Painting Life

T w e n t y - O n e

Thank you so much. I am so happy now because the book has reached spiritual #530, 29 votes and 31 comments. Alh. Thank you all for being so wonderful and voting for my story :) 

Sorry for the last two chapters. I realized that they were quite rusty. But I wrote without little to no inspiration so can you please ignore that and continue on with the story? Don't lose hope. xD

Anyways, thank you and happy reading! 

~Rida <3

<< So we walked beyond the darkness of the world and saw some hope of light >>

Twenty-One | Fry pans and Fires

H a r i s: 

It was surprising how the people who worked the hardest, feared their result the most, even though they were sure that they would pass. That was how I felt when I walked in the gates of HAU; a sudden anxiety, because I was afraid of the unknown leaves of this tree.

I was confident in my friend-making ability but my stomach still flipped and churned and my mind started generating a thousand what ifs because this place was different than any other. 

It was a place full of artists; touchy and sensitive, broken and fragile and I was afraid I would stand out because of my pact to unbreak myself. Not many artists want to do that. They all believe in remaining broken because that helps with their art the most. 

Even though I did believe that depression produced the best art, I wanted to take a shot at being an unbroken artist; one who recognized beauty and perspective, all without having some huge tragedy power me on. 

But would my opinion matter? Of course, I'd decided to keep it to myself because I knew if I let it out, I'd be getting odd looks everyday; the same type of looks I'd gotten when I had handed the flower necklaces to random women. 

Pity mixed with confusion. 

Sighing, I shook all my thoughts away. My fear was ridiculous. I could get everyone to love me because I had a certain way with words and actions. At least that's what Emma had told me, when I'd asked her about the timid Tori, who stopped to greet me everyday. 

Tori liked me too. 

Just like Daniya, My mind reminded me. 

But Daniya was in love, I argued with my brain. She loved me for God knows what reason. I had been a bastard to her and maybe she deserved it when she treated me like shit but she was just broken and I should have realized that. 

But I didn't and the guilt would eat me forever.

"Excuse me," A guard called out to me and I looked at him inquiringly. 

"You need to give me you ID card. Plus your verification code has been sent to your phone number. Kindly repeat it to continue with your entrance," He said monotonously and I knew that he had, without doubt, spoke the same lines a hundred times. 

I smiled at his dim expression and the urge to make please him jumped out of nowhere. The part of me that wanted to make everyone happy came out. 

(But I knew that making everyone happy was impossible)

"Okay," I said politely. "Let me just look for the message." 

The guard scowled, not happy that he was being put on hold. I guess he was just impatient a little like me. 

"So," I said conversationally. "How did you end up here?" 

"Don't put yo nose in my business," The guard said. 

"That was a nasty pun, right there." I remarked, unfazed by the guard's response.

He chuckled, "Yeah. Didn't quite realize it." 

I shot him a bright smile and repeated my verification code. As he let me in the building, he said, "You are a nice kid. Just learn to be a little less privy and maybe I'll let you sneak out at nights if you want to." 

He winked at me and I laughed, "Okay. To be honest, I wasn't really prying. You looked bored and I wanted to cure that."

"Typically that was the first thing that came to your mind," The guard finished the explanation for me and I nodded.

"Yeah. I am Haris, by the way."

"You just gave me your ID, idiot. I am Graham. But everyone calls me gray for God knows what reason." 

"Maybe it's because of your gray uniform," I suggested.

"Are you indirectly trying to tell me that my uniform is boring?" Gray asked teasingly. 

"Maybe," My eyes twinkled. "Catch you later, Graham. I got some catching up to do."

He nodded and bid me goodbye while I ventured in to the building. My ID card told me that I was in Dorm Room No. 501. I scanned the dorms and finally reached mine. Uttering a short prayer, I slammed the door open and walked in confidently. 

The first thing that hit me was the stench of beer. It was so strong that I wanted to puke, right there but I thought better of it and walked in anyway, my lips pursed in disgust. 

Two guys and two girls sat on one of the three beds. They were all looking at me and every one of them seemed drunk. Only the brunette girl looked a little sober but I could tell she had drunk too, judging by the bottle of beer in her hand. 

I didn't know how I would survive, stuck with people who decided to have a beer party in the dorm. Maybe that was why I was feeling nervous. My sixth sense already knew this was going to happen. 

"Who are you?" One of the guys slurred. 

"I am Haris," I replied hesitantly. "I am your official dorm-mate." 

I managed to paste a false smile on my face, just for the sake of being polite. Inside, my wheels were whirring and I was uneasy because this sort of environment really wasn't my scene. 

I avoided drinking at all costs and hated slutty girls who threw themselves at every one because they simply didn't have any class. 

Life had a way of throwing every one in to difficult situations. See the plural, the s after the situation? As if one wasn't enough, it took us out of the frying pan and in to the fire. 

But God has a reason for everything and maybe this was a trial to test my faith. 

The slightly-sober, brunette girl giggled, "He's a cute one, Damien. Make sure you don't end up sleeping with him."

I looked away in disbelief and decided to ignore them while they were drunk out of their minds. I had seen drunkards before and I knew talking to them wasn't an easy thing to do. Very irrational, actually. 

I heard the guys laugh and say something about not being able to control their hormones. Disgusted by their topic, I took out a book and started to read. It was better than listening to my drunk roommates. 

But as they continued, my indignance and confidence faded a little. How was I going to survive? And more importantly, how could anyone sleep with such a horrible odor in the room?