With You, I'm Everything But Colorless

Chapter 46

A pair of tan hands wandered against the familiar dusty door of an oak wardrobe. They're rough, and it seemed abandoned despite it not even broken or anything. Maybe, because of how dirty it is but they just look so wrecked; sad and lonely as if no one takes care of them.

The owner of wandering hands can picture it seeking love.

Camila sympathizes well. Right now, she's at Lauren's house and was starting to wonder about how do Lauren's mind really work. She remembers her saying that she sees beauty in everything but right now, it puzzles her what beauty does she even mean. Is it a dirty countertop? A dusty books and shelves? Or maybe, the mess...? Because everything in this place is not really being taken care of.

She shook the dirt away, sending all the gathered dust on her cold and sweaty fingertips flying. Her nose started to cringe by how thick it floated through the air. Camila may be used but this is not healthy for someone who stays home most of the time.

She heard chuckles from behind. It was Lauren. "Turned off?" She caught her asked and immediately, Camila shook her head to say no. It just made the other Cuban laugh more.

This was actually the first time Camila ever went inside her bedroom again. Of course, they've seen each other for almost two weeks now but every time they hangout, she never get the chance to do so in her room.

She missed it and its mess.

Camila remembered really well the last time she cleaned it on a wild morning winter of 27th's December. Lauren's still away that time so she have plenty of time to clean and organize her things. She didn't rummage much though, thinking of her privacy at least. It was January 22nd today; nearly a month only and it's not even her third week in L.A yet but she already made it messier than how it usually do before. It's a beautiful mess though. She sees ink splattered against surfaces on the desk and a little bit on the floor. There were art materials sprawled near the easel and her bed was undone. Above it were sketches from scratch that were all scattered too.

"I was in the mood to paint" Lauren started to tell. She sits on her messy bed as she gathered all the sketches that she did and took them into a stack to staple it all at once since it's less messier that way.

Camila's wandering eyes just traveled to the canvas that were resting undone on her easel. "That's... good"

"I'm glad you found art again. What are you painting?"

Meaning it, Lauren can only smile, somehow wondering why heat even rushed up to her cheeks. "I'm painting this sketch. Just starting yet so can't impress you at all but here..." she then pat the space beside her to which in return, Camila just sat too. She watched Lauren's slim fingers pointing to the first page of her stapled sketches.

It's a mermaid sitting on the shore of its ocean. There's a lantern on her hand and beside her is a statue of Cupid with its bow and arrow. On the far side, there's a dull lighthouse. It's nighttime and the moon illuminates it along with the ocean's wave and the scales of her tail. The mermaid on the shore looks beautiful. She's like a sea goddess.

"This is- wow! It's beautiful, Lauren! I can't wait for you to finish it" and she could see well how her friend got shy but thankful and please anyway.

"Right!? I can't wait to have one of my masterpiece on a gallery again! I'm back at art, Camz! Can you believe it?!" She then twisted her body to face the brunette and shook her shoulders. Camila just swallowed as she nods.

"I thought I'd never have it in my hands again" Lauren even added as she let go of her shoulders to look at her paint-stained palms. "It's all thanks to you, Mila" and that was what she said before she finally rose to her feet, making way to fix and clean her unmade bed. Camila just stood up as well in order to help her. She folded the blankets and straightened the sheets without any word because she doesn't understand it at all. The brunette believes that Lauren got it because of her own hard work and only that. But in contrast to her own thoughts, she unknowingly brought back the art in Lauren's hand, ironic as how it may sound. Yes, the credits should all go to Lauren's patience and hard work but in all honesty, even if it's just a partial help, Camila needs the recognition too. Only that can't be appreciated when her being an inspiration and motivation never really gets into her big little head.