water. My nerves racked as he stood with his stern face drinking in the painting. His face relaxed and a smile tugged his lips to the left followed by a nod. “This is beautiful” he said. It wasn’t the full-blown smile the other man received but it was enough that he thought it beautiful so I let my face beam.

” Thank you” I replied.

He continued his rounds and when he was done, he showed us his painting. He painted the tree standing behind me. My stomach dipped a little at the realization and embarrassment washed over me because few minutes ago, I held his gaze thinking he was staring at me.

The girl I met with him at the gallery the other day, I think he called her Ayisa brought out goodie bags. As each person got theirs, excitement clouded their face. Jide was walking towards me when he was intercepted by two teenage girls, badgering him for his signature. They were giggling excessively and I knew they found him attractive.

“Sorry” he mouthed as more people came asking for a signature.

I gave him a smile to let him know it was alright.

“Ireti right?” a voice from behind called my attention. It was Ayisa.

“How do you..”

“Jide has a painting of you he cherishes. You are not hard to pick out from the crowd”

“Oh” I was speechless.