i was almost finished my portrait
by the time art club came around.
every time i looked at it
my heart contracted
but by now i knew how to
hone into a certain detail
and remain unaffected by my mother’s smiling face.
“that’s looking good, Sora,”
my art teacher had said
the day before.
i wasn’t so sure.
something wasn’t quite right.
she shouldn’t be smiling.
she never smiled.
not for me anyway.
Midori sat beside me
but i felt her watching me paint
more than working on her own drawing.
it made me self conscious
made my heart flutter
up to my throat
making me want to smile
but scaring me too.
how does she make such an impact on me
from just being?
i breathed deeply
trying to focus on my brush against
the page
the clink of the jar filled with water
the mixing and swirling of paint on the palette
but to no avail
could i forget her beside me.
my mother stared back at me
as i looked up
she never smiled for me
she never smiled
she never
she-
in a sudden surge of anger laced with sadness
i tore the painting in two.
[i’m sorry if the next few updates are slow. i ran out of pre-written chapters (which i almost always have so i know i can post) and just don’t have much motivation to write right now. hopefully i can get something down tonight though]
BINABASA MO ANG
Through Viridian Seas
Short Story❝ the world has taken away who i really am. who i want to be. ❞ in which loneliness is washed away by a sea of blue-green beauty. ❄girlxgirl❄a cellphone novel❄complete❄ #152 in short story | 28/7/17 © 2017 salmonskinroll written 21/5 to 27/7/17
