Chapter 1

.:.Friday.:.

So hey, yea! I'm so glad you guys like my plot and such lol Here I have the first chapter to A Painter's Serenade. Thanks for the comments it really made my day, I was jumping up and down and dancing around my house all day ;]
Well here you go <3
"Talking"
'Gui Gui's thoughts'

- - - - -

I smile dreamily watching the clouds float in the sky while partially listening to Ms. Cherry. I love her and her class and all but today I feel sort of fidgety… like something was going to happen, though I’m not exactly sure if it will be good or bad, preferably good though.

But when Ms. Cherry begins talking about finals I snap out of my cloud watching and turn my complete attention over to her. She seems to be having difficulty containing a large amount of enthusiasm, never a good sign.

“Alright students, you are all aware that finals are next week so I’m going to assign your projects due Thursday and Friday.”

‘Oh great, she’s going to have us paint like 5 different paintings, more than likely, depicting the process of movement of an object and or organism. Like a flying fish jumping in out of water in 5 different canvases’ I sigh, ‘this is going to be problematic…’

“I want you all to paint something you feel is at its best," she said breathlessly her voice full of excitement. I could tell she was looking forward to next week when we would present what we painted. “Just one painting.” I distinctively heard a collective number of sighs of relief, one of which being my own.

“I will have the class divided in two considering we are a small number this year. 6 of you will present your projects on Thursday and the other 6 on Friday,” she continued.

“What exactly are we supposed to paint, Ms. Cherry?” my best friend Ya Tou asked, I just love when that girl talks.

Ms. Cherry jumps and lands with her body facing Ya Tou’s direction, “You’ve not allowed me to finish Ya Tou,” she says with a smile. “The people on Thursday, I want you to prepare a canvas of an animal. For instance, if you own a cat and you think you’re cat is at its best or cutest when it wakes up or when it plays with a toy; I would like you to paint instances like those, where you truly believe your pet is at its best. For the ones on Friday same explanation but you’re subject will be humans.”

“Well who goes when?” Mei Mei asks and I notice that she’s bouncing in her chair. I look around the classroom and notice that this is actually a project we’re excited about, including me. I just hope that I get to paint a person.

Ms. Cherry steps back to stand directly before the class again and replies with fake frustration, “You guys just don’t give me a chance to finish do you?” Then she chuckles and turns to her desk to get her roll book and says, “Those of you who will present on Thursday are Xiao Jie (b), Xiao Man, Calvin, Xiao Yu, Cyndi and Selina. The rest of you will present on Friday, is that understood, Mei Mei, Ya Tou, Gui Gui, Ah Ben, Xiao Xun and Hebe?”

After a chorus of ‘yes’ the bell rang, everyone began to gather their things to go. I looked back out the window to the clouds again and muttered under my breath, “Well, I got what I wanted… but who will I draw?” My earlier enthusiasm for the project has just been washed away by this sudden realization.

I sighed and picked up my bag, slung it over my shoulder and began walking outside; my shoulders slumped not being able to stop the frown dominating my expression. I hear a giggle as I walk out the door and I turn very slowly to see Ya Tou laughing at me with a big smile on her face, “What are you laughing at, Ya Tou?” I quietly ask her.

“Oh Gui! You truly look like a ghost right now, all sullen with your shoulders slumped and that frown on your face. C’mon what happened?”

I sigh again, “Oh, I just don’t know who I’m going to paint for the final, I haven’t even a clue.”

Ya Tou giggles at me again and says, “Don’t worry Gui! It’ll come to you! I have to go right now but I’ll talk to you later!” She runs of before I can even reply, leaving me all alone in the hallway.

I check to my left and right, absolutely nobody. In this solitude I let loose a huge and really loud sigh of unhappiness and began to walk to the exit when I heard a sound. A distant tune.

I turned toward the sound before shaking my head and continued walking towards the exit. I barely walked three steps before stopping again, tilting my head to better hear the tune.

‘The ever curious ghost in me wants to find out where it’s coming from,’ I think to myself.

I shake my head and turn towards the sound again thinking it won’t hurt to just take a peek. I kept following the distant tune when it started getting louder and louder and when I got to the entrance of the auditorium I knew it was coming from inside.

I opened the door carefully making sure to enter from the back door so as not to be caught. When I made it inside I let the door close soundlessly behind me and lightly placed my bag on the floor near the door before taking cautious steps, still following the music.

I can now identify what the tune I was hearing was. Someone was playing the piano, and quiet beautifully I might add. I pass by the closet full of costumes and walked on stage. The curtain was pulled across the stage so I imagine the piano is out front where the curtains don’t cover it.

‘The perfect way for me to hide, I can see them but they can’t see me,’ I think.

I walk to where the curtain separates, center stage, and pushed it aside slightly, just enough for me to be able to see the black baby grand piano to the farthest right of the stage. It’s a boy that’s playing; the only thing I can see is his dark hair due to the fact that his face was staring straight at the piano keys.

I felt my heart race as I continued listening in on the guy playing, he seemed so engrossed in what he was doing and it was fascinating to watch as his fingers danced upon the keys, done with such grace.

‘He makes it seem so easy,’ I thought.

As I listened to the equally haunting and sorrowful piece, I knew. I knew that he would be my subject; I would paint this boy who seems to be in love with the piano and who can weave such enticing piano notes together creating music very pleasing to the ear. Especially mine.

I close the curtain and let my head rest against it as my right hand clutches at the edge of my shirt.

‘This tune…is really sad, but beautiful, it easily clutches at your emotions,’ I think to myself, I open my mouth and let loose a soundless chuckle. This guy is truly amazing.

Abruptly the melody stops and I’m bewildered as to why I want to go out there and complain at him and tell him to keep playing, I shrug it off…he’s just that good.

“Are you just going to keep hiding behind the curtain?”

His voice startles me, I had not made one sound since I came in here and yet he still knew I was there. I pushed the curtain aside and as I prepared to walk toward him my foot caught on the curtain and I fell on stage before him. I landed with a loud ‘Omf’ and rubbed my arms which I used to break my fall, ‘This would’ve been ever more embarrassing had the auditorium been filled with people.’

I look back at the guy and stare at him, as he stares back at me from the piano bench. ‘This guy is really handsome, with almost too perfect features a girl could stare at him forever.’ I stand up and pat invisible dust off my clothes, ‘but with him it seems that chivalry is indeed dead.’

“Hi, my name is Wu Ying Jie, but I prefer to be called Gui Gui! You are?” I say in the friendliest voice I could muster while smiling at him.

Again all he does is just stare at me and after a few moments of awkward silence I decide to go on with my mission. I take a few steps closer so I’m standing near but not next to the piano bench he’s sitting on.

“I heard you playing and I’ve got to say that you’re really good. Did you invent that piece yourself?” I’m smiling like an idiot hoping he’ll respond to my question but apparently he’s not buying and when he simply lowers his head again and begins gathering up his sheet music I just blurt out, “I want to paint you!”

He seems to be shocked by my statement because he dropped his papers; he looked at me quickly before he bent down to hurriedly pick them up.

‘Finally a reaction.’

He looks at me again and says, “No.”

I simply stared in something akin to shock and disbelief; he said it with such finality in his voice that it shocked me. I mean most people would be flattered if they were asked to be painted and yet… he says no.

“I realize that just coming out and saying it like I did isn’t practical, I mean we don’t really even know each other, but I’d really like to paint you for my project on –“ he cut me off and repeated “No.” in an annoyed tone.

‘Those weren’t the first words I wanted to hear come out of his mouth.’

“Hm… this is going to be more difficult than I thought.” I muttered under my breath watching him walk down the stairs and away from me after picking up his things in a rush to get away and walking out of the auditorium. I sigh crankily before jumping off stage and chasing after him.

I rush through the door after him and grabbed his arm before he could go far, he tried to pull his arm but I tightened my grip on him and as he turned to look at me he gave me a cold look. His eyes showed such emptiness and resentment that I loosened my hold on him immediately and he took the opportunity to pull his arm back saying, “I have better things to do,” before walking off. I lifted a hand as if to stop him but let it drop down at my side as I watched him walk away.

“What do you want with him, Gui Gui?”

I jumped and turned around to see Ya Tou standing behind me with an innocent expression on her face, as if she didn’t know that she just scared me.

I clutched my heart through my shirt and glared at her, “What, is everyone a better ghost than me today?”

She giggled but then sobered up, “Seriously, what do you want with Aaron?”

I tilted my head to the side and inquired, “You know him?”

“His name is Yan Ya Lun, Aaron, he’s a loner and I’ve honestly never heard him talk before… in fact I’m not even sure he can!” Ya Tou exclaims in her insanely cute voice.

I sigh replying, “Oh, he can alright.”

She raises an eyebrow in question as I told her, “I asked him to be my subject for the final on Friday.”

Her eyes widened slightly as she said, “You what? Why?”

I looked away from her and replied, “I overheard him practicing his music and I felt…oh! It’s not something I can just express in words! I just want… no need to paint him!”

She rolled her eyes at me and her expression told me that she was questioning my sanity,” Have fun trying to get him to agree… it won’t be easy.” She says before she turns and walks away, probably heading to her date.

‘She doesn’t think I can get him to agree, I’ll show her!’

As she walks away I exclaim, “Thanks, I kind of figured that out already!”

I walk back to the auditorium using the main doors and climb back on stage and step towards the piano, that’s when I notice there was something on the floor. I bend down to pick it up and notice that it’s a piece of sheet music.

‘I don’t think it’s finished because of all the eraser marks.’

I pick it up and look on the back to find Yan Ya Lun written in a cursive script at the top right corner. My eyes widen as a slow smirk develops on my face.

‘This paper is the key to my victory!’

“He’ll let me paint him if he wants this back,” I mutter to myself out loud.

I stand up and walk to the back door, grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder and leave the auditorium chuckling evily under my breath.

End of .:.Friday.:.

- - - - -

I'm going to try to update on fridays so, look forward to it! Here's a preview for:

.:.Monday.:.

I’m fidgety in my chair, I can’t wait to see Aaron again.

‘Wait, hear him play I mean, yea…that’s it! Plus I can’t wait to put my plan into motion,’ I know there’s a smirk on my face and I’m chuckling soundlessly as I think this. More reasons for the class and Ms. Cherry to think I’m crazy.

- -

I heard him mutter something under his breath as he looked for his sheet music, the one I had hidden in my backpack; the one he left last Friday. I took it out and waved it in his direction and as he tries to grab for it I pull it out of his immediate reach.

While chuckling softly I say, “If you really want this back… you’ll let me paint you!”

He merely glares at me with those enticing and compelling eyes of his.

- -

“Blackmail, how pathetic…it doesn’t really matter anyway because- - “ I cut him off.

“Alright, alright! Forget it!”

I throw down the music sheet on the piano top and say, “I guess I’ll just have to find another subject to paint for my project.”

I grab my bag from the floor and walk towards the curtain sighing in an overly dramatic fashion and as I open it and hide behind it, making footsteps but not really moving, I wait. Wait to see if there’s a change, to see if he’ll give me a chance.

…but all I hear is silence and I begin to wonder if I’ll have to truly find a new subject for this project.

- -

I initally started this story out as a one shot but after i wrote everything out I noticed that it would be better to space everything out, so it'll be a little longer but not much. At maximun it will have 10 chapters [more or less]

Well there you go and I hope you enjoy :D
R & R, xie xie ni! ^^

.:.nitaBonita.:.