That was it, she had finally found her love. It was Lucia’s leave of absence from an unending academic journey, as she was in her third year. All she wanted was to be free from the struggles of medical school, perhaps finding another engagement entirely. As a self-sufficient lady in her mid-twenties, she simply needed a means to clear her head and have fun.
On the eve of her twenty- fifth birthday anniversary, she made up her mind to go out on her special day just like every other person. She decided to explore with her childhood crush, Lucio. These two were the talk of the town while growing up – same names, play buddies, fondly teased as couples.
After roughly two years of no communication, she hopped on Facebook and searched for his handle. It was not as stressful as envisioned. Her habit of stalking paid off this time around. Lucio, who recently clocked twenty-eight, was currently in a Visual Art residency at the University of Barcelona. In no time, they were talking, and she asked that they both go out. He immediately agreed, given that he was on a mini-vacation.
Definitely, there was no better time for a meet and greet between two childhood besties who had not seen in a while. As both of their interests in art aligned, they opted for a sip and paint session somewhere in town.
That morning, her phone buzzed, and after wishes of new age blessings, Lucio tells her he was parked outside, ready for the birthday girl. She had woken up earlier to prepare ceremoniously for the outing. With the update from Lucio, she dashed down the stairs of her duplex and went outside to meet him, fully ready to savour the moment.
On the way to the venue, the renowned ‘Arte Bar’, they went through a couple of painting references. They pinned a number of them and hoped to finally make a pick when they arrived.The ambience of the street was so inspiring, the fresh look of the graffiti and street sculptures further made Lucia interested in the whole adventure ride. They talked about the art, and Lucio was more than happy to explain what he loves doing best. Lucia was very intrigued and elated about art, the freedom that comes with it and its expressive nature. She had always been good at making sketches. She reminded Lucio of the caricatures they regularly made when they were little, and they laughed over it. They really had fun times together while growing up, and this was a moment of nostalgia.
After about a twenty- minutes drive, they finally arrived at the Arte Bar, and checked in, diving straight into action. There was a guide who showed them the art materials available and helped with the whole setup. The guide assisted them in picking from the pinned references, and they both made their sketches on the canvas. The actual painting process began in earnest. The specially brewed ‘Tinto de Verano’ helped to keep their taste buds active, while they created beautiful art pieces to their taste. Expectedly, Lucia seemed adept at this. The ease with which she could navigate the mixing and application of colours to her canvas was splendid. Something was cooking, and she definitely made a masterpiece at the end of it all.
Lucio applauded the fact that she still had her drawing abilities as they engaged in the painting aspect. He asked about her medical journey. She ranted about how she was tired of it. With the leave of absence she was on, she would not even mind taking a final escape. She talked about how she had been getting other interests, especially in the art field. Apparently, this was why she happily came for this sip and paint outing. She talked about her interest in medical illustrations, and the prospects it offered, and boom!, she blurted out ‘I am dropping out of medical school’. In the spur of the moment, she decided to go to an art school.
Lucio, visibly surprised, did not question her decision at all. He explained how his residency program had shaped his career maximally, and he offered to put in a good word for her when he returns. Lucia was really excited about the idea and resolved to send in her portfolio and curriculum vitae.
The sip and paint session ended with Lucio singing a melodious ‘Happy Birthday’ song for her. She hugged him so tightly after that. On their way back home, they jammed and sang to some Jazz music.
With Lucia’s leave of absence becoming a change of course- a whole new trajectory. Would her love for art be worth it? Well, only time can tell, but for now, Lucia is set to be a grand art master. Hopefully, it is not futile.
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