Paint Stain <Lashton>

II

The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance. ~Aristotle

Ashton's POV

Michael and I left school that afternoon, out into the sun. We shared an house with a couple of our other friends, it was kind of small but I really could not complain. After all, I had our my room and it was way less expensive than living in the school dorms.

"Do you think we should call that Luke guy?" Michael asked. I thought about it for a moment, and I had been thinking about it all day, but I could never quite reach a conclusion on it. This would be my first time being commissioned in four years, and well, I was not entirely sure if I was ready for that.

"I've never been commissioned before," Michael said. "But I think that you have to start somewhere and this might be a great place to start."

I nodded my head and walked with Michael as he dialed the number. After two rings the phone was answered. "Luke Hemmings speaking. Who is this?"

"Um.. It's Michael and Ashton." Michael spoke. "We decided to ask if you still wanted us to paint for you."

"Well of course, I already paid you." Luke laughed. "I shall meet with you both individually. What is a good time for each of you?"

"Um.. Well anytime in the afternoon I suppose." Michael shrugged his shoulders as he looked to me.

"Afternoon meetings, alright. What about evening?" Luke asked. "I have an opened slot at seven this evening. Four tomorrow but otherwise nothing opened after twelve for the rest of the week."

"Busy.." Michael sighed. "What time do you want Ashton?"

"I suppose I'll go tonight." I said.

"Very well then, Ashton if you could go ahead and message me so I'll have your number, I can send someone to fetch you." Luke said. After agreeing Luke told Michael to do the same for tomorrow. In the end I had to tell Luke which housing complex I lived in.

I was lounging around inside the living room, sitting on the dark brown leather couch that wrapped around in an 'L' shape. Sitting next to me was Larra, one of the music majors I lived with. There was something about her that screamed that she was a highschool dropout. Her hair was a short emerald green that made her blue eyes glow, she was covered in tattoos, her cartilage was lined in piercings, and she had small gauges at the bottom. As well as a piercing on her nose. 

"I hate the fact that I have to take other classes besides my major." Larra rolled her eyes and I smiled at her. "I don't even know how to do any of it. What the hell is a linking verb!?" 

"It is actually exactly what it sounds like." I smiled. "A verb that links things togethers. If you read the explanation before starting the homework, you would know how to do it." 

Larra rolled her eyes and groaned as she threw her head back. I sat back, constantly checking my phone and looking at the time. I was sure Larra had noticed but she said nothing about it. The front door opened, entering was William and Elias. They both were laughing widely. William was a music major with Larra, although that was the only thing that made them resemble one another. William had clean cut dark brown hair with subtle streaks of violet and cold gray eyes. William was bright, cheerful and outgoing besides the solemn look on his face. 

Elias, on the other hand, was a dance major. He was tall and lean with short and fluffy pastel purple hair. He also enjoyed wearing slight amounts of eyeliner around his bright blue eyes. I remembered when I first met him, he had no intentions of talking to me. He found it easier to listen, rather than talk. So that was exactly what he spent most of his time doing.

Before we could even greet them, I could hear yelling from the other room. I turned to Larra and laughed when Esther and Michael bursted into the room. He was pulling her neon green hair and she was struggling to stay on her feet.

"This is the last time I ask you to help me!" Michael snapped as he dragged her through the room. 

"Michael what are you doing?" Elias sighed as he walked over to Michael and Esther and separated the two. Elias and Esther were twins from birth, and it was a well known fact, and not only for the reason that they were both dance majors. 

"Michael..What happened to your hair?" William chuckled as he pulled up a strand of silvery-blue hair. 

"She happened!" Michael hissed as he pointed at Esther who was red in the face but trying to conceal her laugh. "'You don't have to wait for Dakota, Michael. I can help you!' She says.." 

"It doesn't look bad, Michael." I rolled my eyes from the couch. "I think Esther did a pretty good job. After all, if you're so concerned do your own hair." 

"You wouldn't understand, Ashy-Poo." Larra chuckled. "You don't dye your golden boy locks." 

I was slightly miffed by the way that Larra described them, but otherwise ignored her. Dakota on the other hand, always did Michael's hair. No one knew why, but Michael only liked the drama major touching his hair. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that Dakota had bright yellow hair himself, and always managed to keep his neons bright, his pastels beautiful, his darks everlasting. It always worked out.

"While you all argue, I have to shove off." I said as I stood up and walked towards the door, slipping on my shoes. "Do I look alright?" 

"You're covered in paint, Ashton." William pointed out. "But besides that, you look great." I flashed a smile and walked out the door, I never cared that I had paint on me. In fact, I thought it stood for something. 

When I walked outside, I was greeted at the end of the driveway to the housing complex by a man dressed in a suit. You could tell that he did not want me in his seats. I tried to ignore it, after all, I had more pressing matters on my mind. Like making a good impression on Luke. 

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana

There are either going to be one to three more characters, the idea was to have two from every fine arts major, however I am not sure if I want to have digital arts be a major or like graphic design or something like that. So we'll see as I figure it out. 

A lot of this is just character development(sorry) and I know there's already a lot of characters (sorry x2) but just roll with me a little bit, it should be fun. 

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX