Prelude~
<'Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time'>- Thomas Merton
Amber rays hit the plain white translucent net curtain, momentarily blinding sepia brown eyes, long thick black eyelashes fluttered over toned skin that was lined with purple splatters of paint. Ringed fingers rubbed against her cheek then she yanked the paintbrush from her teeth, turned her head and began to stroke the bristles on the A4 canvas. A smile spread across her ruby red lips that slowly turned to a frown once her shoulders became slack "Rubbish".
In another city, at another time on the clock rain pelted onto a double glazed window, long fingers ran across the windowsill while umber eyes glanced up at the greyish clouds that sat in the sky glaring down at him. The man's cheeks were covered with a 5'0clock shadow beneath dark bags on the thin skin under his eyes. A newspaper titled with upcoming art shows sat on his lap but none seemed to interest him as he threw his head back in utter annoyance "Rubbish" he barked.
~'~'~
The woman huffed when her phone rang, running to answer it she got caught in the wire of the telephone, it was at times like this she hated her preference for the older things in life. "Hello"
"Stuck in the wire again Prerna, don't I always tell you to just get a mobile phone like normal people"
"Oh shush Tapur, you know i'm far from normal, and I can't afford a mobile phone with my earnings, i'm just about keeping this roof over my head" Prerna huffed loudly
"Well that's why as your best friend I want to help you, since you're too proud to take my money I want to introduce you to my brother"
"Oh, bossy, angry man, yeah, no thanks, i'd rather not" Prerna tapped her chin
"Prerna, he's an art broker, he could get your artwork placed somewhere great so you can finally get the recognition you deserve, he has an eye for these things, please just allow him to come by, he comes to New York tonight and-" Tapur pleaded before getting cut off
"And what happens if he hates it, as you said, he's respected in the art community and people listen to him" Prerna sang
"You will never know unless you try, this conversation is over, i'm sending him around tonight so dress nice and get your best art pieces out" the dial tone rang in her ears after her order
"You little" Prerna closed her eyes, took a deep breath and then stared at her little one bedroom studio "Best get to cleaning then"
~'~'~
Anurag shoved his hands into the pockets of his black trousers just after undoing his blazer then stepped inside the art gallery. "Hello, anyone here"
Prerna skidded around the corner "Hi, i'm Prerna, nice to meet you" she outstretched her hand only for him to take one look at it and look away
"The art, show me the art" he commanded gruffly
"Uh, right over here" she led him to the art pieces
With a quick glance over them he nodded "I'll take them all"
"W-what, but you haven't even looked at them properly, look if this is Tapur asking you to do me a favour then-"
"I don't do favours, I like the art, I want to buy it" Anurag's eyes were beady as he looked her up and down "How much"
"Uh, I just need to add them up, then-" she was interrupted by a cheque being handed to her
"Fill it in, i'll come for them tomorrow, goodnight Miss"?
"Sharma, Prerna Sharma" catching her breath she jumped on the spot happily, spinning around as soon as the door slammed shut "He might be the rudest man i've ever met but thank you so much for this blessing" Prerna glanced up at the ceiling