Paint Stain <Lashton>

IV

The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. ~Pablo Picasso  

Ashton's POV

I sat on the couch with Esther and Elias. They were watching some reality television series that I could never put my finger on.

I was more of laying on the couch though as I laid my head on Kodi's thin legs. Kodi was a photography major and she was as pretty as the pictures she took. Her hair was a short curly pastel pink, it was pulled back in a ponytail but many of the curls fell out and around her face. Her eyes glowed gold in color. She almost looked like a doll in some sense.

She spent her time running her fingers through my hair. Kodi was a childhood friend and I adored a lot about her. "Are you worried about your commissioned piece?"

"Not really." I shrugged.

"It's been a really long time since you've even thought about being commissioned." Kodi said. "A few years at least. After what happened to your mother I never thought you were going to get back up."

"That's why you started school so late, right?" Esther asked.

"Y-Yeah." I replied. In all honesty, if I did not take the two gap years I did, I would have been a senior in college at this point.

I waited the two years for a couple of reasons but they each interacted with one another.

My father had passed away when I was a child, and then my mother succumbed to extremely illness when I was sixteen. She lived through my seventeenth birthday but passed away the next day. After all of the medical bills that  I had paid, and all of the costs I could not afford, I had no money to go to college. But I never wanted to either. I stopped drawing for a long time, after all, my mother inspired much of my artistic pursuits anyways. I laid in bed, I remembered feeling dull and dead and sometimes I still felt that way. The one person I could rely on was ripped away from me.

"It's okay, Ashton." Kodi said as she wiped my face. I was unaware that I was crying until she said anything.

I stood up off the couch and walked out of the room. Retreating to my bedroom where I needed to be alone.

I shut myself in my room and laid on my bed. My eyes silently releasing the tears I was afraid of.

I heard a knock on my door and Michael walked in. "Hey was your meeting with Lu - Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine. And it went fine." I said quietly. Michael walked towards the bed and sat down on it.

"What's the matter, Ashton?" He asked and I found myself wanting to retreat even farther away. Deep down I knew that I could not go anywhere.

"Just thinking I guess." I shrugged my shoulders. Michael nodded as if he absolutely understood.

"Why don't you just relax a little, I'll get you something to snack on." Michael left the room and came back a few moments later with a bowl of chips before leaving me once more.

I looked at the empty easel in the corner of the room. Reminding myself to pick up a frame the size Luke wanted.

And the night would tick on, as time does. The sun set and rose all the same but I never moved. My eyes were tired and my body was giving out. But now I was forced to stand up and head out to my classes.

"You look worse than Michael's hair." Larra commented as I walked in the kitchen. 

"It doesn't look bad!" Esther let out a loud sigh. Michael never said a word. Instead he handed me a bagel with cream cheese and a black coffee.

"Come on, Ash." Michael said. I pushed my glasses up farther on my face and ran my fingers through my messy hair. Grabbing my bag I followed Michael out the door.

"Are you going to eat it?" Michael asked as he looked at me. I was holding the bagel and taking small sips of the coffee. I shrugged my shoulders and continued my day.

Starting my morning sitting at a table with a sketch pad and a pencil. Then in walked Luke. Flashing a smile as he shook the teacher's hand.

"What is he doing here?" Michael asked. I shrugged an picked at the bagel. Taking a drink of my cooling coffee every few moments.

"Hello Ashton, Michael." Luke flashed a smile as he sat down. His smile faded into confusion. "Ashton, you look exhausted."

"I am." I replied.

"Is everything alright?" Luke asked. I wanted to scowl at him, as it was none of his business but he actually seemed considerate of me.

"Yeah I'm fine." I nodded my head. "I'm just tired."

"Hm.." Luke pursed his lips together.

"I thought you were busy, why are you here?" I asked.

"Well, I have to look for interns throughout the school. That is what is filling most of my schedule. But I went out and bought you a canvas in the size I wanted so you don't have to." Luke smiled.

"Thank you." I replied but there was no actual sincerity in my voice.

Luke stood up for a second and walked over to where the teacher sat. He spoke a few words to the teacher and then walked back over to me.

"Come with me, please." Luke said and there was a dark intensity to his voice. I stood up and followed Luke out of the room. I walked down the hallway with him and he took me into the large gymnasium. Placing me on the stage.

"Every time I come and look for interns, I always become really scared about giving speeches." Luke said as he walked around the podium. "I don't really like people but I'm sure millions can say that."

"Of course." I replied.

"In high school I always hated all of the girls." Luke said. "I didn't even like my parents. I still don't like either of those groups. Every year I come and do these speeches because my father requires them, not because I care about who gets internships. I sit and listen to them for hours. This is the first time that we have even considered art majors for anything and your piece could do a lot for us." Luke looked me deep in the eyes as he spoke. "Don't blow it because of a bad mood, Ashton." And then turned. Leaving me alone in the echo of the gym.

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana 

So yes this is kind of going very slow but y'know, development. 

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX