The Toddler Painting
1458 Words
The three young women stepped together towards the main art gallery on their college. On a wall directly in front of them, a large painting was displayed complete with luxurious frames.
Soraya was stunned, looking at the figure in the painting. A toddler girl wearing a pink dress and smiling sweetly. The details, the colors and everything look just perfect. The person who painted it must be an extremely talented person. A painting that looks even more like a portrait.
"Looks like this gallery isn't open yet, can we just go in?" Soraya asked, feeling bad about trespassing.
"It's okay, take it easy. You see that painting over there?" Kimberly asked.
"Yes, very good. Is that a photo or- "
"Painting, really extraordinary, isn't it?"
"Yes, I got the wrong idea, I thought it was a photo, but it turned out to be a painting,"
"When I first saw it, I also thought it was a photo, but if I looked closely, I realized that this is a painting," Diana said who was standing in front of the painting.
Soraya stepped closer to the painting on display, it was true, from close up, the painting was very good, even too good. RW Stanley, that's the name on the painting. The same name she saw in a London art gallery last year.
"Great, really incredible!" Soraya mumbles. Now, she understood why the lecturer was so concerned with perfect details? because he created such amazing works.
"But, who is this toddler?" Diana asked. She who has observed this painting several times, is more interested in thinking about the angel-faced toddler who is the model for this painting.
"I don't know, maybe his daughter!" Kimberly replied casually.
"His daughter? Is he married?"
"I don't know, but chances are this toddler has a special relationship with him,"
"But, what I know is he is not married, let alone have children!" Diana felt disappointed to think if it was true that the toddler who was the model for this painting was the daughter of the most charismatic lecturer on this campus.
"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Exclaimed David who had just entered this gallery with James.
Soraya, Diana and Kimberly looked back when they knew someone else had entered this room. It felt as if they were being caught by sneaking in without permission.
"Ah ... it turns out you two, what a shock!" Kimberly said with a panicked face that made her look funny.
"Hahahaha ... who do you think? By the way, what are you three doing here?" Asked James.
"We want to see a masterpiece from a Robert William Stanley, what are you two doing?" asked Diana.
"Just like you, we also want to see the painting!"
"Oh ... so this is that phenomenal painting? It turns out to be truly extraordinary!"
"David, you just saw it too?"
"Yes, I really wanted to see it, but I haven't had time. After all, this is the main gallery of the campus, not only belonging to the art faculty. So it's only natural that not everyone has had the chance to see it."
"You're right! But David, who do you think the little girl is in this painting?" Asked Diana who was still curious about the figure in the painting.
"I don't know, maybe his daughter or a friend's daughter. Who knows?"
"But I think, I've seen her face. As if it was familiar to me," Soraya said trying to remember when and where she had seen a similar painting.
"I've seen it too!" Kimberly said.
"Is it true?"
"Yes, five years ago, I saw it at an auction. A painting of a toddler whose face looks like this!"
"An auction?"
"Yes, the painting sold for a fantastic price, bought by a Scottish businessman."
Soraya gasped sure enough, this toddler's familiar face was like she had seen before. A painting displayed in her homeroom teacher in junior high school.
"You're right, I saw that painting at the house of one of my teachers, but I didn't know that my teacher was a businessman who could afford such an expensive painting!"
"Then I don't know, but what I remember, the one who bought it was a very rich middle-aged man. Maybe your teacher was a friend or relative."
"Yes, maybe-"
"But, why does he have to painting a child? of the many objects that can be painted, why do you both see paintings of toddlers?" David said who was starting to be curious.
"However, the painting in the London art gallery that I saw was not a paint of a toddler," Soraya said.
"So?"
"The painting of a boy with sad eyes, I still remember it clearly ..."
Tuk ... tuk ... tuk
They heard the sound of sudden footsteps that made the hairs of their necks stand up. It seemed ridiculous if they were so scared for no apparent reason just because they sneaked into a gallery that wasn't open at the moment.
A male figure appeared from behind the door, staring intently at the five new students who had done whatever they wanted to be in a place that could be said, as his favorite place on this campus.
Deg ... deg ... deg
Their hearts skipped a beat, seeing the cold and flat faces that seemed ready to ask them questions.
"What are you guys doing?" Sure enough, this classic question left his mouth. Soraya and Diana looked at each other, confused because they realized that they had sneaked into this room without permission.
"I'm sorry," Soraya immediately lowered her head to show her regret. Meanwhile, Kimberly casually stepped forward without feeling guilty.
"We want to see your painting which is said to be very famous, Sir!" Kimberly said very calmly and courageously.
"So?"
"Yes, because of that, we apologize if we have trespassed!"
Robert looked at the five students one by one and stepped towards the wall, where the painting was displayed. His blue eyes which look very cold, stare intently at the objects in his paintings. There was no meaningful expression that made it difficult for Soraya and her friends to guess what he was thinking.
"All right, you guys can go when you're done looking!"
"Sir!" Diana said.
"What's wrong?"
"Why is the gallery closed today? We thought, we can enter as usual. Because of that, we really didn't mean to- "
"This gallery is under maintenance by the campus, because there are many new students who come and go in and out of this gallery, fearing that there will be statues, paintings and other valuable works that are damaged, whether on purpose or not. But, if things return to normal, this gallery will re-opened as usual,"
"Is that so? Thank you, Sir! One more thing, you are really great, Sir. The painting is very good!" Diana declared excitedly.
Soraya who did not have the courage to praise her teacher directly, could only nod in agreement. However, every time that pair of eyes turned to her, the nervousness and fear returned.
"He saw me." Soraya thought who was unable to return his beautiful gaze any longer.
***
"Your roommate is here, I hope you guys get along soon!" said Mrs Carla. The head of the dormitory who is very kind and treats the students on this campus like their own children.
Soraya nodded softly, although she didn't mind sharing a room with someone she didn't know. But her worries sometimes arise if the roommate is not a friendly person.
"I see."
"You look worried, what do you think?"
"Ah, hahaha ... no, I'm just a little nervous. Maybe, because I don't know her, so- "
"You don't need to worry, your roommate is a freshman in psychology named Kerry Smith. I heard she's a good girl, so you guys can definitely make good roommates."
"Is that so? Thank God. Then, I'll excuse me!"
"Okay!"
Soraya walked quickly towards the third floor, the floor where her room was. Soraya who was standing in front of the door, was nervous because she would finally see her roommate's face.
"All right, never mind. As Mrs Carla said, she's a good ordinary girl." She muttered as she knocked on the door.
Knock ... knock ... knock
Realizing that there was someone in her room, Soraya had to knock it first. A few seconds later, the door opened and revealed the face of a young woman with green eyes staring sadly at her.
"Yes, what's up?" The woman asked.
"I'm Soraya Chamberlain, your roommate!"
"Oh, you are Soraya, huh? Sorry, I don't know. Earlier, Mrs Carla gave me the room key, so I immediately went in without waiting for you first!"
"It's okay, I understand. Then, nice to meet you."
***
- Writer
