When the Paint goes Dry

Chapter 12

I knew I would get into trouble for disappearing from the party early, the number of missed calls on my phone reminded me that.

But if I ignore it, then I can get away with it right? 

I cursed under my breathe as I tried tugging the dress off, why was it so tight. I was pretty sure by the time I managed to get this dress off I would have worked off all the meal I had just eaten. So I guess in a way that was a good thing. 

I let out a deep breathe as it finally tugged off and I collapsed onto my bed half naked staring at the ceiling. Man i was so unfit, I better hit the gym or something again. Or maybe another time. I stood up grabbing my robe throwing it over my bare shoulders trying to keep warm. It was far too early to sleep, but I didn't feel like watching tv.

I looked at the vibrating phone on my bed, leaning over I threw the blanket to cover it, there, out of sight out of mind right?

Instead, I went to the painting room to get my mind of things, painting alway let me bathe in the memories i actually liked, which were countable on my fingers in my sad life. There wasn't much that I enjoyed anymore.

Shrugging off thoughts I don't take into my happy room I smiled as I sniffed the smell of paint, it was gross, but it made me happy.

I walked over my wooden stool staring at the half finished painting, however I didn't feel like continuing it.

I wanted to start a new one, a fresh one, one of a man I saw in my dreams once. I had always wanted to paint him, not quite grasping his full appearance, he was always blurry but at least today I knew where to start. That shiny black suit.

* * * 

"What do you think would happen if you just pulled the keys out while driving."

"Please don't do that." I said as I licked the chocolate off my finger, why did I have to be a messy eater. I should use the napkin but why waste good chocolate? 

Charlotte looked at me with her eyes big, "But, I am so curious!"

"You would kill someone, the car might go out of control as the steering would lock." I used to be curious of that as well, not anymore.

She hummed, leaning her cheek against her hand as she sipped her chocolate milkshake, "We should get back soon." I said sighing as I looked at the time. She shrugged, "Look we're not missing out on anything."

That was true, art class was boring. It wasn't like we didn't know how to paint, we did, but going there made us procrastinate less. She tugged her tight pony tail as she cut into her chocolate cake, the small cafe was deserted, which means we could sit here as long as we wanted without feeling like we had to leave. 

"So what else, you didn't tell me anything else about your trip," At least Charlotte was lucky enough to spend the last three weeks in Japan, doing various crafty things and I was immensely jealous. I couldn't use my saved up money for a trip, oh I would like to though. I wanted to go all over Asia, to all the ruined and tarnished palaces and templed and so some art restoration, which Charlotte also did in Tokyo a few months back.

"Nothing else really, I was so sick of dumplings by the end of the trip, that was all I could really stomach half the time. I am also really jet lagged."

"Well, I for one am very glad you are back." I confessed, I didn't really keep many close friends but Charlotte and I met nearly a decade ago in high school art and we had been pretty alright since then. 

"Anything new with you?"

I shrugged, "Not really. I'm thinking of moving places again."

Charlotte raised an eyebrow as she slurped the last of what was left of her shake, "What, but you just got this place."

"It's been a year! And I'm only renting, I want more bedrooms, a proper art room I'm so over living in this shady place." I wrinkled my nose, "But I don't have enough money to afford a better one." I frowned, "I don't want my rent to take up nearly all my money."

"I would offer the spare bedroom but you hate my housemates."

"No thanks I think I like living alone too much." no rules, can do whatever I want, come home whenever I want, wear whatever I want or the lack off. 

"I barely use electricity, so maybe I can use the money I save up on that to get a place with better rent."

Charlotte shook her head her brown eyes rolling, "You will never find a place as cheap as yours, you lucked out with that one, probably cause it's hidden behind six other apartments and no one wants to walk the extra ten minutes to the side street."

"Yeah well, it gets creepy at night" I liked to say my building had 'character' but really it was run down old and I was just waiting for one of the water pipes to burst or the stairs to give out. The only reason I got it for someone as OCD about cleanliness as me, was that the inside wasn't that bad, and the bathrooms and kitchen were neat, the most important bedrooms in the place. 

"Maybe I should turn my bedroom into another art room and sleep on the couch."

"Please don't do that, then you'll need to spend money on chiropractor to get your spin cracked."

"Move my bed to the lounge room?"

"How weird would that be when you have people over"

I rolled my eyes, "I don't have people over." well, apart from the one persistent guest I used to have, who has now disappeared and I haven't heard or accidentally run into him in a week. I was actually missing his spontaneous stop overs. 

"I come over, Archie comes over."

"Archie isn't allowed to, cause then his mother will know where I live." unfortunately bonding times with my nephew were strictly outside of home.

"Fine, I come over." 

"You can have the couch and I'll take the floor if that ever happens." it wasn't like Charlotte ever stayed the night, the benefit of having a car to drive was that you can go home whenever you feel like it. Or catch a taxi.

"Well, think about it, come on we should head back before the class finishes, I need to dry my work." I nodded scooping the last of my cake into my mouth as we rushed back.

This had to be the wettest Spring ever, the clouds looked really dark as we rushed back across the road to the art centre, "I think I'll leave my work here to dry, I don't want it to get wet in the rain."

I nodded in agreement, "Did you hear about the fair?"

"What fair?" I had to admit, as much as I liked being alone I hated doing some things alone so while Charlotte was away I didn't attend one class.

"Did you not check your emails."

"Limited wifi sorry, what fair though?"

"Art fair, we can show off our paintings, maybe even get some people to buy it."

"Really?" I asked excited. Not that I would sell much but if I kept the prices dead cheap and made a lot of small ones maybe I can save up money.

"All money goes to this charity for sick kids, so there's an auction, apparently  big bucks will come."

Oh great, now I can't even keep the money, not even a bit? Well...it was for sick kids and I guess they needed it more, "Yeah that sounds cool,"

"You need to register though use the computer in class to do it so you have internet. I think today is the last day."

I nodded, I'll think about it. Lately I was just lacking motivation to do anything. But I mean, charity, event, a fair, that must be fun right?