Matt scrambled out of the store carrying a bag containing the big surprise. His two roommates were at the new starter house the young men had just recently bought, attempting to unpack. The house contained three bedrooms and a finished basement and the boys decided it'd be the entertainment room. Calling it a game room wouldn't be efficient enough considering it was for more than just games.
He thought since it was the one room in the house they hadn't bought any furniture or accessories for, a little decoration would be in order. So he went to the nearest Home Depot and bought a couple of different colored paints, brushes, and blindfolds ( part of the surprise). He knew how his roommates were so that is what influenced him to buy more than one color.
Matt knew his friends would bicker and that was the first thing that came to his mind. His feet shuffled against the pavement as he stepped out of his vehicle. He carefully locked the doors to his car as he quietly tried to creep into their cozy home. He carefully set his items down and began searching for his two friends. He crept into the kitchen only to find Chris stuffing his face with cheese that he bought just the day before.
Matt started looking in bedrooms he searched up and down for Phil but he was nowhere to be found. Phil had an idea that he'd pick up gardening as a hobby. Matt figured because of that, Phil would be around back building up his skill. Matt and Chris teased Phil about his passion for a hobby. Phil even tried sewing! Not that he was good at it. Phil is like a hopeless romantic well, except the romantic part.
Matt darted out of the door to retrieve Phil, who was cursing at weeds that he was hacking at.
"No matter how much you talk to the weeds they aren't going to get up and remove themselves," Matt commented on his friends behavior.
"Yeah but it might help so, it's worth a shot," Phil shot back snickering.
"Anyway I have a surprise inside if I don't know, you want to check it out perhaps?" Matt made it sound more like a question but he was determined.
"How could I ever turn down a surprise? Especially if it's for me," Phil told his friend wiping the drips of sweat off his forehead. "I was working harder than I thought."
"Totally, talking to weeds is working hard," Matt stated sarcastically causing Phil to roll his eyes.
The two guys walked in to grab Chris. Phil and Chris both were a bit excited to find out what it was Matt was keeping from them. Matt led them to the open, empty entertainment room. They watched in amusement as he pulled out three cans of paint, the paint brushes, and three identical blindfold.
"Here is the thing, I didn't know what colors you guys preferred for painting a room so I grabbed the best three. Also, I want to make a game out of it. The rules are we all have to be blindfolded and we each dip a brush in a random can of paint. After that, we paint one streak anywhere on another person. Let's say, if two people have red then that's the color we paint the room. If there is each a different color we try again got it?" Matt explained.
Phil and Chris pondered it for a moment before looking at each other and nodding their head.
"Since you went out of your way I guess I'll do it," Chris told Matt dramatically and Phil rolled his eyes at his friends dramatic performance. Always have to make it more dramatic than it really is huh Chris?
The boys got to work on laying news papers all over the floor, taping the boarders of the ceiling, and opening the paint cans. The young men worked together and before they knew it everything was set up. The small group of friends tended to make everything a game, from tying shoes to speeding in a car on the highway. So, this was nothing new to them.
The boys placed the blindfolds on their face and picked up their individual brushes.
"On the count of three we dip the brushes and paint one streak on each other. Ready, 1,2,3!" Matt counted off as they quickly dipped their brushes.
Phil stroked the brush once individually on each of his best friends. Chris followed quickly after that then Matt. The feeling of the paint lacing across his skin sent shivers down his spine. None of their hands touched so Matt assumed that they hadn't chosen the same color he had. What he didn't think about was different times.
"Ready? take your blindfold off!" Matt called as he was sure everyone was done.
The boys examined each other and their surroundings. They busted out in hysterics. There were splatters of blue paint on the white walls, their faces, and their clothes. How can something as simple as painting one streak of paint result in this? The boys found it hilarious how it worked out.
"What colors did everyone get?" Chris questioned studying his arm and the once white wall.
"Blue."
"Same, blue."
"Wow so did I!" Chris yelled as he jumped back in shock. "How coincidental. This really settles things doesn't it lads?"
"I agree Chris, this is strange." Phil agreed nodding his head whilst chuckling.
"This gives me a great idea! You know how we always wanted to be some type of entertainers? Well, something just sparked in me! How does the Blue Man Group sound?" Matt rambled excitedly.
"Are you out of your mind? I couldn't even get in front of a class to present a project, let alone perform for an audience!" Phil debated. His hair began to harden as the little bit of paint in it started to dry up.
"Think about it though, we've always dreamt about it, plus if we can get over our fears this could really work," Matt tried to reason. Tried.
"I suppose it could work if we put our minds to it. But, we need to think what will happen if we invest everything in this and its unsuccessful? Or, if we are successful what will happen to our lives then? We just up and leave everything!?." Chris stated in a bit of a snooty tone.
"First of all, what encouraged this? Secondly, how would we get noticed, Performing for street tips?" Phil backed down shaking his head. This normally indicated no deal but Matt was persistent.
"Can't knock it til' you try it," Matt quoted. The other two rolled their eyes.
"I'll make a deal with you. You get gigs set everything up the I'll perform with you guys. Key word if." Phil bartered.
"Fine, deal," Matt agreed and the young men shook on it.
Shortly after they cleaned the room up and Matt ordered them to go to bed. Reluctantly they agreed leaving Matt to finish up the little bit left undone.
"He's never going to get any gigs," Phil claimed. He didn't intend for Matt to hear but, he did and little did Chris and Phil know, he was already on it.
Matt eventually got a couple gigs and ratings went sky rocket.
Matt wrote this down as he reminisced all the early times of their career. All the guys were in their dressing rooms behind stage at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. They were going to be performing in five minutes time. By now, it was something they were used to.
YOU ARE READING
Blue Paint
Short StoryMatt, Chris, and Philip just moved into their first starter home. They've had big dreams with little motivation. Will something so simple trigger something in Matt? Will the others agree?