2 Event 1 First Painting

"Aren't you coming to the party, Aniston?", Calina asked, fixing her hair.

"No, I'm not", Aniston answered, "I need to finish this piece before Andros comes."

"Okay", Calina said then turned to me, "You?"

"No", I answered.

"Oh, then I'll be going", she said and was out of the door.

"You don't need to be so perfect, An, Andros loves you for who you are, not what you're tryin' to be", I said to Aniston and went out of the room.

I walked down to the pavilion and while sitting on its steps, someone sits beside me.

"I brought home some paintings you might want to see", he said.

"Later", I just said.

"Okay, that's fine."

"Seven, why do you travel?"

"I love adventure and experiencing anything that life might offer, going to different places and knowing people, it gives me contentment, to know things about them, their histories, cultures and everything they want to share", Seven answered.

"Good for you while me, I don't know, life seems pointless", I said.

"You love painting, right?"

"Yes but" – I paused – "it seems like it is not enough, the truth, nothing is."

"Spring, life is full of beautiful things", he started, "find what makes you happy, things you enjoy doing, pursue whatever dreams you have, don't be afraid."

"It's not that I am, the problem is, I don't find anything beautiful in my life", I admitted.

I feel like life is so dull, I can't move myself to see the beauty of what surrounds me.

"I should be like my name Spring rather than feel like winter", I continued.

Seven smiled.

"That's ridiculous, right?", I said and gave a short laugh (such feeling of unexplainable things).

That night while lying on my bed, someone knocked on my door.

Who would be knocking on my door in the middle of the night?

"Who is that?", I asked.

"It's me, Seven."

I stood up and opened the door and let him in.

"What are you doing here?"

"Came up to see you."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

He sighed.

"Fine", he said, "it's because I need to show you a painting."

"Can't it wait?"

"Uhm... maybe not", he answered, "but you really need to see it."

I just stood there looking at him wondering what might that painting be that I really need to see that he had to come this late.

"May we go now?", he asked.

"What?", I started, "It's midnight already."

"Don't worry, it's not far anyway."

"Oh, okay", I said, getting a coat, and followed him outside.

We tiptoed out of the mansion, careful not to be seen by the guards and Calina's guard dogs.

We arrived at his studio after a while.

"Come on", he said and we entered.

"So, where is it?", I asked.

"Come, it's here", and he led me inside a room where we face Isabella's (Isabella is a family friend of the Lelash, my family, and also Seven's friend) house in Greece.

"But I have seen this, Seven, is this the painting that can't – " I suddenly stop and was a little taken aback by what he's holding.

It is a painting of myself in an ancient dress in a strange background.

"Surprised?", Seven asked.

"Yeah", I managed to say, more like really shocked.

"That's why I showed you this, it is so unusual and kind of weird", Seven said, "You don't have any portraits, right?"

"Yes, I really don't have any, this is really weird, it creeps me a little, looking at myself but it is not really me", I agreed.

"Maybe some ancestress of yours", he paused, "uhm... no, no, no, it's – "

"Impossible!", I finished.

"Exactly", he agreed, "it's because I bought it in England, from a fine painter who said that his grandfather painted it a long time ago in the middle ages, in some castle of a royal family", Seven narrated, "said the girl's name is Casandra", looking at me (maybe trying to see what my reaction would be), "the castle burned down killing all its inhabitants, the girl was already missing before the fire."

"Uhm... that's quite a sad story", I commented, "Is it really true?"

"Yes, according to him."

Just then, I blacked out and found myself on a sofa, I stood up and was trying to find Seven when he came in.

"Sorry to leave you", he said and handed me a glass of water.

"It's alright", I said, then drinks the glass of water.

He put Casandra's painting with the others and he gave me a painting of a secret garden with blue roses, instead.

I'm not stupid or numb not to notice Seven's feelings for me. It's just that I can't mutually return the feeling because I just can't.... I just don't know how to love like what a lover does. I acted to be dense about it.

When I returned home, I found Aniston in the piano room again. Her favorite glass shoes were on the floor, together with a box.

"What's in there?", I asked.

"Dress from Andros", she answered.

I opened it, presentimg a beautiful blue dress. As I was raising it, something fell, a necklace... it was embellished with amethysts similar to Aniston's eyes.

"It's gorgeous", I complimented.

"Thanks", she said then she smiled, "Would you compliment me, too, with this piece?"

"Sure, play on", I said.

Her music was calming and nice.

"That's wonderful", I complimented and gave her a pleasant smile, "any story behind that terrific music, except maybe your love story."

"Yeah, there is", she said, "it's about a girl who fell in love but was left behind by the man, she got sick after that and was near death when her lover came back, it was too late 'cause she did not even heard what was the real reason of his departure, she lies dead and cold in her lover's arms."

"Oh", I gasped, "that's too sad, why is that the story? Isn't it supposed to be a happy ending?"

"Happy ending", she repeated, "it's just a story, anyway."

"Oh yes, yes of course", I just said, "Where's Calina?", changing the topic.

"With her in-laws."

"To pay some respect?"

"Yes", she answered and grinned.

Calina was widowed by the death of Alfred Mardey, her husband. She doesn't want to be trapped into some world of loneliness and sadness so she always goes out, maybe trying to ignore her true feelings.

Alfred's parents are not that much into her. Calina and her mother-in-law are not in good terms but for the sake of Alfred's memory, they pretended to be alright together.

"Come tonight", Aniston invited and stood up, "I know you don't like attending parties but for me, please do come to Andros' welcome party."

"Of course I will", I said and embraced her, I smiled, releasing her, "Anyway, may I asked you something?"

"Yes, go on, what is it?"

"Do we have any relatives or ancestors or the likes in England?"

"England?", she repeated, "None, besides, we don't have any English blood", she continued, she looks a little perplexed, "Why'd you asked?"

"Nothin', just curious", I answered.

So impossible to have someone who really look like yourself but you're not even related or something. Or is it really possible?

I also wonder (which am sure makes Seven also wonder) how that Casandra in the painting is also wearing a necklace so identical to mine. Maybe there's two of my necklace and that's it.