I opened the window and the cold wind blew across my face immediately. It was simply refreshing when you had been cooped inside the hospital room for a long time. Autumn had arrived and was given a warm welcome by people. I moved the easel right in front of the window before grabbing the colors and brushes over with me.

Looking at the portrait I had completed days ago, I frowned at the realization that it didn’t match with the scene outside anymore. It felt like my efforts had all gone down into the drain. I felt betrayed.

“Aren’t you going to paint?”

I turned back to Tiffany who had been sitting on the couch with her magazine.

“I don’t know how to,” I let out a sigh before continuing. “They don’t look the same anymore.”

“Then, what are you going to do about it?”

I didn’t answer her. Instead, I grabbed the black acrylic and squeezed a little out onto the palette before applying it onto the canvas with the brush.

“Why black though?” She walked up to me. “There are better ones.”

“It’s simple this way – just black and white. I don’t have to choose which color will be more suitable to different parts.”

“Use your feelings; use your emotions. Isn’t that what you had always been taught?” I halted for a moment and look at her.

Her words sounded like stings in my ear. She was right, using colors to convey the emotions into my portrait is what I’ve been learning but she had neglected the fact that I had always failed in that particular module. I couldn’t comprehend.

“Blue represents peace, red represents passion, yellow represents joy, and green represents nature. There are many other more but I’m sure you know them better than me.”

I lowered my gaze and shifted them back onto the scenery outside. My other hand fiddled at the hem of my blouse as I tried to gather words.

“I should,” I paused for a moment before continuing, “but colors are simply just colors to me. They don’t represent any emotions.”

“But people won’t understand.”

“Does it matter?” I threw a bitter smile at her while continuing my painting in silence.

Instantly, I could feel a sea of sadness washed across my body and I knew I was wrong. They probably matter, and a lot.