Voices

ONE

Mayas POV:

I scrolled through the texts that had been sent between me and Riley. We hadn't talked in months. We hadn't talked much because Riley was attending NYU but I had taken a job as a waitress. I looked up at the clock in my apartment. It read 8:30. I yawned, turning off my phone and grabbing my jacket as I wandered to the door.

I stepped into the subway. There was barely anyone around. A few young girls flipping through a magazine, a man playing guitar, and two police officers. Soon enough my train had arrived and I was on it, zooming through New York.

I stepped off the train, climbing the stairs to the street. I had been invited for an interview at the 'New York Academy of Art'. This interview would decide my future as an artist, so I had brought the best pieces in my portfolio.

"Maya Hart?" I heard a quiet voice say as I entered the building. I turned around to see a small woman with glasses. She had brown hair that was tucked away into a tight bun on her head. "Yes." I said studying her features. "Well then." The woman continued on. "I'm Stacey, you can come to me for anything! That is... If you make the cut." A look of uncertainty and fear spread across my face. "Nothing to worry about though! Come with me." She grabbed my hand.

I stood outside of a large office, I knew who was awaiting inside. The head mistress of academy. Her name was Beatrice, but Stacey had warned me not to call her by her first name. I slowly turned the door nob, entering her office. I was shocked by the collection of paintings on her walls. Van Gogh, Picasso, Leonardo Da Vinci, etcetera. It was all there! "Hello Maya." She said, grasping my attention. "Hello Mrs. Monograt. I must say that your art collection is exquisite." She laughed. "Thank you Maya, but drop the act. You don't need to act all prim and proper! Stacey just scares all the new students that way." I sighed in relief.

"Oh. Wait. New students? You haven't even seen my work!" She grabbed my portfolio and pulled out my pieces. "Maya, your work is amazing. I would like to have you here at the academy. However, before I can accept you, I want you to do a little assignment for me." I smiled. "I'll do anything." She sat back in her chair, hardening her eyes. "Here we work in a variety of mediums. But you seem to only work in acryilic. I would like you to bring me two pieces by the end of the month. One will be a charcoal drawing, and the other a watercolor painting. But I want you to make sure you put all of your emotions into these works. Tell me a story Maya." I nodded. "I will."