Blank Canvas

●Chapter 20●

I busied myself by walking through the entire hall with awe and admiration swirling in my eyes for the beauty of every painting. 

Atlas had excused himself when the event organizers were called backstage for some discussion regarding the auction. A small smile was dancing on my lips from when Atlas had commented that 'I'm cute when I blush.' 

I was about to turn a corner when I bumped into someone. "I'm so sorry-" I apologized and glanced up to see it was Luke who collided into me. I beamed instantly. "Oh, hey, Luke," I chirped.

"Aria!" He exclaimed with a huge smile. "I actually believed that you wouldn't show up."

"What gave you the idea that I won't?" I laughed and he gave me a noncommittal shrug.

"I mean, I just thought? Because I've been searching for you for so long but couldn't find you. It's just so crowded in here. I didn't know that so many people are into art," Luke commented, looking around.

I was about to say something when suddenly Kristen came from behind me. "Aria, what are you doing here?" Kris huffed out because of the short sprint she just had.

"What do you mean?" I asked with furrowed eyebrows. "I mean do I have any obligations to not be here?" I joked but she looked dead serious. 

"Seriously Aria, you never told me you'd put up your favorite painting for the auction," she spoke with a frown etched on her forehead. I could see the hurt in her eyes. Wrinkling my nose in confusion, I looked at Luke to find him staring at Kris like he couldn't believe she even existed. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him.

"What are you talking about? Like are you certain you're talking about me?" I asked her, pointing at my chest to confirm the specifics.

"Aria, do you think I am messing around?" She almost shouted but controlled herself in the now packed hall. Her face softened when she took in my expression. "I'm sorry. It's just that a lot is going on right now and you didn't even tell me that you'd given your painting for this auction. I don't mind you not telling me, I mean it can be a secret too, right? But it just kinda sorta almost angered me." She sighed after finishing her rant.

"First of all, Kris, before you start assuming, let me tell you this one thing. I never put up any of my painting for the auction." She was taken aback and looked at me like I'd grown two heads.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Of course I am, Kris. Why do you think I'd be lying?"

She didn't say anything and grabbed my arm leading me towards the section seperate for the paintings to be sold during the auction. The table was huge and every painting was mesmerizing in its own way. But what made my eyes widen was that amongst all those paintings, mine was there too. It was there standing all tall and proud.

"What the-" I whispered and cupped my mouth in disbelief. "Kris, believe me, I did not put this here for the auction." At the bottom of the painting, to the right, there was a signature. My signature.

"I believe you, Ari," Kris mumbled, giving me a sideways hug.

"Then who would have done this? Did anybody steal your painting? But why would anyone do that?" Luke asked. "I mean your signature is clearly visible for anybody to claim it as their own." I glanced at him to see him looking at my painting with concentration as if the answer to his questions would just pop out of it. I didn't even realize that he had followed Kris and I here.

"Who are you?" Kris frowned at him.

"Oh, my apologies. I just always forget to introduce myself." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. A tinge of pink covered his cheeks. "I'm Luke. Aria's friend." Kris looked at me with a raised brow but I didn't pay attention to them.