Meet Clay Brown by Christina Milliner

Author:Christina Milliner [Milliner, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-03-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

A few weeks had passed since we heard Brianna’s news. She was planning to leave for Florida in a month, leaving us to complete the mural on our own. With only a month left to learn everything we needed to know about the mural, the tension was pretty thick. Despite Brianna feeling sick most days, she was able to sketch all of the artwork onto the wall. The only thing we had to do was paint and write my poem on the outside of the artwork to create a frame for it—a poem I hadn’t yet finished.

We had to learn how to paint with a spray can. We were all seated in the sanctuary listening to Brianna instruct us on how to do it.

“So, ya see,” Brianna said, finishing her painting lesson, “it’s really not that hard.”

“Hunty, this isn’t going to work,” Paulina said. Paulina volunteered to help us once she heard that Brianna was leaving. She said she felt it was her calling to be the extra set of hands we needed for the mural.

“It will,” Brianna said. She demonstrated again with the red spray can on the huge sheet of white paper laid out on the floor. “No one is expecting perfection. Just complete the art.”

“This is going to be one big ass mess.” Paulina flipped her long hot pink wig over her shoulder. It had a nice shine to it, which I couldn’t help but admire.

“Positive vibes,” Isiah said.

“I agree, Isiah,” the reverend said, removing his black-framed glasses and placing them on top of his head. He rubbed his eyes a little before putting his glasses back on.

This whole mural situation was becoming a bigger problem every day. I was starting to believe that we wouldn’t be able to finish it. We needed Brianna. Without her, the mural wouldn’t make it.

Martina stood and said, “Listen, people, we’ll finish it.”

“Yeah,” Asher said. “We have to.”

“Let’s break,” Brianna said. “Fifteen.”

As the group scattered around the sanctuary, I found a corner and decided to read through my prep book. I was determined to cram studying in whenever I could. Besides, at this point, I preferred looking at complicated ass math equations than figuring out how to paint a mural.

“Hey,” Brianna said as she sat next to me. “Can we talk?”

“About?” I asked, focused on the book.

“It’ll be cool. You know, your poem framing the artwork.”

Ever since Brianna announced she was leaving, I’d avoided her. I wasn’t purposely trying to ignore her. I just didn’t know what to say. The fact that she was leaving and the fate of the mural was now up to us, a bunch of non-painters, was too much. Was this how she felt? The weight of the mural all on her shoulders. She was the one who had to put it onto a wall. Could this have led to her using again? If it did, then it was our fault with our stupid art demands. “I’m sorry.”

“Why the hell is everyone apologizing?” She looked down at her feet.

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