Seventh Times the Charm

𝟎𝟏 | 𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞

𝖢𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖳𝖤𝖱 𝖮𝖭𝖤
spilt wine

Fresh out of University Eloise had scored her first wedding gig. It was a painting job in which she'd be required to capture the first dance of the newly married couple and bring the scene to life with her oil paints.

She had received a private message on her Instagram account, dedicated to her art, from a woman named Sophia Nichols, or soon to be Sophia Nichols anyways. Sophia had seen her artwork and noticed that Eloise was around the same area as she was, and so despite not having advertised herself as a wedding artist, Sophia took a shot. There would have been no harm done if Eloise had said no. But luckily for Sophia, the girl agreed instantly as she needed the money due to her University debt she would have to start paying off.

And so that's where Eloise currently found herself. Dressed in a beautiful black silk dress, sent to her by the bride so she would fit into the colour scheme, with her dark brown hair curled and pinned back into a gorgeous messy low bun, with strands pulled out to frame her face. Being an artist meant that Eloise had a certain skill when it came to her own hair and makeup, and so if it wasn't for the paint brush in her hand, others might have easily assumed she was a guest.

The wedding service was over by now, and guests had started streaming into the outside make-shift venue. There was a white canopy built to the side, with maybe 12 circular tables with white table clothes dotted around outside the canopy. In the middle of the tables was a dance floor, which had obviously been built that morning. Eloise could tell that the couple were one made of wealth. It was obviously with her pay slip too. The Nicholas were paying her a very generous amount to paint their portrait.

Eloise set up her small table and easel, making sure the canvas was secure to the stand. She then began to start mixing a few of her paints, and prepping everything. She made sure she had two pots of water, one for the old paint she no longer needed, and one so when she went for a lighter colour it wouldn't turn dirty. She had a multitude of paint brushes, all different sizes and from different places. Whenever she travelled she'd always find somewhere which sold paint brushes, and pick one up to add to her collection. Call her nerdy, but she loved her paintbrush collection.

The bride was wearing a stunning white, floor length dress, with delicate patterns of lace covering her arms. She looked beautiful. Elegant. And Eloise loved painting her and her husband, Harry. She was in the corner, away from the crowd so guests wouldn't accidentally brush past the drying paint, and ruin both their outfit and her painting. Throughout the evening she had several people send her curious glances, eager to see her artwork. A few people stumbled over to admire what she had so far accomplished, complimenting her work. A rare handful might have been a tad negative, such as the bride's mother in law, the mother of the groom, who thought that it looked incomplete and too simple- it was incomplete and details hadn't yet been added properly.

Eloise was enjoying herself however. She was listening to the songs played by the DJ by the dance floor, swaying softly to Abba and the occasional Harry Styles songs that the bride had snuck in.

"Oh my goodness," a girl came up to Eloise, dressed in the some colour as the bridesmaids. She had blonde, straight hair, dark eyes and a slight flare of acne on her forehead, but she was still pretty and was sending Eloise a sweet smile. "This is incredible." She complimented her. "You're very talented."

"Thank you," Eloise grinned back, admittedly proud of her work. She'd most likely take the painting home with her to do any last finishing touches before sending it to the married pair.

"I'm Maya." She held a hand out for Eloise to shake, but her hands had paint splatters on them, which she showed to the bridesmaid.

"Eloise. Maybe another time with the handshake." Eloise laughed. "I don't want to ruin your dress." It seemed like everyone at the wedding was perhaps a bit more on the wealthier side, and here Eloise was surrounded by class, struggling to pay off uni debt and rent. But she was doing what she loved. And so her money struggles were something she'd just work through. She felt out of place despite being dressed to the 9s in her back, floor length dress, which hung nicely to her body, showing off her hips and boobs.

"Have you been doing this for long?" Maya asked her, making polite conversation.

"This is my first gig actually." Eloise pursed her lips, eyes widening for a split second. Maya gave her a look of surprise.

"But you're so professional." She gazed back at the painting. "Mike, come look at the painting." Maya waved over a guy who was wearing a neatly ironed black suit and tie, minus his blazer. "This is my husband." She told Eloise as the tall and handsome man walked over, wrapping an arm around his missus' shoulders.

"Nice to meet you." She nodded her head in greeting.

"You too. I see you've capture Maya's heart." He gestured his head towards the canvas, "although I'm not surprised. Have the newly married couple seen it yet?" He asked her.

"Not yet-" Eloise was cut off as said couple wandered over.

"Oh wow, Eloise, it's beautiful-" Sophia gasped, placing a hand over her chest as her eyes watered up and smile spread across her face.

"Well I did have a gorgeous bride to work with." Eloise complimented her with a grin.

"What about me?" Harry joked making them chuckle. Eloise tried not to laugh at their very 'rich' people laugh. Who knew that people with money would laugh differently? Eloise had always thought it was a myth, something to make fun of those who were rich, and in turn 'posh'.

"There you are Harry, thought you'd need another drink." Eloise watched in horror as a man stumbled up to them, clearly drunk, with two glasses of red wine in hand. He tripped over Sophia's dress and those next few short seconds seemed to slow down time, as Eloise witnessed the red liquid, one notoriously known to stain, flying through the air, before it splattered right onto her canvas, smearing the alcoholic beverage across the painted image, dyeing the image red, mixing with the wet paint to create browns and grey colours.

Eloise stood for a few moments in shock, eyes wide as her painting looked entirely ruined.

"Sebastian James Osborne!" Sophia scolded her drunk guest, using what Eloise assumed was his full government name.

"Whoops," He laughed, standing up straight despite being wobbly on his feet. He swayed for a moment before Harry held him up, chuckling.

"I am so so sorry-" Sophia began to reassure Eloise that everything was okay. But in a way... it wasn't was it? Her painting was ruined. All her hard work. And she was sure she'd loose out on a chunk of her pay check too.

"It's okay." Liar. She thought to herself. The piece wasn't even for her. But accomplishing something? That was. This was the pathway to a career doing something she loved. And it had all gone wrong. "I'll see how I can fix it." Eloise could feel her throat tightening as she stood up straight and shut them all out, dabbing at the painting with a cloth. Seeing that wasn't working she decided to just smear as much of everything off as she could- wine and paint. She'd start again. Her actions came from a place of frustration and a twitchiness that crawled up her body, right to her finger tips.

"I am very sorry Darlin'," Sebastian, as Sophia had called him, drawled as he looked at her.

"I'm sure you are." Eloise muttered, annoyed.

"Let's get you some water Sebastian." Mike took Sebastian from Harry, wanting the married couple to enjoy their wedding, without worrying about their drunken friend.

"Idiot." Eloise muttered under her breath as they all left, Maya leaving a lingering, sympathetic hand on her shoulder before following her friends.