the art within

chapter twenty: threads of inspiration

inspiration weaves connections between souls, turning even the smallest moments into art

jae was sitting on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands.

with his mother lying in the coma, his heart felt heavy.

he had barely slept or ate over the past few days.

as jae swallowed the tears that rose up again he looked up.

the golden beams of light coming from the sunset were glowing through his half opened blinds, casting shadows along his neatly organized room.

it had something soothing to it.

this calm surrounding clashed with his inner thoughts, which were chaotic and all over the place.

he knew this feeling, because it had become one of his best friends during the years, and had intensified over the past few days.

it was a confusing feeling.

always different but still the same.

this chaos and restlessness stirring inside jae always led to the same thing: the urge to create.

jae stood up, only to fall right back into his swivel chair, sliding to his desk in a smooth yet powerful movement.

as jae sat at his cluttered desk, his notebook open but blank, the weight of his thoughts pressing down on him like a heavy fog.

it had been days since he'd met skye, and her bright spirit lingered in his mind, inspiring him in ways he hadn't expected.

her candidness about her art and the way she viewed the world fueled a spark of creativity deep within him. he wanted to express the connection he felt, even if it was still unformed and fragile.

the dim light of the late afternoon filtered through his window, illuminating the stack of untouched canvases in the corner of his room.

he had always written—words flowed easily for him, but now he found himself craving something different, something that could visually represent the emotions skye stirred in him.

he needed to try painting for the upcoming student gallery, and the idea of stepping outside his comfort zone excited him.

as he picked up a paintbrush, he hesitated, glancing at the canvas before him. could he really translate his feelings into colors? skye's enthusiasm for her art played through his mind, and he thought about how she had shared her perspective on color and creativity. he wanted to capture something authentic, something that reflected their connection.

but just as always, once his fingers curled around the brush, his inspiration, the creativity just slowly faded away, getting smaller and smaller until it finally disappeared.

sighing in defeat he put down his brush, ready to flop himself back into his bed.

his phone buzzed beside him, making jae second mind his laziness.

it was a message notification.

jae picked it up and opened it, his heart racing.

he immediately thought about the message being bad news for him.

every time he got a notification he thought it would be news about his mothers condition worsening.

but he let out a deep sigh of relief as he opened his phone.

it was a message from skye, who had gotten his number through some clues hidden in his last note, he gave her at the art cafe.

'i figured out your little riddle, that was really clever of you'

a grin tugged at his lips as he recalled how much those short conversations with skye meant to him.

he quickly typed: 'hey skye, remember our agreement? how about you paint a piece inspired by our first encounter, and i'll write a poem about it?'

he hesitated before hitting send, a mix of excitement and apprehension coursing through him. what if she didn't remember their playful exchange? but he brushed the doubt aside, feeling hopeful.

he wanted to reach out, to encourage her as she had unknowingly encouraged him.

as he put the phone down, he turned back to the canvas, taking a deep breath.

jae picked up the brush, finally feeling the inspiration run into his hands, ready to be transformed into a masterpiece. well more or less, because he wasn't that talented.

he began with bold strokes of blue, letting the brush glide across the surface. he didn't know where it would lead him, but he felt a sense of freedom in letting go of expectations. he wanted to channel the connection he felt with skye into his work, even if she wasn't aware of the impact she had made on him.

while painting, jae couldn't shake the thought of their potential conversations about art and creativity.

he envisioned an exchange where they could share their perspectives—his words encouraging her through texts, while she expressed herself through her art. the anticipation of her response filled him with excitement.

just as he lost himself in the rhythm of painting, his phone buzzed again. he picked it up to find skye's reply: 'i'm in! can't wait to see what you come up with! i'll work on my piece tonight. let's meet up later to share!'

the smile across jae's face widened as he felt a rush of warmth. tonight, he would create something special—not just for the gallery, but as a reflection of the budding friendship he hoped to cultivate with her.

with each stroke, he poured his heart into the canvas, envisioning how skye might react to his poem and the painting he was inspired to create.

all thanks to skye.

she had miraculously brightened up his mind and life when he needed it most.

maybe jae wasn't only skye's muse, but she was his too.

maybe she had been that all along.

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hi guys!

I hope you're doing well and enjoying this story.

Personally I'm proud of myself because I've never stuck to a story this long.

I will be here till the end.

(Edit: hey sometimes I'm glad nobody reads this. I kinda forgot about the coma thing, so I needed to add that here in editing)

Stay healthy and happy and see you next chapter! ('꒳')