Chapter 5: Getting Fit II

I’m not sure what’s gotten into Jorvan lately but for the past week, he’s been running me ragged with these ridiculous work-out sessions.  

“That’s five sets. Finally we’re done! Let’s stop by the hospital on the way home. I think my arms and legs are going numb.”

“What are you talking about, we’re done? You still have five more sets to go and then we’ll cool down with some push-ups and sit-ups.”

“You’ve only been jogging for fifteen minutes and you’re already tired? You can slack off like that for as long as you want but we won’t be leaving until you go an hour without taking a break.”

“Do those chin-ups like your life depends on it! We're eating tofu tonight if you can't make it ten”

I’m honestly not sure how long he plans on keeping this up but I hope he tires of it soon because I’ve been so tired after our work-out sessions that I barely have the energy to paint or work on my novel. Fortunately when we came to the beach today, Jorvan said we were going to take a break from our usual routine.  I’m not sure where he went off too but I’m not going to ask any questions.  I think I’ll take a small nap and maybe visit the beach house later. I think Jennifer from my history class said she was working there for a part-time job. Hmm, I wonder if her work uniform is a bikini?

“Have you lost your damn mind? Did you think we came here to play, son?”

“……..Yeah sort of.”

“……….........”

What Jorvan meant by “a break from the usual routine” turned out to be swimming. I honestly should have known better.

“What's with all of this crap you’re wearing. You’re not going on a SEAL Team Six mission.”

“Huh, isn’t this what people normally wear when they’re learning to swim?”

“Learning how to swim? You don’t how to swim, already?”

“Why I would need to learn how to swim? Half of the people at pool parties don’t even get in the pool.”

“You can’t cook. You can’t drive and now you don’t know how to swim. Just how much did your no good parents spoil you?”

“Hah hah, it’s great to be an only child isn’t it?”

I’m not too embarrassed to admit that it took more than a few days for me to learn how to swim, Jorvan’s frequent yelling didn't help of course.  But I must say that I prefer swimming as an exercise over weight lifting or jogging. There’s something relaxing about being in the ocean that I just can’t put in words. If I was to make a comparison, I would say it felt like I was flying.

Although Jorvan continues to harass me with these stupid-work out sessions, he has made one consession for me. 

He’s finally allowed me to work on my art in the house. Who knows, maybe that old man isn’t as bad as I thought.

Chapter 4: Getting Fit I

“What did you want to talk about? Let me guess, you’ve been taking notice of my good report cards. What can I say; when I put my mind to something I can pretty much do anything.”

“Didn’t you get all C’s and B’s?”

“Yeah it’s awesome isn’t it? Back home in Appaloosa I only got C’s and D’s except for art which I aced of course.”

“Un huh, anyway pack a gym bag, we’re going to start your training today.”

“What training?”

“Every morning and afternoon, you’re going to start working out. Cardio in the morning and weight lifting in the evening. We’ll get your feet wet today so I can get a gauge of your current body strength. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting much.”

“I appreciate the offer but I’ll have to pass. I’m an artist. We don’t need a bodybuilder physique to sell our work. Not to mention what would happen if I hurt my hands while working out. These babies aren’t refundable.”

“It won’t be just your hands; I’ll break every bone in your body if you don’t hurry up and pack your gym bag.”

“You know its Sunday today. You shouldn’t be making threats like this on the Lord’s day.”

“You’re trying my damn patience. GET YOUR DAMN GYM BAG BEFORE I **** **** ***!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll go pack my stuff. But don’t expect me to do this training with a smile.”

“You can go on ahead without me, I’ll take a taxi to the gym and just you meet there. I’m afraid to be in the car with someone who curses like a sailor on a Sunday. The Watcher doesn’t like ugly, Jorvan.”

“Why I couldn’t I just call a taxi and you drive by yourself?”

“Just stop talking. You’re raising my blood pressure.”

“You have high blood pressure? Are you sure you should be driving. You’re not young anymore; you should take better care of your body. It’s a tough world out there for senior citizens. I was taking the bus the other day and could you believe that no one was going to get up and give this nice old lady their seat.

“You’re killing me. Literally.”  

Chapter 3: Questions

“Hold on for a second, Daniel. Hey runt, what did I tell you about vandalizing my front yard?!”

“I’m not vandalizing anything. I’m creating a gard-”

“Clean this up before I get back.”

  

“I’ve been gone for two hours and you’re still out here playing around? You must think I’m-”

“Hey Jorvan….can you lend me you ear for a bit?”

“I do everything you ask me to do. I never complain about doing the dishes or doing the laundry. I never wait for you to ask me to clean up around the house or take out the trash.”

“You want a cookie and a pat on the back for doing what a freeloader is supposed to do?”

“When you leave for days a time, I don’t say a thing about being left alone or the fact that you never leave me any money to buy food.”

“That’s news to me. Last time I checked, the freezer is always packed with frozen meat. Maybe you should stop spending all of your free time on your silly doodles and amateur fan fictions and learn how to cook.”

“And even though you call me all types of names when you get mad and even though you refuse to tell me anything about what’s happening to my parents, I’ve never treated with you disrespect.”

“Quit beating around the bush and get to your point, kid. I don’t like playing these type of games.”

“Why do you always get angry when you see me happy? Everything that I take an interest in, you seem to have a problem with it. You won’t let me work on my art projects in the house because you say I’ll make a mess; you constantly stand over my shoulder with discouraging words when you see me working on my novel. Now, I can’t even plant a few seeds in the front yard. Is there anything that I can do that you won’t be upset about?”

“You smart little ****, you don’t even know your situation or the situation you’re putting others in and you have the nerve to mouth off to me?!”

“What situation? How am I supposed to know about it when you won’t tell me anything?

“…………”

*Knock Knock*

“Come in! I know I overslept for the bus but I can still make it to school in time if I take my bike.”

“Don’t worry about that I’ll give you a ride later. More importantly, come to my room after you get done making up your bed.”

“You want to talk about my paintings? Wow! You really took my words from yesterday to heart!”

“…….Yeah sure, kid. Now about that painting in your ro-”

“Oh man, where do I start? For starters, even though I’ve won every school art contest in Appaloosa Plains since I entered grade school, believe it or not, I actually sucked at it in the beginning. I kept eating my crayons in pre-k and I was the last person to learn how to color in the lines.

"But then my teachers unlocked Pandora’s Box and figured out the secrect way to bring out the prodigal talents that had been lying dormant in me since birth. They started rewarding me with crayon shaped candy every time I completed a good drawing. Can you believe that by the time I was in Kindergarten I was raking in so much candy that all of the girls wanted to sit by me during snack time?"

“But between me and you, these gifted fingers come with deadly consequences. Every time a kid in my hometown had a birthday, guess who was doing the decorations because the parents were too cheap to buy them at the dollar store? This guy. And in middle school, I was practically volunteered for every school event that involved making banners or signs. What middle schooler do you know would have still wanted to be rewarded with crayon shaped candy for slave labor? I eventually told them crayon shaped chocolate bars or no deal.”  

“Of course when I started high school I-”

“Alright, slow down kid. You’re talking my ears off. Now about that painting in your room, the one over your bed. Tell me about it.”

“The one over my bed? Ah, you mean 'She Sparkles'?”

“She sparkles?”

“Yeah, that’s what I decided to call her picture. She’s sexy isn’t she?”

“Her picture? So you know who that woman is in the portrait then?”

“Nope, not a clue. I just saw her one time while we were sitting on a bench together and I couldn’t resist my heart’s demand that such beauty be immortalized for all of time and space to view with pleasure. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember the exact shape of her eyes or her forehead so rather than sully her image; I decided to just paint her face below the eyes. But it still looks good doesn’t it.”  

“Did you at least get her name? Number? You young people like to surf the internet all day, what about an email?”

“Oh no no, I couldn’t say a word to her. Every time I tried to open my mouth to speak to her, the words got caught up in my mouth. You can’t just go spouting random pick-up lines to an elegant woman like that. You have to come correct or don't come at all.” 

“You're giving me a headache, alright, I get the gist of it. Go ahead and get dressed for school and I'll give you a ride.”

“Well this was a nice bonding moment don’t you think? When I get back from school I’ll tell you all about how everyone at my new school is calling me the next Leocardo da Linci. I’m telling you I;m going to take over this city with my country swagger.”

“…………..”

“Ivan, what did I tell you about letting yourself into my house?”

“You should really do something about this TV. It’s 2015 and you still only have the basic channels?  You shouldn’t live like this, Jorvan. ”

“I’ll survive. You arrived at a good time though.”

“How was Bridgeport the last time you visited?”

“Same as always although your old pal Matthew, is stirring up the hornet’s nest again in Smuggler's Cove. He’s going to end up in the ocean if he doesn't watch where he’s stepping.”

“You’re giving me a headache just mentioning his name. Never mind that stubborn fool; you know what I really want to hear.”

“I thought you didn't want to know anything about them anymore. Your words verbatim, ‘Ivan, if I ever start to get that itch again, shoot me in the head and put me out of my misery.’ So do you still keep your shotgun behind the counter?”

“Don’t get cheeky. Tell me what you know about the Savago Family."

"Sure but first tell me what's sparking this sudden re-interest in the old families? I thought you was out of the game, friend."

"I want you to take a look at a painting and tell me what you think. I think a certain someone has come to town."

Chapter 2: She Sparkles

Even though my parents continue to ignore my phone calls, voicemails and emails and even though Jorvan won’t tell me a thing about their whereabouts or circumstance; I have yet to fall into despair. I often distract myself from my negative thoughts by gardening, painting or working on my mystery novel series.

I still haven’t allowed anyone to view my novel but I often got compliments for my sketches and paintings whenever I showed someone. My art teacher tells me that I should try to get into a private school that specializes in art, which Starlight Shores seems to have a specialty in, but I’m not sure if I’ll ever broach the subject with Jorvan. Considering the fact that he still drives around in a cheap car and still orders off the dollar menu whenever we go fast food, I doubt he’d ever spend that type of money on me.

Still, just for the hell of it, one day I decided to visit the Urbane Center of the Arts where the Corvan Art Academy was holding an exhibition. I figured it wouldn’t be bad to check out some of their work and see where my designs had stood in comparison although I was already confident that my work would probably be better. How I could not think that way when I had won every school art contest in Appaloosa Plain since I entered grade school.

I honestly wished I hadn’t gone.

Those art academy students made me feel like a total amateur when I reflected back on my own second-rate work. Made me realize that I had never truly put my heart into any of my projects. Perhaps you could have said the same thing about my life in general.

That night, I wandered the streets of Starlight Shores with no care for a curfew or coming home late. I ended up crashing on a bench outside out of a restaurant where every customer who entered and exited the building either looked like a suit or a mobster.

I’m not sure how long I dozed off for but I remember being stirred awake by the slight vibration of the bench. I opened my eyes and noticed that a girl or perhaps I should say woman, had sat down next to me. Now I have had many crushes in my life and all of them have had to develop over time and they often developed for strange reasons. But I must admit that I fell in love with this woman on first sight. Everything about her from her face and body to her hair and jewelry, her perfume and make-up; everything about her gave off an elegant vibe that honestly tied my heart in a knot.

She must have been off in her own little world for she seemed oblivious to the fact that I must have been staring at her for what felt like hours before she eventually got up and headed for the entrance of the restaurant.

I’d never been aggressive in pursuing any of my love interests but almost as if I couldn’t break out of this trance that she had put me in, I attempted to follow her into the restaurant just so I could stare at her for just a little bit longer but unfortunately the front desk was as far as I could go.

The restaurant turned out to have been rented out for the night by a company called “Lusha” and only invited guests were allowed entry. Although I was depressed that I didn’t get a chance to get another glimpse at her, or get her name and number for that matter, I did go to sleep with one comfort in my mind. Even in this imperfect world, there still existed true perfection.  

The next day I completed the very first painting that I had ever truly put my heart and soul into. I decided to name the portrait "She Sparkles"