My english teacher, Mrs. Hillfred continues her lesson but once again I'm not paying attention. I feel a pencil bounce off my shoulder. I look around to see Hunter smirking at me.
"Got you!" He boasts, and I giggle.
I throw the pencil back at him, but he catches it.
"I'm so bored." Hunter mouths. I shake my head. "Pay attention you goof." I whisper.
Hunter walks me home that day clutching my hand and biting his lip. He drops me off in my driveway but I insist that he comes in for a minute. We sit down at the kitchen table in silence. The clocks ticks, and soon a tear trickles down my warm cheeks. Hunter notices and wipes it with thumb while pecking the top of my head with his lips.
"How are you feeling darling?" Hunter cradles my head in his big strong arms while strocking my arm.
"I don't know." I sobbed. My emotions were intense, and they corupted my thoughts. It was frustrating because I couldn't Define what they were, all I could do was cry.
"I can't explain how I'm feeling." I wiped my tears using the sleave of my light blue flannel, but soon after, new ones replaced them.
"Close your eyes Amanda." He intructed. I did as he said and shut my eyes. "What do you see?" He asked.
I concentrated hard, but I couldn't explain what I saw, or what I felt.
I shook my head, holding back sobbs. He leaned over and kissed my shoulder, then his eyes got wide. He rummaged through one of the drawers in my house. I noticed it was a random arts and crafts drawer we have in case my cousins come over or if we babysit. Finally he proudly struts over to where I'm sitting and places a piece of paper in front of me, along side a set of paints and brushes.
"Hunter what does this have to do with anything..." I ask him doubtfully.
"Draw it." He replies. "Draw what You're feeling." And suddenly I understand.
I take the brush comfortablly in my hand and dip it in the black paint. Then the navy blue. Then a dark green colour. Then a plum purple. But suddenly I start thinking of Thalia, and why I keep on crying. But I remember all the good she left in the world, and how I said I would remember her at her funeral.
I rinse off the bristles and reach for the yellow. I continue my drawing, but the colours are changing. They're getting brighter and happier.
I take a deep breath and observe what i had just done. My artwork was of a cave. A dark, dark cave that reeked of sadness. But I remember as I started reaching for the brighter colours, the cave became a place for happiness. Surrounding the cave was a atmosphere I could only describe as happiness. It reminded me of Thalia and her positive light.
Hunter picks it up and examines it. His draw drops open slightly and he looks inpressed.
"This is beautiful." He says. "Just like you." He gently grabs my chin and pulls me in for a kiss. A warm sensation runs throughout my body.
"You know, you could make it." He says after a long pause. He sees the confusion in my eyes. "In the art world... you have the creativity, and the.. spark."
"I'm not that good Hunter." I shyly say. "Stop beating yourself up Amanda." He sternly but gently says. "You're fucking amazing and it hurts me that you ever doubt that."
