Mastery

Paintings

Rory

I had just shut my front door when the first spatters started hitting the windows. I had almost not made it. I walked hungrily into the kitchen to see what was for dinner. I smiled at myself thinking this was my uncle's first thought everyday when he came from the shop. My aunt was stirring something in a big pot on the stove.

"Smells nice"

"Oh hi, hadn't realised you were back, it's almost done. Can you set the table?"

"Sure"

There was an empty silence as i opened the drawers and collected bowls and spoons for the three of us.

"Who was that girl?"

"Her name is Amanda and before you ask anymore questions: that was the second time I've ever seen her"

Well except for that time i ran into her car, i thought to myself.

"Well she seems nice. What'd she want to talk about?"

Why was she being so snoopy? I couldn't possibly tell her what we talked about. Talking about her, reminded me of how hot her hand had felt on my shoulder and now that heat traveled to my cheeks.

"Well?"

"Since when are you so interested in my conversations? She's just a girl"

"Then why are your cheeks redder than this tomato soup?"

I could've died. I finished putting the last spoon and turned around, heading to my room.

"Call me when dinner is ready"

I noticed my uncle fixed the stair i had broken and i carefully stepped over it and climbed the others. I finally reached upstairs when my uncle came through the front door. He raised his hand up at me with a grin and walked into the kitchen.

"Dinner's ready Rory"

"Are you kidding me?!"

I was irritated but i could either stomp down the stairs again and break every step, or use this as another opportunity to train my abilities. My mind traveled to Amanda again. I was being an ass to her and i hated it. But Dave would never forgive me if i fell in love with her or vice versa and Benjamin would be mad at me for not listening to him. I had to remind myself of this every once in a while to keep the butterflies away. Amanda was off limits.

"What are you dreaming about?"

My aunt stood at the bottom of the stairs with a big spoon in her hands. She nudged her head towards the kitchen and i followed her.

We were eating and my uncle would stare at me as he chew on a piece of bread.

"Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and took a sip of his soup. We ate in silence and after i did the dishes i went up to my atelier. I turned on my music and took out a new canvas. It was Sunday night but i had an image in my head and i was determined to put every detail of it in a painting. That's what i do best.

I was woken up by the common sound of my alarm in the next room. I was starting to hate that thing. Why did i even have one? I rubbed my eyes but my left hand was still covered in blue paint so it got into my left eye. I jumped up and hit my head into the easel, sending it flying to the other side of the room. My eye was burning and i hurried to the bathroom. The sink wasn't really doing it for me so i took of my clothes and got under the shower.

When i was done i checked myself out in the big mirror across from the shower. I had gotten really toned without much exercise. I looked at the veins running over my arm-muscles and down to my fore-arm. I looked like i'd been going to gym for months. I flexed and made my toughest face. Looking like Hulk but less green. You look ridiculous, said a voice in my head. I dried off and went into my room to get fresh clothes. I walked back into my atelier and started picking up brushes from the ground and eventually the easel and the painting i made last night. I took a long look at it.

It was a woman breaking free from wires and tubes in a room that looked like a hospital. The face was familiar but where i got this image from, i don't know. I held the image so tight i almost broke it as a closed cabinet of thoughts in my mind slightly swung open. Was this my mother?