I wake up and yawn as I sit up from the lumpy couch. My phone rings and I groan when I see it's the number of the school. I ignore it and plop back down on the couch. The phone rings again and I clench my jaw and finally answer it.
"The faculty informed me that they never saw you on your first day." The headmaster alerts me as if waiting for an excuse or a plausible reason for me not doing my job.
"I'm pretty sure I did that intentionally." I scoff.
"Well, I suggest you intentionally make it to school today, or get fired and get sent back where you came from." The headmaster warns and I roll my eyes.
"I don't have the right attire." I counter.
"Pick them up from the office." He orders and I clench my jaw, not liking that he seems to have an answer for everything.
"Why the hell is it so important that I even work at the school? I'm practically a glorified janitor or hall monitor. The list of duties is a joke. Hire someone else and say it's me. It's not like you want me there-." I start arguing, knowing it's true.
"It's mandatory and part of your parole, unless you find a different full time job." He explains and I huff and rub my forehead.
"And you care because?" I ask and the phone hangs up and I roll my eyes.
I get up, dressed and then head out. I walk past the art gallery again and it hits me that the guy I talked with yesterday morning was the lead singer in the Lincoln Hawk band.
"Back again?" He asks in the doorway with a cup of coffee in his hand.
"Just heading to-it doesn't matter. I'm stalling honestly." I admit and he smirks.
"Oh really? Well, how about I help you with stalling more?" He offers and beckons me to come inside.
"How are you gonna do that?" I ask as I start to walk up the stairs.
"Maybe by asking what artists you like?" He shrugs and I step into the studio behind him.
"I like The Ninth Wave by the Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Oh, yeah? What do you like about it?" He tests me and I chuckle, understanding his angle.
"The contrast of the dark water reflecting the sun. I like how the people are on a little raft in rough and dangerous waves, yet it looks sturdy."
"You like any other artists?" He asks as he hands me a fresh cup of coffee.
"The Bay of Naples at moonlit night by Vesuvius. I like the dark color and yet the calming sense you get from when you look at it." I start explaining and I stop when I see the guy smiling at me.
"You like the Tempest on the sea at night?" He asks about another painting.
"Yeah, I do. It almost has a fish eye visual element to it." I say and he nods.
