Hold My Hand

21. A Start

21.

A Start

"Paige?"

Smooth lines. Nothing to disturb. Just moving with the waves. Don't worry about the mistakes. They will be erased by great ideas and better plans later. Just use the rhythm of your heart to change the pattern.

"Paige?"

No greens or blues are allowed for now. It is not earthly. It is crystalline. So you must use blacks and browns, purples and silvers, reds and oranges... 

"Paige!"

Her paintbrush made a clacking  sound when it dropped to the ground. Someone had actually been calling her name. It took her a few seconds to readjust to the real world. She drew a deep breath and turned around.

Her little brother, Max stood in the doorway of her favorite room. He was wearing a football jersey and carrying a black and white ball. Paige knew very little about sports but she was aware that it was a football. He looked flustered and had a little dirt on his face. He knew he wasn't allowed in her studio so he just hung there in the doorway.

"Mum says someone's here for you". After speaking, he dashed away like he was being chased by a cheetah.

She bent down to pick up her brush and placed it in the tin of water. She glanced at the wall she had been painting to make sure that there was no splatter caused by her momentary shock. Thankfully, her work was still intact.

She decided that after attending to her mum, she would take a chip break. She untied her red scarf and pulled down her hair. She hadn't once braided it since that Saturday. She had left a confined part of herself behind. She realised that Bonnie had been right all along. Her hair was very long, full and wavy.

She smoothed out her big grey sweater as she climbed the stairs. She didn't even consider who the mystery guest could have been. Her mind was on the chips in the pantry. She passed by Max, Kayla and Donny in the living room. Judging from their outfits, she realized that they had a game that Sunday.

"Mum?", Paige called out as she approached the front door. Her mum was standing in front of the open door and smiling. She moved aside for Paige to see her visitor.

It was Jordan in all his mysterious glory. He was such a catch. In his black leather jacket, black t-shirt, black cropped jeans and black boots, he looked like he had walked out of a Cosmopolitan magazine. He was back to packing his hair up and letting the shorter strands fall loose.

Paige was definitely surprised, but she could not help the contented grin that appeared on her face. Mere hours ago, he had given her her first kiss. Now, he had shown up at her front door with a slim brief in his left hand.

"Paige".

Her eyes lit up when he said her name. She would never get used to his musical voice. Her eyes flickered to her mum who seemed a bit confused, but nonetheless excited. What kind of parent would be so happy about a guy dressed like Michael Jackson coming to hang out with her daughter. She began to wonder what chivalrous things Jordan had told Mary Sue. Paige, of all people, knew how good he was with words.

"This is Jordan, the guy who took me to the exhibition".

Mary Sue probably had no idea but she nodded anyway. Paige had never been visited by a guy, not even for group projects. She told them not to come near her house and instead, scheduled meetings during school hours. That probably explained why she'd just been kissed for the first time. She wasn't complaining though. If it had to happen, it had to be worth it. And it had been more than worth it.