Page 21 of Xavier

"That. That is your canvas."

“What?” I don’t understand what he means.

“Well, you said you wanted to create something beautiful. With colors. Well, you’ve got everything you need. You’re literally holding the colors in your hand. And that is your canvas.”

I stare up at the colossus of the blank wall in front of me. It seems like an impossible task. I look down at the giant stack of paint swatches clutched tight in my two fists.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, his voice soft.

“I… I don’t know what to do,” my voice trembles as I reply. I hold my two hands out in surrender. To him. To the task.

He comes up behind me, covering my eyes with his hand again. I shiver at the feel of his hand brushing against my skin, even though the sun is beating down against the side of my face.

"Stop thinking. I can already tell, that’s your downfall. Just close your eyes. Remember... remember all those colors you pulled from the wall of paint swatches?"

I don't know how to say that I remember each and every one without sounding like a freak. So I just nod.

“Is there one that stands out to you?”

As soon as he says it, it flashes in my mind. And he knows.

He pulls his hand away.

"Start with that one."

He pulls a paper bag out of his back pocket and hands it to me. It's a pair of scissors and a glue gun. He must've gotten them when he ran back inside the store.

"You've got everything you need. Go. Create."

He steps away and I panic, asking, "Wait, are you leaving?"

He chuckles, "No, I'm not going anywhere, I'll be right over there." He points to a spot in the shade on the far side of the wall.

I nod, comforted and then stare down at the colors in my hand. This is crazy. I started this morning, thinking I'd be handing in an assignment and eating orange jello in the cafeteria and now I’m here with… wait.

"Hey,” I call out to him.

He lifts his head from the notebook and, pen in his hand, shielding his eyes as he looks up at me, asks “Yeah?”

“I just realized; I don’t know your name.”

He grins before answering, “I'm Xavier."

"Nice to meet you, Xavier. My name is Malynda."