Blank Canvas

Chapter 10 - No better reward

Chapter 10 - No better reward

"It's your go!!!" Chloe said excitedly, tapping away at my iPhone.

I had downloaded a Disney princesses quiz game thing for her to play on so she didn't get completely bored out of her head while I was painting for Ben, and she had discovered, much to my horror, that there was a head to head mode. I could now look forward to hours of learning about the cheesy lives of Ariel, Belle, Cinderella and Jasmine, amongst others.

Oh joy...

I smiled, hoping it looked genuine, as she struggled to read out the question. Being 6, her reading skills weren't the best.

"W...what did Snow White's e....vil step mum use to ..... something, I don't know what that says, Snow White?"

She looked up expectantly at me, as I desperately tried to smother my giggles by hurriedly getting on with my painting.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that sweetie, could you repeat it?"

It wasn't that I expected it to be any better the second time round, it was just that by getting her to repeat it, I was buying myself more time to try and de-riddle the sentence in my head.

"I said, w...what did Snow Whit..."

At that point, a knock on the door interrupted her gallant attempt at repeating the question. With a sudden burst of inspiration, I realised she was asking what had poisoned Snow White...

Should have seen that one sooner...

"Come in!" I called out, before turning to her and saying, "I think the answer is a poisoned apple!"

Hearing the door close, I turned around to see who it was, and very nearly did a double take.

It was Anthony.

What was he doing here, voluntarily coming into my room?

And what did he want with me?

"Um, hi," I said, cringing at the confusion I could hear in my voice.

"Julie sent me to find Chloe, because she wants to talk to her in the office," he said, his usual jerky tone rolling round the room. "I figured she'd be with you."

"But our quiz!!!" Chloe complained, clutching my phone to her chest.

I giggled a little at her emotional relationship with the cartoon princesses. She seriously was too cute for her own good.

"Don't worry sweetie, you go and talk to Julie, and then you can come back, and the quiz will be waiting for you!"

With a contented smile, she hopped off the bed, carefully leaving my phone behind, lying on my duvet, before bounding out of the room and out into the corridor beyond, waving at me enthusiastically.

As the door shut, I smiled to myself. She was so cute, and so like my sister...

I got so wrapped up in my memories, that I forgot that Anthony was still in the room until he said "I knew you would be good at art, or Ben wouldn't have trusted you to paint for him. "

My eyes snapped up to meet his at his comment, that literally came out of the blue. He was looking at my flower mural on my walls, carefully, examining each brushstroke, or so it felt anyway.

"I'm not that good, I've just had a lot of practice..."

I wasn't about to explain why.

At a loss of what else to do, I quickly picked up my brush, and continued to work on the painting. I had finished Ben, his wife and his son, and was now working on Alicia herself, finding just the right skin shade before starting to paint her face and cupped hands.

"Wow..."

You stupid girl..... By starting to paint again, I had inevitably directed the attention to Ben's painting. I should have seen that one coming. Surely there should be a limit as to how many times I embarrassed myself in front of one person!

"It's not finished yet," I said, majorly blushing.

"It doesn't have to be to be amazing," He replied. My face went even redder, if that was possible. I didn't really take compliments very well.

Besides, this wasn't normal Anthony behaviour at all, I mean, where the insults? The sarcastic comments? The general snooty behaviour?

Looking up at him, I also realised that he was standing quite close to me, almost too close for comfort. His piercing eyes seemed to be digging deep inside me, trying to extract my deepest secrets and feelings too.

It was kind of scary.

I took a step back, before again picking up my brush and continuing to paint.

I heard a sigh behind me, followed by a few footsteps, and a door shutting gently.

To say that he was acting weird was an understatement.... He seemed to have about a thousand different faces, and it was really confusing me...

Pushing him to the back of my mind, and promising myself I would puzzle over him later, I focused on my work.

*******

Sighing happily, I put down my paintbrush and admired the finished painting.

The family looked happy and friendly, smiling at me, and Alicia's beautiful eyes were focused in on the flower in her hands, opening up to reveal the number 13. Surrounding the family was a border of gently entwining pinky purple flowers, with delicate fresh leaves.

Realising the one thing I'd forgotten, I picked up the brush once more and careful painted in my signature at the bottom, in loopy black letters.

Looking over at my clock, I realised it was nearly 10 pm. That was why I loved art so much. Last time I had checked the clock, it has been 2 pm. You really did lose yourself in it.

Carefully, I took my canvas off the easel and walked out of the room, down to the office, where I was sure Ben would still be labouring away.

Sure enough, when I knocked, I heard a feeble call of "Come in!"

Carefully opening the door, I walked in. Ben's face lit up when he saw I was carrying a canvas.

"You actually did it!" He said, excitement pouring over his face, as he got up and moved around his desk to see it.

I smiled softly at him, nodding slightly, before turning round the canvas for him to see the painting.

He spent several long minutes taking every little detail of my painting in, and, after a while, I saw a shining tear escape from his shining eye.

He didn't say anything, I could see he didn't know what to say.

Quite suddenly, he jumped up and pulled me into a hug, saying shakily, "Thank you!"

I must say, I thought it was a bit of an overreaction. Ben seemed to read my mind.

"That painting is truly amazing, Sylvia, but the reason I'm so overjoyed is that you gave up your whole day for me and my daughter, and your art resources, no doubt. None of the other kids would have done that for me. Thank you!"

Feeling my face start to turn a bright red, I passed over the canvas, warning him that it might still be a bit wet, before mumbling a small 'goodnight' and backing out of the office.

I went back to my room glowing with happiness. I'd helped him, and my reward was his gratitude.

And, as my mum used to say, there is no better reward than gratitude.

-----------------------

Hi everyone :)

Sorry about the late hour of the update (for me anyways ;)) it is still Wednesday for 45 whole minutes :) yeah, it's just not been my day :/

Anyways, new chapter for you :) comment/vote please!!! That will make me smile while revising :)

For anyone that is interested, I have my prom on Friday :D but I go to a girls school, so no guy for me :(

Yeah, I'm gonna go now.... Remember to tell me what you think of the chapter!!!

Catherine xxx