AKSHARA:
"Aren't we supposed to go to school today?" I walked towards Harshad who is arranging a piece of board and a stand in an empty room. I'm trying my best to save Mini's studies while still doing what she does best, messing things up. I spilled a lot of milk on the table when we were eating and I didn't clean up after myself, I feel bad for not doing the proper etiquette but to console myself, I just think about that as a normal way on how this lady I'm possessing is dealing with her routine.
"It's a Saturday Mini. Aren't you too studious to decide on going to school on weekends? Keep that up and you'll beat my record." the corner of his lips curled up as he moved the board thing to a more comfortable position. Right, that was too obvious jeez Akshara, use your mind! but isn't it a bit much to judge Mini as a hard ass ? What if she's a lowkey bookworm or what? and Saturday huh? I remembered it was Friday the last time I was in my proper self so that means we share the same date? That might be it since I also share the same birthday as Mini.
Harshad seemed to be settled in his spot. Beside him are cans of paint and a thick cloth like thing under it, protecting the floor from any possible spills. The room has no decorations, no furniture or even bedding, just some artworks in the wall. The way the paint and the arts in the wall that appears inside is striking a hunch that the room we are currently in, is an art room.
"What are you doing?" From peeping inside the room, I motioned myself towards him, trying to find out what he's about to do. "Would you mind if I ask you to pose for me?" A pleading look in his eyes is all that it takes for me to nod my head in an instant. His eyes sparkled and a big smile formed on his lips as he gestured to me to sit on the chair in front of him.
"You'll paint?" I asked after I took a seat in the chair.
"Yup"
"You'll paint me? But why?" Of all the people in this world, why would he choose me to be the model in his painting? I mean except that he probably had no choice or I'm the only one available in here, what other reasons might it be?
"Because you're the most beautiful sight there is" he replied with his gaze focused on the canvas, his hands getting filled up with the touch of the painting brush and the mixing palette.
I can't help but to smile at his remarks, it's such a cheesy word to say and maybe if I am Mini, I'll probably act like I'm about to puke for that well just a probability though. My heart started beating faster when it wasn't supposed to in the first place. I shook my head, trying to regain my composure before Harshad notice the way I smiled like an idiot in here.
No Akshara, calm yourself down those are for Mini and not you.
I should think of a way on how to deal with things meant for Mini because if I don't, I might be gone for good and everything that I am trying not to destroy, will shatter in an instant. I just hope that I'll continue to see Harshad the way I saw him for the first time and nothing else before I regain my consciousness and be away from here forever. I'll keep this in mind.
"Please put your leg into the other and yes- - make your arm relax above it or you can just make your chin relax above the back of your hand -"
"Like this?" I exclaimed after I executed the steps he suggested. He stopped for a moment to look at what I am doing if it matches his description. Another smile flashed on his face as he let out a small proud sigh the instant he gave his gaze at me. "You look perfect" he uttered, enough for me to hear it from where I sit.
It was for his words I got carried away with the same smile plastered on his face. I can't contain myself for a while because his choice of words are cruel for my heart, giving it a reason to betray my mind and the things I am planning to do. But it's with him I started to feel relieved and feel like I don't have anything else to worry about. I don't know what's with him that I feel comfortable whenever he's around even just for a while.
His face is covered with the canvas and it's his eyes I always meet whenever he peeps above it to see for details. From minutes to an hour that had passed, I noticed how his eyes looked as if it was full of blended emotions. It's like it is happy and sad at the same moment and I am getting concerned about it. I feel like if I ask something about their personal lives, it'll give a huge confusion -- the huge thing I am trying to avoid.
"How did you learn to do that? Isn't painting hard?" I tried to break the silence by asking him a few questions which I believe aren't shared between them. It's closed information so maybe that's just it.
"Yes it's difficult, challenging for most but is pretty satisfying and relaxing in some ways. That just depends on how you treat art. Some people do art for fun, some find it as a sort of passion they want to pursue and others find art as their home" he stood in a halt and looked at me before shifting back to his painting.
"How do you find art then?"
"A diary" a few drops of paint started running beneath the edge of the canvas as he stood for yet another one to rest his back from bending too close to the sheet.
"A diary? Isn't that a bit odd?" confusion drew over my face for his answer. It's a strange one and I don't seem to be able to decipher how he ended up choosing art as his own diary.
"When you can't speak or say the things you want to, you write it down in your diary right? That's how art is for me. Sometimes, the things I want to express are hidden in every artwork that I make. It's like a safe haven for my thoughts" he answered, little sighs between his words.
Wow, that's beautiful. I never know how he looks at art in his perspective, he may find peace in doing these things. The paintings hanging in the wall must be a swirl of thoughts from him, abstracts with dark shades, mask paintings and another one which I haven't noticed from the time I went in.
A portrait of a lady who looks like me, Akshara.
