May I paint you

03

Chapter Three

    The bus is always an interesting place to be. You see so much going stop to stop. The old lady getting off at the same stop every Sunday morning getting a big hug from her grandkids. A big sister helping her little brother study for a test the next day. A girl staring out the window listening to classical music and you know it because you can hear it as well as see her cello beside her at all times. I have always loved the bus even though it smells like body odor and there are always so many people on the bus. It shows a story about each person. People watching is one of my favorite things. It's another thing that made me love art.

    "National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art." I've been to a lot of museums but this one I have yet to discover. I booked a tour just to seem like I'm new to this thing. Hopefully someone in the group makes me think of something beautiful. I made sure to bring my sketchbook  just in case. The tour starts at three so I have about ten minutes. I got off the bus standing right in front of this beautiful large building. However the building isn't what made me lose my breath, instead it was her... She was walking inside wearing a long san tan coat. It's like she is following me god I did this to get her out of mind and try to draw something else. Whatever it's just a coincidence I more than likely will see her once, twice maybe that's fine. I can just think about my tour and the art. Alright let's go in Venus you'll be late otherwise and you already spent money on this, let's not waste it. Walking in I see way too many people since when did people all of a sudden start to like museums when I was a kid everyone hated them. Hell I got made fun of because of it.

I looked around trying to figure out where to go and see a big group all wearing the "hello my name is" nametags. "Hello, is this for the three o'clock tour?" I figured I would ask and not stand around looking stuped. "Oh hello! Yes this is your right on time here is your name tag go ahead and write your name on it for me okay? Once everyone is settled in we will make a buddy system just so no one gets lost!" The lady's voice was a whispered but yelling tone. A buddy system god why did I think this is a good idea. I wrote my name and stuck the sticker on my coat. "Venus hey" Of course she just had to say my name of course she's right here. I looked up and no surprise it was Son Chaeyoung with the same name tag as I. "You're on the same tour as I. That's so cool I wouldn't think this is your kind of thing. Well museums yes but tours no-." "Stop talking, I don't care what you have to say." I put my hand up and walked away sitting down with the rest of the tourists. As we all waited I pulled out my sketchbook and started drawing the random people around me. One after another I got to her my muse, my new reason for art, the reason I'm here to think of something else for a change. I made hers the most detailed might as well as took a photo. It would have taken less time for me.

    Everything about her makes me want to melt into my art. I was lucky that she sat right in front of me, otherwise it might have been more noticeable. As well as her being right there she's drawing on her tablet not looking up once. "Okay everyone, time for the buddy system!"The lady spoke out and started going down the rows and saying "you guys are buddies and you two are buddys" then she got to us "okay you two are buddys!" and walked away Chaeyoung and I made eye contact. She gave a weak smile and got up putting her tablet away. I followed doing the same with my sketchbook. Everyone got into a line side by side with their "buddy" we were closer to the back but not all the way there. I looked over at her and she was really quiet just standing there holding her bag staring straight ahead. I looked away and took the map the guides had handed us then gave one to Chaeyoung. "I'm sorry..." She said quietly as she took the map. "Why? You didn't tell me to stop talking." "For what I said the other day. About you being second, you know it really wasn't far to bring it up i should have." She started to go on and on. "I would have said the same thing. Which sucks for me because it feels like you think you're so much better than me because of what you said. Though If I had said what you did that's exactly what I would think." The tour started and I started walking leaving her.

"This is something I will never understand about you." she said, grabbing my coat to keep up "You go from one side to the other like no tomorrow. First it's a big deal and it's all you think about then you say it's fine and then you go back to thinking it's a big deal. Why is that? Why do you act like that?" I could tell she wasn't trying to be rude but it felt quite the opposite. "I don't know it's just the way I am. I have always been this way." "Not always" I heard her mumble under her breath. What did she mean by that? "I tend to overreact in the moment and don't realize how much it hurts me until after I forgive." I told her taking a deep breath in we basically stayed in silence for a good amount of the tour. Although we did exchange a few words on how we felt about the art piece everything was nice and quiet until.... "Oh my god is that at Venus !?" oh no... Both Chaeyoung and I looked over to see I-Jun my old bully. The rest of the group passed us as we just stood there. "It's so good to see you again!" She came over and hugged me, I however did not hug back insead I was like a rock I didn't move. She pulled away and kissed both sides of my cheeks. I suppose they really do things like that in France. "And who is this? Your girlfriend?" she said with a laugh "No... this is chaeyoung I met her at work." I didn't know what to say. She used to laugh at me because I wanted to be an artist. She would rip up my papers and throw my artbook in the water fountain. "Work? What do you do for a living now?" She asked me, what do I say? "Actually, will you excuse me? I need to get a drink of water I'll be back." I said with a bow and walked away leaving Chaeyoung.

I practically ran to the bathroom once I turned the corner running into a stall just like I did in high school. This time I could feel the tears running down my face. They won't stop and I'm not making a noise. It felt like my throat was closing up like an allergic reaction. I was in there for what felt like forever when I heard the door open close then locked. "Venus? Are you okay?" it was Chaeyoung, never have I been so happy to hear her voice. I wanted to speak but I couldn't insead I opened the door to the stall I was in. "Hey there." She came into the stall and sat down across from me. "Wow, you're really crying there." I couldn't help but laugh though it really hurt. "I'm sorry she came out of nowhere like that." she said to me, putting her hand on my knee. "You don't know what you're talking about, you don't know her." I whispered trying not to cry more. "She told me." I stayed quiet"She said how she used to be a bully not just to you but to the whole school." "Yeah, I would know better than anyone." I told her "She said how she would also bully you and tell people you were gay... since you two almost kissed." "oh yeah i remember that one she told everyone that I tried to force her to kiss me when we were like twelve. We never even hung out with each other before. We never came close to kissing like I would kiss her anyway." I said, holding my knees to my chest. "She told me she made it all up because she's gay and had a crush on you." she blurted out "what?" "That's what she said. She also mentioned that she saw you and wanted to tell you everything that she's sorry and that she has a girlfriend and she also wishes the best for you. As well as she's a big fan of your art." Chaeyoung said with a small smile. "Really? She's a fan of my art?" I am baffled as to who would've thought my childhood bully was a big fan.

Chaeyoung moved over to the side of me, locking her arm around mine and setting her head on my shoulder. "I used to get bullied too, you know." she said to me "Oh i'm not surprised." I laugh "Hey what does that mean?" "Nothing, just not surprised... "I'm not looking for your pity nor your comfort." I said to her "And I'm not giving it. Hey this is like the first time we hung out except the roles are reversed and you're crying." Chaeyoung said laughing, fixing her head to better fit my shoulder. "Yeah you're right. Do you want to go back to the tour?" I asked her as I fixed her hair so it wasn't in her face. "Let's stay like this for a while. This is nice, no noise, no people just you and I on the bathroom floor. Is that alright?" she asked, "Sounds like a plan." I placed my head on hers.

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