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The sound of charcoal scraping across a newly stretched canvas always brought Keira back to her first days in the art studio She’d been so unsure then, with her sketch pad tucked under her arm She’d left her camera back at home, that here she felt comfortable, behind the lens, but she wanted to tackle a new challenge and herscenes, but through creating the hit her dead center in the chest as she thought about her mother It had been two years since she passed and nearly that long since she’d put her camera down, except for the rarest of occasions

She glanced up at the clock

“Okay, everyone, it looks like our time has co to pose for us today” Everyone clapped as Jaxon shrugged his robe back on, with a dra away their ood subject, not too otten a boner, which you wouldn’t think would be an issue when you’re standing in front of twenty art students, but surprisingly, it happened A lot

When it happened, after the shock wore off for everyone, she redirected the students to focus on the form, not necessarily the function of the human anatomy But some made it difficult with their impressive…displays Thankfully, that hadn’t been an issue today He tied his robe and waved to the class before departing He worked as a backup dancer, but didn’t have any tours lined up, so his physique had gotten a feomen and some men in the class a bit hot and bothered She can’t say she didn’t take a couple of longer glances herself, but he wasn’t her type He was just way too perfect froht white pearly teeth to the way his hair looked like it had never been mussed in his life

“Thank you everyone for a great semester I’m sure you’re all anxious to know if there will be summer classes” Keira was anxious as well and hadn’t heard anything from the departer You’re all on the classlist, so they’ll send you any updates about su and I hope to see your art up in a gallery someday”

The class clapped as they finished gathering things and gave her hugs and wished her well for the summer break The end of these classes hit her with roup ress so ht they’d never be able to draw, let alone create the artwork they could accomplish by the end of the term The adult community classes held a special place in her heart It was always hu their passion for art The students filed out of the class and Keira checked the roo was in order She turned out the lights and closed the door on another semester

Keira had discovered her passion when she was five years old Scribbling on yourthe proble chair But her teacher had seen soed her to use it whenever she could, just not on her raphy becae for art had probably been auseful like finance or computer science, but those never held her attention Plus, she sucked at math

Unlike a lot of her friends who’d graduated and went on to give up on their art, even in the few years since graduation, she had landed this co a receptionist at a gallery or so like that At least, she could help others create and sometimes carve out a little time for herself to create a few pieces of her own Pieces that were alht of day She checked her le white envelope sat inside Hands shaking, she picked it up and shoved it into her bag

Nothing like getting a letter deter whether or not you’ll be able to eat this suhtailed it back to her apartment

This was not a letter to open on campus She could see it now, full ti pity on her, if the classes had indeed been cut as the ru, but if you weren’t producing art there were li for another gallery show turned her stomach The last experience had left a sour taste in her rowth

Nothing like an ex to not only break your heart, but ruin so others art ca pit of uncertainty reared its ugly head and allery opening scheduled last winter with her ex, Paulo, also showing his sculptures They were both abuzz with excite to her whenever she dropped off another set of prints While her raphy, it always held a special place in her heart Her dad gave her the first camera she ever used and she still had it to this day She’d taken the pictures for the gallery with that camera She’d even taken off the winter se tofinished in tiallery opening

Then things started to fall apart with Paulo and she found out the reason she’d been included in the show to begin with It wasn’t because they ad pity After a particularly nasty fight, where he’d had way too ht in her face The only reason she’d gotten a spot in the shoas because he’d irlfriend a bone, not like she could get a spot on her own The weight of the crushing devastation nearly brought her to her knees Her chest got so tight, she dropped down onto the floor Better that than passing out He storht her knees to h

er chest, tears dropping down onto her jeans

She contacted the gallery, the next day to let the Her throat still scratchy, she placed that call and ed to keep her voice even as the tears were back So stupid! They tried to ask why, but she didn’t even want to let them know she knew The embarrassment made her want to crawl under her bed and never co in, and then she’d pulled out of the opening Not her smartest move

But she couldn’t have taken that spot knowing the only reason she was even featured was because she was sleeping with Paulo It would have beento show her work and have no one interested because she wasn’t good enough He was the one they wanted They tried to get her to stay in, but the huathered up her folios fro theet out of there before breaking down in tears in her car The overly large photo printsrooh a lens allowed her to see the But now even that had been ruined

Ripping open the envelope, she’d been dreading since she saw it in her instructor’s her on her shoulder standing next to her car in the parking lot outside her apart The classes she’d depended on teaching to be able to—you know—eat and live this summer just evaporated She'd hoped for a miracle, but this year it wasn't in the cards The applications she’d put in all over town had returned absolutely nothing She ran her fingers through her hair and leaned her forehead against the roof of her tiny clunker The level of being screwed raised exponentially when she opened the door to her apartment and picked up the notice that was slipped under her door A three hundred dollar rent increase effective next month Perfect!

Being an art instructor wasn’t exactly the ticket to the big bucks, but she’d cobbled together a good portfolio of classes she offered throughout the year to keep her afloat Sued to find a way over the past couple of years It see art work, she’d never been good at putting her stuff out there to begin with and when she finally ginned up the courage, everything had fallen apart She preferred to guide and shape the work of other artists now But she’d have to try to sell her stuff, unless she wanted to be homeless

Keira threw her bag down on the couch and opened the fridge and hung her head She’d forgotten to go grocery shopping Pulling out soing and stuck it in the microwave Maybe she could put soraphy The tie forkful into her e patch of green fuzzyout in the corner of the container Gross! She thought it was broccoli

Spitting out as still in her mouth into the trash, she pro, she cautiously sniffed the only other container in the fridge, after searching the contents extensively, she popped it in the microwave and waited Her phone vibrated across the nearly empty counter

Mark: Going away party tonight Don't be late! And a special performer may stop by