4 Miles to Paradise

Chapter 8: Meet Hawkins - The Loner, Stoner, Artistic Friend

A/N I dedicate this chapter to  savannahstein14  and FoxyGerard, two new readers. Read, comment, share, vote, enjoy!

The middle boy and the drawing next to him is Nolan Hawkins and his tattoo design for Luke.

Chapter 8: Meet Hawkins - The Loner Stoner, Artistic Friend

Hawkins stares at the canvas, about to scream. He's frustrated and his stress is getting out of control. I just can't get this painting right! The colors are off and his brush strokes are sloppy. He needs to get this right or else he'll never get into that art school. Hawkins takes his paint brush, covered in blue paint, and smears it all over the canvas, making a sloppy mess.

Sighing, Hawkins leaves the canvas on the stand, and picks up his sketchbook beside his feet on the floor. It opens up to a page of his newest tattoo design consisting of a skull and flowers, and ocean waves.

The other day Luke called him, asking for a "cool and unique" tattoo design. His words, not mine. Luke wouldn't give him any ideas, telling Hawkins to "surprise" him, but he has no clue what to draw. He's expecting it for when he has a break off of the tour, and the closest one is Halloween.

He already has an Arctic Monkeys sound wave, a forest of tall skinny black trees, an old fashioned hand clock set to the time 4 'o clock, a red rose with a stem and leaf, and Chinese characters spelling out the quote Don't Let Me Drown. Hawkins still doesn't understand that last one. He isn't even Chinese!

Luke's passion in life is his music. He is, after all, off on a tour right this moment. Maybe Hawkins could draw something music related.

Hawkins pulls a pencil from behind his ear, and begins his sketch. Drawing shuts off his mind, and his heart takes over. The tip of a pencil is a magical thing. It pulls his soul right out of his body and places it on paper. It's an incredible thing. His breathing speeds, and his breath shortens. His hands rub against the rough paper, slightly smudging it from the graphite of the pencil, but not enough to destroy the sketch. His hair falls in the way of his eyes, but he doesn't let it stop him, he continues to draw.

As he finishes up the sketch, he holds it up, feeling satisfaction of having completed it. He is sure Luke is going to like this one. It's an electric guitar with a bunch of small pictures and such, and a skull head next to the guitar. Hawkins drew the clock for Luke as well, and now it lies inked into the left side of his upper back.

Hawkins tears the page out of the book, making sure he doesn't bend it.

He wonders if Luke wants him to do this one for the boy. He'd love to. He hasn't seen him in a while. Even if Luke doesn't need Hawkins to do it, he would like to go with him when he goes to have it done. Maybe Hawkins could even convince him to go out for drinks afterwards.

Hawkins has been drawing one for himself lately that he's planning on doing himself.

Thud!

Hawkins' front door is thrown open, and then quickly slammed front. Let me guess, the girls, he silently thinks to himself.

"Hawkins, we're here!" A giddy voice with a French accent yells.

That's Minnette.

"Hawkins, are you upstairs? Still painting?" September now questions.

Is it just the two of them today? Hawkins wonders what Winter and Rose are up to.

Hawkins hears them make their way up his stairs, stomping their feet noisily as they do so.