Months ago, before she'd grown to care for her group of friends, she had decided against telling them about her relationship. Not for fear of rejection but for privacy, to maintain a sense of intimacy, and to keep her word to maintain their privacy. Did she sometimes feel bad because she had no one to talk to about it? Yes. Would it have helped when a particular member confessed their feelings over text? Maybe, but did she respect their mutual decision on that particular matter? Definitely.
So the day after she came home from the theater, all smiles and giggles, her phone filled with questions asking about her whereabouts instead of saying she was out with her girlfriend, she simply said she had to be with someone important.
There was no doubt in her mind that the friend group thought she wasn't dating; she was the quiet one and the newest member, but hey, what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
MJ got off her bed and heard the dull creak of the mattress echoing throughout the quiet room.
She walked to her desk, easily grabbing a random pen and pencil to fiddle with as she headed to the living room.
A wash of cool air hits her as she settles easily, turning on the television and taking over the couch in the few minutes it takes.
"Kayla" Ash, her sister, called from the other room. " KAYLA"
She sighed, scooping up her phone and striding over to the other girl's room. As the door swings open, she gives her sister a pointed look. "What is it, Ash?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking over at her younger sister.
"It's FNAF"
"Seriously?"
"Mhm"
"I'm leaving"
"But Kayla I-"
"Nope, I don't even play Five Nights at Freddy's, and you literally spent thirty minutes the other day explaining the lore for that one sun-moon-looking dude. I'm not sitting through another session of that bye, girl."
She doesn't look back as the other girl mumbles under her breath, walking out of the room and back to the couch.
MJ flips through the sites and channels (YouTube, Pinterest, etc.) looking for something interesting to catch her eye. As she scrolls past various shows, commercials, reels, and the like, her attention is suddenly caught by a vibrant and colorful animation. The TV screen fills, and despite her initial hunger, she can't tear her eyes away.
She settles back on the couch, engrossed in the animated storyline unfolding before her. The characters dance across the screen, their vibrant personalities shining through. As she watches, a smile spreads across her face, captivated by the charm and imagination of the cartoon.
The scene shifts to a grand castle, with mismatched spiral towers emerging from the ground. The storyline seems to be a twist on the story of the Golden Touch but with some differences.
With each passing moment, MJ becomes more enthralled by the story. The animation and voice acting are top-notch, drawing her deeper into the captivating narrative. She finds herself cheering for the main character, Auren, and seeing aspects of her life play out through her, eagerly anticipating each twist and turn.
As the episode comes to an end, MJ sits there, feeling a sense of satisfaction and delight. The scene has transported her to a world filled with magic, wonder, and suspense, momentarily distracting her from the constant epiphany that is reality. She felt that she could connect with the character Auren and her trials as she came to understand her reality. She felt inspired.
As her thoughts roamed, MJ found herself smiling at the mere ideas she could see unfolding in her head. She rushed to her room, grabbing her sketchbook and other pencils from her desk. Her fingers are itching to bring her own imaginative creations to life.
She begins sketching characters and landscapes, letting her creativity flow freely.
The TV scene had sparked a newfound something within her; she drew what she felt, what she didn't feel, and what she could and couldn't express. Those feelings turned into characters, and those characters made a world amidst her ambiance.
Time passed in silence in the quiet of her home. Her mother was at work, their youngest was with her grandparents, and Ash was doing her own thing per usual. By the time she even bothered to take a glance at the clock, it was 9 p.m. Her hands were covered in charcoal, and the pages of her sketchbook were smudged, but in a way that fit the vision she had in her head.
She stretches her tired muscles and takes a moment to appreciate the masterpiece she has created. The intricate details and emotions captured on the pages fill her with a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. As she closes her sketchbook, she can't help but feel at ease.
She draws, she sketches, and she paints, and when her eyes drift clothes amidst imaginative thoughts, her sleep is peaceful and serene, a reflection of the content she found in her creative pursuits.