Free Change of Possession by M.R. Polish Page A

followed suit, not taking my eyes off the artwork. He came around as I was getting out of the car and took my hand. “I hoped you’d like it.”
    We walked closer to the wall. A huge red rose was in the middle. It was only partially filled in with color, but every petal was meticulously painted, shades and colors blended perfectly together to give the flawless look of a real rose. Wilted petals were painted alone, falling from the main bud. A river washed away the fallen petals, landing in a garden of clouds. It was amazing.
    I reached out to touch a petal the size of my hand. It was much smaller than the other ones and I wondered what made the artist make one so insignificant compared to the others.
    The mural still had a way to go before it was completed, but it was a stunning piece of work. It struck an inner chord with my emotions as I stared at the heavenly garden. I wondered if Celeste was in a place like that, and if all the tears I’d cried could be felt there.
    “I have no words.” My voice broke. I hated that my emotions were still so close to the surface.
    He reached up, touching another petal. “It’s not finished, but one day I’ll be able to look back on it with a smile.”
    I tore my eyes from the wall and stared at Vahn. “You? You’re the artist?”
    He looked over at me with a soft expression in his eyes. “Yeah. It’s something I’ve never shown anyone before.”
    “It’s amazing, Vahn. I mean, really. This is my favorite piece of art I’ve ever seen. It really hits a special place in my heart.”
    He gave a half laugh. “You haven’t seen a lot of art then.” He looked back up at the wall. “It comes from my heart though.”
    I touched his arm. “Why is your heart so sad that it can create something so beautiful?”
    He smiled at me. “You’re the only one I know that thinks sadness is beauty. When I look at you, I see something different. You see things that others can’t comprehend, a world filled with loneliness and grief.”
    I swallowed and looked away. He pulled my face back to look at him. “Don’t do that. Don’t look away. For the first time in over a year, I feel alive. You make me happy and life doesn’t seem so dark.”
    “I was beginning to think the same thing earlier, but I’m not sure I deserve it.” I glanced down. I couldn’t look him in the eyes.
    “Keeley, everyone deserves happiness, it’s a question of whether or not we accept it. It’s hard though, I get it. The dark is easier to live with than light.”
    “Wow, quite the philosopher,” I joked. I needed to lighten the mood before all my emotions opened up like a floodgate. Not what I would hope for on a first date.
    He laughed. “Yeah, I guess I was getting kinda deep. Sorry. My mom was like that.”
    I gently shook my head. “No, it’s fine, it’s just…”
    “I get it. Let’s go get some ice cream or something,” He took my hand again and we drove back into town.
    The night went on without talking about any more about the wall. He dropped me off at my apartment and even walked me to the door. I couldn’t keep the wide smile off my face as I watched him drive away through the living room window. I squealed and laughed as I danced through my house. There was no way I could sleep. I was too excited as I replayed my day with Vahn in my head. The only thing that would have made it better was a kiss. I know, a kiss on the first date was probably taboo, but who cares, I really, really, really liked him. I imagined his smile, his lips, and how wonderful it would be to feel them on mine.
    A knock on my door made me dash toward it. Vahn was on the other side. He leaned against the doorframe with one arm, looking up and sliding his free hand through his hair. His breathing was a little quicker than it was minutes before and I tensed, wondering if maybe something was wrong. “Keeley, I know we just met and all. I mean, we haven’t um…” He released a long breath. “What I’m trying to ask