the art within

chapter twenty one: hues of friendship

some bonds paint our lives in colors we never knew we needed.

skye stared at the array of colors laid out before her in the color theory class.

her classmates moved their brushes with ease, blending shades and hues as if it were second nature. skye's hand hovered over her own palette, fingers trembling slightly as she tried to figure out what to do. every color felt like a blur, a mix of shades she couldn't decipher.

her eyes moved back and forth, trying to keep up with the instructions the teacher was giving.

she could feel the pressure building in her chest.

the weight of expectations, the feeling of falling behind, all of it pressed down on her shoulders. she thought of her grandmother's soft voice, telling her that she was capable of anything, that she had an artist's soul.

her grandmother had been the first person to put a brush in her hand, to tell her that even if she saw the world differently, it didn't make her any less of an artist. but sitting there, struggling to blend colors she couldn't even see, skye felt like she was letting her down.

just as she wanted to give up, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

skye turned around to see nari sitting directly behind her.

in an almost inaudible whisper nari explained her where which color and shade was located.

the relief that washed over skye was indescribable.

with a shaking hand she followed the instructions nari was giving her from behind, telling her to use the shade second from right on the main area.

she forced herself to keep moving, dipping her brush into a shade that she hoped was the right one, trusting nari blindly. literally.

it felt like every stroke was a gamble, every decision a potential mistake. 'just keep going,' she whispered to herself, trying to hold onto her grandmother's words. but the fear of failing, of not living up to the promise she made, clung to her like a shadow.

by the time class ended, skye's head ached. she packed up her things slowly, watching her classmates chat and laugh as they left the room.

but she waited, so did nari.

once even the professor left the room, skye walked around the row of seats in between her and her friend, wrapping nari in a tight hug.

'thank you,' she whispered in her ear, while nari hugged her back, 'i would have been lost without you'

'no problem,' her friend replied, 'i wouldn't let you suffer!' her voice reflecting her kind and warm personality.

skye was really thankful to have met nari.

with her she didn't feel like she was on the outside, watching a world she couldn't quite reach.

it had been exhausting, and all she wanted was to find some quiet place to breathe.

now she found something even better, a person that liked her, because of who she was and accepted her flaws.

they parted soon, because nari had another class to attend.

she stepped out of the building, the cool breeze hit her face, a small relief from the tightness in her chest. she pulled her jacket closer, feeling the familiar chill of autumn settling in. the streets were busy, filled with people rushing home or heading to their next destination. skye walked with her head down, her mind a jumble of frustration and self-doubt.

then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone familiar. she paused, her heart giving a small jump as she recognized him—the boy from the café, easily recognizable through his mask and cap.

he was standing across the street, leaning against a lamppost, headphones covering his ears. skye watched as he absentmindedly tapped his fingers against his leg, lost in his own world.

part of her wanted to walk over, to say something, but she hesitated. she didn't even know his name, and what would she say? she doubted he'd even remember her. maybe it was better to keep her distance, to let him remain a quiet mystery in her life. but as she turned to walk away, she found herself glancing back at him.

there was something about him that felt familiar, like they'd crossed paths before without really knowing it. skye's hand tightened around the strap of her bag as she debated what to do. her feet felt rooted to the ground, caught between wanting to reach out and the fear of being ignored.

'maybe next time,' she whispered to herself, taking a deep breath before turning away. she walked past the crowd, the feeling of missed opportunity lingering in her chest.

still even that feeling couldn't dominate the relief she felt at nari's kindness today.

she started to feel at home in this new big city.

finally.

—————————————————

hi again!

is it just me, or do you kinda ship skye and nari too?

they're just so cute together :)

Anyway

Here's the thing.

As any active reader might know (I don't think I have any) I upload 3 times a week.

Currently no one is reading this and I am having trouble writing, so I'll upload a new chapter once a week from now on (every Sunday).

Also given that school starts tomorrow and I'll have less time because
1) it's the last period before half year grades
2) I'm gonna prepare a second book (details will follow)
3) I need to work on my social anxiety so I can get better grades.

I will finish this book, but at the time I need.

I don't want to sound selfish, but given that I don't have active (or any) readers, and that I will take my time.

So I apologize if there are any readers, but I won't change it.

I was thinking a lot about this decision the past few days and now decided that it was best for me.

I hope you're doing okay and are happy

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