| Scene 3:: �You did these?� Jayde leaned over to inspect the cluster of paintings propped up against the wall. Her eyes widened in either disbelief or pleasure; of which Mackenzie was unsure. She nodded- her mother had tutored her in painting since Mackenzie was very young. Her time and efforts had been repaid threefold, Mackenzie�s pieces showed maturity in style that many professional artists spend their entire lives trying to capture. Jayde rested a hand atop one of the mounted canvases; �Can I have this one?� Mackenzie rose from her spot on the floor to take a closer look at the piece. It was unfinished, but that seemed to only heighten the emotions the picture conveyed. It was one of Mackenzie�s favorites: misty rain faded in and out of the picture as a young woman in a ruined satin gown sat on the cobbled ground, face turned to the sky. Her profile was caught in a puddle, along with a broken opera glass and tattered gloves. Mackenzie loved the painting more than any of her other pieces, if Jayde had asked for any other, she could have easily given consent. Jayde noticed the look of conflict on her face and nodded in understanding. �When you�re finished with it, I mean. Your work is just so beautiful that I couldn�t help myself, I hope you don�t think me rude.� Mackenzie shook her head. Jayde hadn�t offended her, she just couldn�t give up that painting just yet- it had been the only thing that had stood between her and oblivion just months before, when her parents had hit rock bottom and there was no money. Her mother sold all her painting to a gallery that had taken advantage of her family�s poverty. She had offered to sell her paintings too, but instead her mother gave her a new canvas. At the time she didn�t understand the significance of the offering, but now, she was grateful for the compassion her mother had shown her. As detached as her mother could be, she still cared about her family, and Mackenzie found comfort in her mother�s small gesture of kindness. Mackenzie breathed a small sigh of belief and nodded. When she was finished with the painting, she would give to Jayde, her friend. She stretched and gazed out the window. The sky was a vibrant blue and delicate clouds slowly morphed with the breeze. She wanted to be outside in the fresh air, but she didn�t want to drag Jayde away from the paintings. Jayde sat in front of a mammoth painting depicting the implosion of a star. The universe around it melted away into an eye, and long locks of hay-colored hair fell across the rosy cheeks of a young girl. It was an extreme crop, and the sheer size of the image captivated the imagination. |