hero

chapter one

I wake up and my arm immediately flies over to the person next to me, but he's not there. My hand falls on the empty void of mattress and blankets. Brandon must've already left for work. I'm glad I don't have to get up early for work because I would not be able to keep a schedule. I glance over to the bedside table and the clock says 9:15. The duvet tumbles to the ground as I push it off my body and my feet find their way into my slippers on the ground. I step out of bed and lazily make my way through the studio and to the kitchen. I smile as my eyes trace across the kitchen and land on the coffee maker, which has half a pot still made and a mug laid out beside it. Stuck on the mug is a sticky note with words carefully written out on it.

'Happy 21st birthday Ari, love you'

I smile as I take the sticky note off the mug and put it in my pocket. My right thumb immediately goes to my left ring finger but it's bare. I've been dreaming of Brandon proposing for months now, and I think it's going to happen soon. Brandon really likes to take things slow, and it's never really bothered me, but I think that it's time by now. I'm not the type to discuss marriage because I don't think it should be planned. I'd rather Brandon spontaneously ask me, as long as it's soon.

I let my mind wander from marriage to my plans for tonight. I'm finally 21. I can finally go out drinking, so I'm leaving Brandon behind and going drinking with my two best friends, Christina and Kaylee. My mind flutters with excitement when I think about being able to drink. Sure, I've had a swig of Brandon's beer, but I've never been able to go out and drink, until now. I could go to a bar right now, but I want to wait for my friends to have my first legal drink.

After I finish my coffee I head over to my studio and pick out a couple paintbrushes. I'm not poor like most artists, I'm not famous or anything, but people do like my art. As soon as the paintbrush hits the canvas I just let go. I can finish paintings really fast when I'm passionate about the piece. The hardest part I figuring out what to paint. Sometimes I'm gone a whole day trying to find inspiration. What I love about this profession is that I can take a whole day off and there will be no boss to yell at me and nobody to judge me. I don't expect to become incredibly rich or famous from being an artist, I just want to make enough to live, provide for myself. I don't want a family, because I definitely don't want kids.

I don't realize time slipping away from me as my hand carefully paints the bottom of the canvas and soon enough it's 4:30 in the afternoon. I dump my brush into a bucket of water and let it soak for a while. My stomach growls and I realize I never had lunch. I grab my phone and see I have one text from Kaylee.

'What time should we pick you up?'

I ignore the text and dial the numbers for Brandon's phone. He picks up on the second ring.

"Hey, what's up?" He asks and I smile as I remember the note from earlier.

"Thanks for the coffee and the note," I say, walking back to the kitchen to clean out my mug. I know Brandon will get annoyed if I don't put it in the dishwasher.

"Oh, you're welcome. Happy birthday!" I can hear his smile grow larger through the phone.

"So, I was wondering if you could pick up take out on your way home? I've been in the studio all day and I forgot to eat lunch," I explain.

"Of course! I'll leave now and we can eat before you go out," He says and I run my fingers through my curly brown hair.

"Thank you! I'll see you, I love you, bye." I say quickly.

"Love you too!" He says slower and more enthusiastically than me. I press the end call button and go back to the text from Kaylee. I type out a quick reply.