The Way It Is [#OpenNovellaContest2019]

• Chapter Two •

"What? N- oh."

Anna laughed again. Sticking her tongue out at Anna, Faith popped on her sunglasses and did a twirl.

"How do I look?"

"Cute. I'd ask you out."

"Yeah, ok." Faith giggled. "Can I see what you're drawing for Marina?"

"When it's finished. I only have a couple more things to paint."

Anna loved to draw. She had fancy markers, pencils, liners, erasers, watercolours, and more. If you named an art supply, she probably had at least one of it.

After a couple more minutes of light banter, Anna held up get drawing. "Done!"

"Wow!" Faith gasped. "It's beautiful, Anna!"

On a medium sized canvas, Anna had painted a beautiful, cascading waterfall falling into a large, blue pond on the bottom half of the page. On the top half, she had painted a rainbow reflecting off the water droplets spraying up from the waterfall in a blue sky, along with the words "Enjoy The Natural Beauty". Marina was a camping, outdoorsy kind of person, and she always said she loved waterfalls, so Anna decided it would be a good gift.

"Thanks!" Anna smiled. "I put lots of effort into this."

"Anna! You have to leave soon!" Anna's mom called her from the top of the stairs.

"Oh, yeah", Anna said to Faith. "I have to babysit in 15 minutes. I'll talk to you later, or tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok!" Faith smiled. "Have fun!"

"Sure will." Anna blew a kiss to Faith, who caught it and blew one back. "Bye!"

"Bye!"

After hanging up, Anna collected her sketchbook, her small container of art supplies, and a couple snacks and put them in a bag. Then she went upstairs to go see her mom.

"Honey", her mom started. "I just want to thank you for helping me last night. It was a scary moment, but you were there. So thank you."

Anna smiled. "You would have done the same for me. Now, what time am I done babysitting again?"

As the conversation continued on about babysitting, Skyla drove Anna to the house she was to babysit at, and with a quick "bye, love you!" drove off to go for a run.

~ • ~ • ~

"The kids didn't eat you?"

"No!" Anna laughed as she emptied the dishwasher. She was on FaceTime with her friend Henry, who was a year older than her and lived in Regina, a neighbouring city to Saskatoon. "They're actually really well behaved."

Henry smiled. "I don't believe you." He leaned back on his bed. "Got any plans the next few days?"

"Yeah, actually. Marina- you remember her- is having a pool party tomorrow. But after that, I'm all free to hang around and be lazy." Anna looked up from the dishes curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Well...", Henry said grinning. "I was hoping maybe you could come visit? And come to a music camp with me?"

Anna squealed. "What kind of music camp?"