Stained

chapter 4: maybe the world is jusr full of sad people

Ryder's point of view

I arrived at school earlier than usual. The halls were vacant and I made an apparent assumption that most of the people who were here were at the café. I could be wrong. But I don't really care.

I walked by the design room but stopped dead when I heard a familiar voice. I peeked through the door. It was her. It was Alissa. The last I'd heard of her was in English when I listened in on her conversation with Mrs. Beth.

That conversation alone spiked my interest in her more so than ever. I stood by the door and looked at a painting that was no doubt done by her. It was of a girl standing iin front of the earth that was burning right in front of her. Alissa's back was facing me so I could only see Mr. Heath's facial expressions.

"It's not that good." I heard her say. Her voice was so...gentle. I had to look again to see if it was the same person.

"What are you talking about? It's magnificent." Mr. Heath replied looking at her as if she was crazy.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked him breaking the silence. Her voice was so soft. So...sad.

"What is it?"

"Why does the most precious art come from sadness? Why can't we appreciate the rain and the lightning because of pure happiness? Why do you need to die in a dark hole to see beauty in the things society hates the most?"

Mr. Heath took a moment to think about her questions. The wrinkles on his face were easily seen and they morphed his face in so many different ways when he spoke. "Maybe it's because the world is full of sad people." he answered looking at her painting with such concentration that I had to lean in further to look at it too. It's like he was searching for something. An answer perhaps. An explanation of some sort maybe.

"But it seems like the sad people, the ones who dread waking up each day and hate the world for what it is-are the ones who see the most beauty in it. You know? underneath all the negatives... I feel...I feel like other people find everything they can to complain about. They have no idea what it's like to really struggle. They don't know real pain." she replied staring at her shoes earning a sad sigh from Mr. Heath. He combed his hand through his hair and turned to face her again.

"Let me tell you the truth, Alissa. Only the saddest people in the world can find beauty in tragedy, in hatred, in the darkest and in scariest things you could ever think of. Because...well, that's life. And that my dear, is the secret behind the true brilliance of art." She stayed silent and Mr. Heath spoke up again.

"You know what they say...turn your pain into creativity. Turn it into art. You of all people should be able to do that." He told her again. She stayed silent but gave him a hug and sat down by her desk.

I moved away from the door and took a breath trying to absorb all of what I'd just heard. From that moment on I made it my own personal mission to find out what this girl was.

I waited outside until the bell rang; when it did I entered the room. I took a look at Alissa, hoping for some reason, to make eye contact with her but her head was facing the table and her hair was covering her face. I walked in and sat down beside her at the back of the room. I found myself feeling relatively concerned about her. Why I'd never know. I tried desperately to get her attention.

"Alissa." Nothing.

"Alissa." Nada. Zilch.

"Hello? Alissa."   I continued.

"What do you want?" she barked whipping around to face me. Oh my god. My mouth fell open and I couldn't form any words. Her entire left side of her face was bruised and I could barely recognise her. Her lip was split, her face was pale, her eyes were red and the bags underneath them weren't hard to miss. I looked into her grey eyes and they looked so...hurt. So...broken. She bit her lip, gave me one last look and turned away from me again. I cursed myself for assessing her injuries so obviously.