The Movies Make It Look Easy

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Shannon's P.O.V:

I drew aimlessly for two hours, my thoughts on my home in Ireland and everyone I'd left behind. I had only thought of them in passing the last couple of weeks - I'd been so busy with my classes, friends and (unfortunately) drama!  

I glanced at my watch, it was lunchtime. I sighed, time was passing horribly slowly.  

I thought about what my friends and family would be doing right now while I sat in my room with a sheet of paper in front of me and charcoal covered hands. I scratched my nose absently while I imagined both my parents at work, my old house standing empty except for the animals, because both my brothers were abroad.  

Too late, I realised that I'd probably gotten big smudge marks across my face - oh well I thought, that's what I get for using charcoal, and besides I reasoned, no one else was around to see it and even if they were I probably wouldn't care; being covered in charcoal isn't strange for artists, no matter how careful you were, there was always a splash of paint or a smudge of chalk that got onto your clothes.

My thoughts slowly drifted back to my brothers; Adrian and Ryan. Adrian was 24 and was in Uganda building houses (last I heard). He was training to be a teacher and it was taking him ages because he'd spent a year doing psychology - he dropped out - and he'd taken a year out to travel. Ryan was 22 and was doing Law in UCD. He'd taken a year out though and was travelling around Australia doing God knows what.

Neither Adrian nor Ryan lived at home but they sometimes stayed for a while because they were so busy in College that they didn't have much time to visit. We were a random mix, my brothers and I, with a lawyer, a teacher and an artist.

Thankfully both of them would be home for Christmas. I grimaced slightly at the thought of Christmas with just my parents. Sure, we had Christmas dinner with my extended family but I shuddered to think what it would be like to spend a whole week without my brothers acting as buffers between me and my parents.  

I stopped drawing as I stared absently out the window, thinking about Christmas. I was always up earlier than my brothers on Christmas morning and I'd have to go wake them. The whole family would then sit down around the tree and start opening presents. I shook my head, bringing myself back to the present.  

I started to draw again.  

Thinking of Christmas made me wonder what Nick did, what traditions he had. I'd have to ask him. It was way too early to start thinking about Christmas, Halloween had only been a couple of days ago - even though it felt like years, so much had happened.  

I finally focused on the paper in front of me. I hadn't really paying attention to what I was drawing. I'd drawn, the profile of a girl, her chin leaning on folded hands as she gazed out a window at a barren landscape. Though I didn't draw myself, the contemplative look on her face mirrored how I felt.  

Shrugging, I added it to a stack on my desk, quickly spraying it with hairspray so it wouldn't smudge. I hadn't chosen to draw that particular scene and it had no special meaning that I could see so it got added to the growing pile, probably not to be looked at again for months.

I wandered into my bathroom and began scrubbing my hands in an effort to remove all traces of charcoal from my skin - more difficult than it sounds - a quick glance in the mirror proved that I'd been right earlier. Smudges of black covered my nose with random streaks on my cheeks and forehead, though I don't remember touching either.  

My permanently sun-streaked hair was currently held in a messy bun by a paintbrush and I looked tired. I blame Natalie, I thought, though I knew that realistically, one early morning wouldn't have left me looking quite so tired and worn out.  

Returning to my room, drying my hands, I threw the towel haphazardly on the floor, promising myself I'd pick it up later, knowing I probably wouldn't. Putting in my Joshua Radin "We Were Here" album into my CD player, I turned the volume down low as the first notes of "Sundrenched World" came on. I loved Joshua Radin; his songs always calmed me and helped me think.  

I fingered the CD case; it was my brother Ryan's. I smiled to myself, when he'd first bought it; I kept sneaking into his room to borrow it. I'd put it back a couple of hours later in the exact same place. I knew that he knew that I took it but I also knew that he didn't care.

We'd always gotten on well - better than Adrian and I. Ryan and I had so much in common and rarely fought and if we did it only ever lasted for a couple of hours at most. Despite the four year difference in our ages, we'd always been close - he was my favourite person in the whole world.

I put the CD case back with the others. When I was packing for College, I'd gone and taken it and a couple of Ryan's hoodies out of his room, partly because I liked them and partly because it would remind me of home. I knew he wouldn't care, everything that was in his room at home were things that he didn't use or need in his apartment in the city.

Grabbing my empty mug from earlier, I headed for the kitchen for a refill. As I waited for the kettle to boil, I perused the contents of the fridge; I wasn't very hungry which was strange especially considering it was now after lunchtime. Instead of making myself something healthy to eat like I should, I grabbed a couple of Digestives which I took back to my room with my tea. There wasn't much food in the apartment and either Nick or I would have to go shopping in the next couple of days.  

The apartment was silent apart from the soft sound Joshua Radin's voice issuing from my room. Softly, I closed the door behind me, setting my cup and biscuits on my bedside table. I checked my phone. I'd put it on silent earlier because I didn't like to be disturbed while I was drawing. I had four missed calls and six new texts. Surprise, surprise, all but one was from Lee. I deleted his messages without reading them; I'd talk to him later.  

Instead I opened the last message which was from Ryan: "Hey lil sis, I was just thinkin bout U! Can't wait 2 C U over X-mas, Giv me a call soon, Miss U xx" I smiled; it was weird that he chose now to text me telling me he'd been thinking about me when I'd just been thinking about him minutes ago. I quickly texted him back.

I felt a sudden pang of home sickness. This was the first time I hadn't seen anyone from my family for more than a couple of weeks. Mostly I didn't think about it but it was times like this when I didn't have anything else to distract me that I realised just how much I missed everyone.

Remembering that I'd told Nick that I had work to do; I reluctantly got my Art History books out and started to take notes on the Romanesque and Gothic Periods. Tympanums, Rose Windows, Capitals and Architraves all ran through my mind along with countless other things until they all started to blur together.  

My eyes felt heavy and I couldn't stop yawning. I lay back against my pillows and shut my eyes, telling myself I was only resting them and would get back to work in a minute.

I was awoken by the sound of Nick closing the front door behind him as he came in. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus my sleepy eyes. It didn't work. I yawned widely. I couldn't be bothered checking the time but I must have slept for hours because it was now dark outside. I managed to drag myself off the warm covers on my bed.  

I put away my Art History books, closed the blinds and started to change out of the tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt I'd worn for most of the day into pyjamas. I could hear Nick moving around in the kitchen and living room but I couldn't be bothered going out. I was tired and I would talk to him tomorrow.

Finally, turning off the lights, I slid into bed. Though it was warm on top of the duvet where I'd slept earlier, it was cool beneath it and I curled into a ball and made myself comfortable with the duvet up to my ears. I closed my eyes and quickly fell asleep - again.

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Ok so this Chapter is a complete filler and horribly boring  

I wanted to give you a bit of information about her family though...  

And the next chapter will be better :)

Kaz xoxo