Hello coffee lovers and avid readers! Welcome to Olive’s Library at Olive’s Café, where you can read the stories of adventurous characters as they explore life.
Here’s a story of an artist who paints a portrait of her enemy.
Oh, finally! Cool air hitting my face after walking around the neighborhood in the summer heat. I can’t believe I already ran out of stuff for my project. What’s worse is that the project is due tomorrow at the gallery, and I can’t even think of anything to paint. So, of course, I had to go to the art supply store and even the grocery store as I also ran out of food.
A double jeopardy to run out of supplies and food the day before the showing. How brilliant, Ashley.
Although I got everything, and replace the supplies I ran out of, I can’t think of anything to do on this empty canvas. Even looking at the pictures that I took at the park weeks ago doesn’t even help.
No, not that one. Pass. Pass. Oh, this looks cute! But no. Pass. Pass. Pa- Wait. How the hell did Antonio get there?
God, I hate that guy. He’s such an asshole. He’s cute, but still an asshole. I’ve met this guy 8 months ago at the gallery while I turned in my work. We had a friendly conversation, until the next day when I found out that my work was moved towards the back of the gallery. I even paid a hefty amount to put my work displayed at the front. The night of the showing, the spot where I paid for my work to be displayed was occupied by Antonio’s work. I was livid with anger when I found out what happened. And they didn’t even give me back a portion for moving my work. I was so mad. Ever since I moved to New York, I was elated to display my work, especially when Florida doesn’t have many places for me to display anything that I do. Not only that, but when we have our meetings at the gallery, this asshole would just kiss up to the gallery owner by complimenting him and showing “gratitude” to him. As if any of it is genuine. Oh, and when I speak about ideas for a theme, this dude shuts me down and gives his reason as to why the theme shouldn’t even be considered. It boils my blood every time the man speaks, and I roll my eyes every time the man just wanders around the building as if he owns the place.
Well, he designed the place, but still…
Oh whatever, I need to move on. But I can’t help but think that this picture of him seems perfect. His posture looks secure, yet curious. I now wonder why I took the picture. Did I even take the picture? I can’t even remember.
Oh, wait. I remember now. I was trying to take a picture of my painting a few months ago to post on my Instagram, but he got in the way, looking at my painting. Then, turned to me to ask what my painting was. I was so annoyed, but I didn’t know that I took this picture.
The painting behind him was a reminder of that day.
When I tell him what the painting was, he chuckles, but then gives me a compliment. A compliment that sounds condescending, yet nice. I don’t know, it’s confusing and I can’t even tell. Is it because he’s an asshole, yet handsome at the same time? A handsome asshole.
Yeah, I’ll call this picture that: The Handsome Asshole.
Let me set my tablet down so I can get started. Now, I need this brush, the palette, red, blue, green? Oh, why not, I’ll think of something later. But definitely yellow. White, black, oh definitely not pink. I also need this 2H pencil and eraser, I need this brush for the details, and lastly this palette knife. Alright, time to paint!
I hope this painting will be good enough for tomorrow. Especially since this is the last minute. I mean, it wasn’t the first time I did something this big at the last minute. That one time was during college before exams, but I was shocked that it ended up being displayed on school grounds in the Arts and Humanities department. The professor didn’t even mention that our final work would be displayed. But then again, it was probably on the syllabus, and I didn’t read that far down.
Oh, well. It is what it is. I was just elated at that time. Hopefully, this painting will be displayed towards the front, knowing the fact that I paid extra for it…again…
I don’t know why I keep doing that, especially when I have a feeling that Antonio would change the gallery owner’s mind again. But I pay extra for the display because of the possibility of a bigger commission. Anywhere towards the back, and people wouldn’t even bother finishing the tour of the gallery. They would just end their tour by the fifth painting, go to the desk and make an appointment or a purchase. Before Antonio came to the gallery to display his work, I was always booked and paid to a point where I had money that would last me months. But after he comes into the picture, all because he designed the building – his reason, not mine- I would barely get two people to book an appointment.
All because they thought I was no longer available, or that they would have to go search for my work, stressing them out. Although I have enough money saved up, I can’t always depend on the money I currently have. I will eventually run out, which is why I keep working. On top of that, I have to pay for the displays at the gallery.
It makes me so livid with fury, and I can’t help but despise that guy even more.
Oh shit, I used too much red! Oh, God where’s the paper towel? Oh, here it is. Okay, I gotta wipe this side, and then the other side. There, that should do it.
My god, who’s the one painting, me or my anger? Because that was a lot of red. Let me use green.
Anyways, that guy is so greedy, he would do anything to make sure he gets the most commission, but the thing is that this isn’t a competition. The gallery is supposed to be an opportunity to display our work and meet people before they even decide to collaborate with us. Not only that, but the guy is also rich already, so why does he need more money?
I never understood that.
Despite the fact that he’s so annoying and condescending, he can be charming and comforting when he smiles. It’s like he can warm up the coldest room in a building with that smile. Even when he speaks, I can’t help but feel calm and optimistic because of how he melodically talks. As if he speaks with music behind him. Whenever he speaks, I would roll my eyes, but secretly I would wish that he would speak forever. If I could record his voice so I can put it on repeat, and I would just listen to him all day long.
What the hell? Why so much yellow? I thought I was using green. Oh my god! I really can’t with myself. And this project is due tomorrow night. What time is it?
WHAT? 8PM?! What time did I even start? How long have I been doing this project? And since when was I painting Antonio? Is that the pose that he was in the picture that I have? Am I going crazy?
Oh my god, I can’t. I can’t turn this in. I was hoping to do something else. I don’t know what, but not Antonio.
But it doesn’t look too bad. In fact, it looks surprisingly good. Maybe I can now add blue. Oh, yeah, that should do it.
If anything, this blue really reminds me of when Antonio shared his life story: his family is from Argentina, and they would always travel miles from their hometown to go to the beach and have a picnic on the weekends. They would always have fun swimming and watching the whales swim in the ocean. He would always hear them sing a lullaby when he was a kid before he would go home to prepare for school. His last time to the beach was when his father passed away, and he and his mother travelled to the same beach to lay a bouquet of flowers in his memory. I cry at the very thought of losing someone who I love, especially when it comes to our parents.
Wait a minute, I’m not supposed to cry right now. I have a project to do. Let me stop and take a look at this project.
Whoa. The colors are all over the place but the fact that it has taken shape of Antonio, and his pose is simply perfect. All it needs is the details.
But do I want to turn this in? Do I even want to finish? I really don’t like the guy, but the pose that he has is just worthy of being a muse. And with the details, the project is done. Let me take one more look at the painting.
Wow!
This is…amazing. I’m generally good, but this is impressive. I would keep this for myself, but to look at this asshole everyday would make me chuck this painting out the window.
You know what? Instead of that, I’ll turn this in, and I will turn it in as The Handsome Asshole. Or the Handsome Arse would probably be better. No, Handsome Asshole is best, otherwise people who keep asking what arse means. Let me write that behind the canvas and add my signature. And then the time stamp…there! I’m all done. I wonder what time it is now…
CHEESE AND CRACKERS, REALLY? It’s 2 AM! I gotta put this away and then by the door. I gotta get up in the morning to display this. Hopefully, I don’t oversleep, and Antonio steals my spot again.
I really hope that I can get more appointments for some commission again. And hopefully, people can enjoy my little… joke.
Please comment down below of what you think of this story.
Thank you for tuning in on Olive’s Library at Olive’s Café!
Olive's Cafe 