Escape my reality

Chapter 3

5 AM, a normal morning for me, I was tired though. My dreams had been filled with this fantasy book I was reading. Mother told me not to read too much before bedtime, but as per usual I was stubborn and did it anyway.

I quickly got up and went through my morning routine. Every day before attending class I helped my mother set up in the restaurant and made Mizu breakfast. Mother has health issues and it breaks my heart to see her struggle the way she did. My blood started to boil thinking about this, but then I heard Mizu coming down the stairs.

"Tsuki! Where are you?"

"In the kitchen!" I shouted back. Mizu was the only person that could make me smile. My baby sister meant so much to me, she sees me as her, as she likes to call me, 'second mommy'.

"What are you making me today?" she asked as she hugged me from the side. I turned around to face her and saw her big brown eyes glistening with excitement and amusement.

"What? Are you worried that I am going to burn it again?" I said as I stuck my tongue out and smiled at her.

"No! I would still eat it, everything you make is good Tsuki!"

I could see that she didn't mean that, but I didn't mind. She was right, sometimes my creations were uneatable.

"French banana toast and chocolate milk, your favourite."

"I really like that, thank you," she said all serious.

She quickly sat down and this made me laugh. Mizu liked it when I made her breakfast, even if sometimes it wasn't eatable. And honestly, her smile was totally worth it, I didn't mind at all.

---

I was in a hurry to catch my bus. It takes an hour and a half to get to college.

Lots of people complain about the amount of work we have to prepare and study for the lectures and art classes, I didn't mind though. Studying never bothered me, rather it was enjoyable. It helped me get my mind off of things. It was the only thing that helped me through high school. It was the only thing that didn't make me lose my sanity, surprisingly. It was like with art too.

The reason why I liked art so much was because I could make my art as surreal as possible and it would still make sense. Not to others, but to me and for now, that was all that mattered.

---

Miss Octaria graded our drawings on the spot. She thought that my display of shadows and lights were 'absolutely amazing', although she failed to understand the real message behind my drawing. Fear of people's bad intentions. I stayed in the room a little longer after class to prepare for my presentation next week.

At some point everyone left and I was alone in the room, until I heard the door squeak. I barely paid any attention to it, must be someone that forgot something, I thought to myself.

"Excuse me?"

I looked up and a pair of big brown eyes looked right back at me. It was a guy, probably around my age, beautiful dark skin and curly hair. What really held my attention though, was the genuine smile he gave me.

"Uh, yes?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the stranger said, "but I couldn't help but notice your drawing when Miss Octaria graded our assignments in class today."

For a moment I was really confused. I was sure that I had never seen this boy and now he's saying he's in my class? Strange.

"Wait a minute, you're in my class?"