" Serene? You okay?" I heard a voice beside me , when i turn my head to look at the source of voice i see Kelly sitting beside me . I also check around my surroundings with the peripheral of ny eyes and I can guess already that I am in a hospital . When I looked at myself i see a iv drip channeling into my left hand.
' Why am I in a hospital? What happened? As long as I can remember I was having a massive headache when everything blacked out. What happened after then?'
While many unanswered questions were swirling in ny head Kelly hurriedly went to call the doctor.
" So how are you feeling Ms. Parker ?" The doctor asked holding a board of papers and one pen in fingers checking something out on it. Maybe that's my health chart who knows.
" What happened to me doctor? Why am I here ?" I blinked few more times to get my dazed eyes clearly focusing on the surrounding and people who were standing before me.
" You passed out in board daylight from hyper- stress and massive headache Ms. Parker." The doctor said over her glasses he was wearing. His eyes was olive green in colour , Chiseled features, high cheekbones, sharp jawline, and piercing nose , almond-shaped eyes, deep brown pools fringed with thick lashes, full lips soft and inviting, curved into a subtle, mysterious smile, black silk hair falling across his forehead, framing his face , smooth golden skin complexion with a warm, sun-kissed glow , broad shoulders and lean physique, evident even under his tailored attire, long fingers ending in neat nails, perfect for gentle touches. Not gonna lie if I can get to see a handsome man the first thing I open my eyes , I don't find fainting few more times. I grin inwardly.
" Everything is good but you have a little dehydration to check you malnutrition. Are you skipping foods for several days run Ms . Parker? " he asks.
" It's Serene snd yes I didn't have much time to eat anything as I my biggest exhibition was coming, I was in too much stress about it that hunger didn't seem to come any longer. " I say.
He looks at ne for few seconds before asking something i never expected, " Exhibition? Uhmm what type of exhibition SERENE."
He says my nane in such a blod way a smirk break at my lips corner even though him asking about my personal events being a stranger didn't seem to anger me much more. Man I am such a simple for handsome man. Well how can I only blame myself, every girl is simp for a eye candy. Period.
" ART exhibition. Our Serene here is most fabulous, famous artists in this world outside there." Kelly beats me in my self introduction and with a unavoidable simping bestie talks too.
" wait , you are THE Serene Parker ?! The artist who have drawn every eyes and interest in recent art industry?"
A awkward silence stretched because I didn't know how to response to something like this things. I mean how should I reply " yah I'm the famous artists who is hovering over every artistic pannel and croud right now?"
Like I'm not sure how to interact with compliments what couldn't have my whole life. Now if someone do compliments my works or even me it's just doesn't feel right. I feel like they are just buttering me up for works or just passing the talk half-heartedly.
" um, yeah I am Serene Parker for sure" I smiled with a embarrassing slight grin.
He stared at me for few seconds and started to write scribble on the pad again.
"From you report you are just highly malnourished and stressed . But we will discharge you tomorrow, today you will be in observation for any other concussion just to be sure." He said flatly without any expression on his face unlike before when for a short time just showed a little glazed in his eyes. But right now he seemed only like emotionless.
' well who am I to analyse a stranger. '
He showed me what medicine to take tonight while resting in hospital today and how to take medicine for another week and just left to seek other patients.
" He is a bit robotic , no?!" Kelly muttered softly so the dr can't hear her.
" hm" I just hummed. My head to hurting ,I didn't wanted to think of anything right more. And those unknown nightmares and flashbacks should I say is really hindering my daily life now.
'In few days i should consult with a astrologer , who can say maybe I m getting my past life flashbacks or something. I snorted lightly. But that stranger at exhibition today was just too creepy , I didn't even see him at exhibition time anywhere in the museum but surprisingly the securities allowed him to enter inside out of the time. And after seeing him why did I react like that? Why did I had such a strong urge to run away.'
' sigh everything is just so exhausting this days. I seriously need a deep sleep and rest.' After shutting down my brain and taking the sleeping meds I went into a deep sleep , couldn't even guessed when Kelly left.
________________________________________
Next day after completing the discharge papers with Kelly as I didn't have my parents with me in this country ,we went to a nearby café for a small breakfast. There we chatted for a bit and planned to rest today at Kelly's house . As she was insistent on me staying with him for few days. As stubborn as Kelly was I couldn't fight with her much and settled on staying for only today as I told her understand that I have too much commissioned too finish this month and my every instruments for work was on my apartment. She also insisted that she can bring ne stuffs from my apartment but I told her it's too much of a hassle to go back and forth to carry heavy stuffs for a few days stays with her. And after too much quarreling she stopped. When we started to get up from the table i got a message from art prf. to come to his office for a urgent talk.
I frowned with suspicious. What's so urgent that our non approachable prf messaged me about it. I won't lie that somehow prf. Jhondon favoured me what's was the very of every student because that was in our major's every students dream . He was a very influencing artists in the art industry, with a fluck of his fingers he can give amy art student a life time of opportunities but every good things comes with something bad beside it. Prf. Jhonson was a hard and very difficult man to be around, to be even talk. His presence was very heavy like a bomb. But somehow that Supreme man liked my art and even liked me in a good way. I can see that he treated me like a daughter. I don't know what I did to catch his attention but we'll everything worked out so who cares.
" I'll be there in 20 minutes professor. " I messaged him and instructed Kelly to drop me off in university.
After 15 min I was infront of the university gate as Kelly told me she will wait for me in cafeteria then we will go back together. I gave her a smile and started to walk towards the entrance.
'Kelly was really such a good friend, but no expectations.'
Knock knock knock
" come in" came a deep and muffled voice from inside the office. I entered the room, closed the door behind me and stand before professor.
" you wanted to discuss something sir?" I asked.
" Serene, sit." He smiled a little.
' Man he seems in a good mood today.'
" Congratulations for yesterday's success Serene. Everyone was covering with compliments and long list of commission and bill yo buy your work. "
I smiled and replied " Everything is for your assistance sir, I couldn't have done it if you didn't gave me your vast knowledge and assistance. "
" You are giving me too much credit Serene. It couldn't have been a successful if you weren't to talented ." We both smiled at each other.
" That apart ,what i wanted to consult was I have a big work for you and I sincerely hope you take this task and work on it. As it will be life changing for you." He slided me a file of with terms and conditions on it as a contract and another paper where the commission was indicated. I took both in my hands and started to read carefully. After few minutes of reading i asked him " a portrait of a woman what will be indicated to me from the commissioner while working?"
" Yes, they want you to draw someone from their imagination, they will dictate you of every information while working. " professor refined.
" hmm.. that's a new experience for me and the sum of money is quite big too . wow, this much money gor one portrait?"I asked amused by counting the infinte zeros repeatedly ,baffled. "
" I know and you are the right choice for it. So I will personally offer you to definitely do it. It will be life changing ,a very influencing start for a fresh artist." Professor said with a grin still in his lips.
" I will take the offer. " I replied without hesitation.
' My god who will refuse such a lump sum of money for one portrait. And as professor said , as freshmen it will be my first biggest opportunity to start my career. '
"Good, I will send you the client's personal information . But i want to give you a warning too about him. He is a bit strange , a bit too picky and gloomy ." Professor bemused.
I was a little surprised from this sudden worrisome tone from prof.
'Why is he warning me about someone, is he a pervert or something?'
" No no, there's isn't anything to fear he isn't a creep but just a little heavy in personality wise, other than that everything is easy if you adapt well with him what you are very good at." My expression gave me away I guess without even loudly asking about my questions.
" ok sir. Is there anything else " I asked.
" No that's all, you can go now and congratulations again for yesterday and the new journey you are starting. " professor Jhonson said with a genuine smile on his face.
' seriously how did I caught our university's devil eye in a good way? guess I'll never know cuz how much genuinely he smiles he aura will not let me ask anything so close.'
I smiled and left the office with good mood .
'wow in few months I'm gonna be a millionaire '
But I didn't know the largest dreadful days that was swirling around me with this millions of dollars as world's biggest worst gift.