salvation [ l.f & m.h ]

One.

❝She was so artistic, painting smiles on every face but her own.❞

It had been exactly thirty two minutes and I had nothing. A bare canvas laid on the table, mocking me. I looked around the room at the countless number of students painting away, covering their canvases with strokes of every color imaginable. There were sunsets, picturesque lakes, and smiling faces plastered on each easel. Yet all I could do was stare at mine. I had no ideas. My mind was completely blank, I had no inspiration. It had been like this for a couple days now. Every day I would come to class and stare at nothing for a straight hour. And every day I would leave disappointed and without an answer as to why I had nothing to paint.

"Miss Hart... Nothing again?"
I turned to see my professor standing behind me, leaning against the table.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, I just don't know what to do. I have no inspiration or ideas whatsoever" I sighed.

He thought for a moment.

"Do you know what writers block is?" He asked, peering at me.

"Yeah, my best friend is a writer and she gets it all the time"

"Well, this is the same thing. You have... Let's call it artists block. All you need to do is clear your mind and find an idea somewhere in that brain of yours. Try something new. Do something you're afraid of or would never think to try!" He exclaimed, smiling down at me.

And with that he walked away, leaving me and my unused paints alone. I stared at my easel and wracked my brain for the remaining twenty minutes of class until we were dismissed. As I was packing up my brushes and paints I heard a girl talking about a party one of the boys fraternities was throwing.

"Something new." I whispered to myself.

I wrapped my jacket tighter around my body as I rounded the corner onto the street my apartment building was on. It was an unusually cold October evening and my light parka had not been enough to keep my small body warm on the walk from my final class of the day. I swiped my card at the front door and was immediately engulfed in a swarm of warm air as I stepped into the massive building. I jogged up the steps to the fourth floor to my apartment. I could hear music being played inside before I even opened the door.

"Hey Riles!" I exclaimed as I walked into our home.

"Maya you're home early!" She smiled, surprised.

Her smile was one of my favorite things in the world. It was warm and happy and always made me feel better. Actually, it was Riley that always made me feel better. We were best friends and had been since before I could remember and we were going to be best friends until the end of time. She walked over, squeezing me tightly. She always did this every time I got home. Hugging was kind of her way of saying I love you.

"So my professor talked to me about why I haven't been able to paint" I sighed, plopping on to the couch.

"Really? What did he say?" She asked, sitting down next to me.

"He said I have "artists block" and that I need to try something new" I replied, shaking my head.

"Ohh like when I have writers block!!" She pointed out, smiling her goofy big smile. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Actually it's what we're going to do about it" I smirked.

"We?"

"Yes we. WE are going to a party tonight."

"A PARTY?!" She shouted. "You HATE parties, you NEVER come to them with me!!!"

"I know but i'm willing to do anything to be able to paint again..." I sighed, thinking about what happens at frat parties.

"YAYYY!!" Riley yelled, throwing her hands in the air like she used to when we would sit in her bay window.

"Yay..." I replied flatly.

I was in for a VERY long night.

***Sorry that it's starting off kind of slow I just want to introduce some of the characters so you can get a feel for them!! I promise it won't be like this for long!!! I hope you like the story so far... I have a lot of ideas as to where it's going to go!! Please vote and comment if you enjoyed it!!!