It was the night of November 4th, a few days before we hopped on a plane to the Pastel Art Academy. It was the most prestigious school in the country, and my best friend Scarlett and I have been dedicated to getting accepted. I still can remember the scent of the warm cinnamon rolls placed on the counter with the glasses of apple cider. The windows would portray the autumn leaves falling from the branches of the trees. The leaves were the colors of red and yellow, a beautiful combination. This was the best memory of Scarlett and I that I would always remember. Ever since I met Scarlett, my life took a huge turn. I used to have no motivation for anything and never was inspired to follow a passion. I met Scarlett at a school trip to the famous art gallery in my city. As we walked through the hallways of paintings, my eye caught a fascinating painting of a beach. The colors were mixed with light and dark shades of brown and blue, and small details such as palm trees made a big difference.

 

"That's my painting," a voice whispered. It came out of a girl who was observing the painting. "I was inspired by how well the scenery blended together, and I knew I had to create this piece."
"Wow," I responded.
"What's something you do for a passion?" the girl questioned. I shrugged, staring against the silver floor portraying my reflection.
"I don't know, I haven't found anything that interests me. I want to start somewhere, but what can I do?" I asked.

"Finding your passion isn't easy. You always need to start somewhere no matter how hard the journey is. Tell me, do colors, scenery, and small details satisfy your eyes?" the girl started. I nodded slowly.
"Yes, I'm very good at observing and noticing things," I replied.
"Then, maybe you can try something small with art? It consists of color, detail, and something which catches your eyes. Art can have beautiful meanings by the way your technique is," she suggested. I never had any interest in anything my parents convinced me to try, but today, I think I found my passion.
"I want to be an artist. Seeing those colors and details beautifully blend together, it's something magical," I commented.

"Then, let's make it happen. I'm Scarlett," the girl introduced, placing her hand out.
"Samantha," I replied, shaking her hand.
"Let's start small and work our way up. Something tells me you're going to be successful," Scarlett commented. Over the next month, Scarlett taught me techniques of drawing, painting, and coloring with special color pencils.

"You have to stroke the canvas like this to give it a lighter effect," Scarlett advised, guiding me as I painted. It took time and practice, but eventually I was able to successfully complete a painting of a sunset on a small canvas. My shading techniques were very helpful for this painting. Scarlett was able to convince her father to have my painting displayed in the art gallery. Her father made some calls to his friends and soon enough, my painting went viral. My parents gifted me with a tablet for my hard work, and I was excited. Scarlett brought in a pen, and I was confused.
"Now that you have a tablet, you can start doing art digitally too!" Scarlett exclaimed. She taught me the settings of an app to draw online, and she taught me how to position my pen as I sketched.

"You have to hold it more sturdier so the lines come evenly," she explained. I nodded and took each critique she gave. I was proud of myself for how fast I was learning, and I was excited to create more art. As time went on, Scarlett and I created our portfolios with a mix of art to submit to the Pastel Art Academy. It consisted of digital art, paintings, and realistic art drawn with color pencils. A few months later, we were accepted. My parents were so proud that I found my passion and succeeded in it. It was the beautiful season of August, and we decided to celebrate a few days before leaving. We baked cinnamon rolls, drank apple cider, and watched movies for hours. I raised my glass and held it high.

"Cheers. To Scarlett, for helping me achieve this dream," I announced. Everyone smiled brightly and raised their glasses after my announcement. Scarlett smiled with gratitude as we were all having a good time. The next day, I stopped by her house. There was an old lady sitting on the maroon porch on the patio. She smiled and I was confused. Where did Scarlett go?
"Is this Scarlett's house?" I questioned.
"Scarlett? No, a family sold this house to me. I moved in today. There was always a kind little girl named Julia. She was wearing two long braids and brunette hair. She left the house wearing a blue dress," the lady answered. "She left a note on a table, I think she wanted to give this to you." The lady passed the note to me, and I unfolded it.

 

"Dear Samantha, I hope you found your true passion and enjoy your visit to the academy. Unfortunately, I can't stay here for long. I can't disclose any information about myself, but I can tell you this. You have a real passion for art, and I'm glad you discovered it. I'm just a girl who spreads the love of art around the world, nothing more. I enjoyed all the days we spent together, and I wish you all the best in your journey. You're very talented and it was so fun working with you. You're going to do amazing at the academy, and I am so proud of you. I wish you the best, and hopefully we'll see each other one day. Of course, the academy is my dream, but spreading the love is more important. Good luck,

Sincerely,
Scarlett."

So her name isn't Scarlett or Julia.

 

"Thank you," I whispered and walked off. I wiped the tears streaming down my face as I observed my footsteps. Even though I don't know much about "Scarlett," I know that she was my first friend, the girl who drove me for a passion at the age of ten. This journey between us ended at twelve, but I'll cherish the gift she gave me. I fell onto my bed and felt numb. Two days passed and I felt no motivation to attend the academy. I headed downstairs and took a deep breath.
"I can't attend the academy, not without her," I announced.
"Her family isn't coming back anytime soon. They wanted me to let you know they are wishing you good luck," my father said. Usually my mother would say, "It's your choice, think about how your future will be." but she didn't. She just nodded and had a warm smile on her face. She believes in me, and she'll know I'll always pick the right path. It was an afternoon, and the trees looked more beautiful than ever. I stepped outside and walked past the wind and leaves. The spirit of Autumn was an amazing feeling which gave me some happiness. I could imagine myself standing next to Scarlett, and she'd be saying, "Let go of me, focus on your journey." Is it time to let go? Maybe Scarlett coming into my life was a sign, to discover my passion. I have to realize that she's not going to come back, and I won't get to see her again. She'll continue to spread the love of art to others and inspire people just like how she inspired me. I smiled and let in the feeling of joy, realizing it's time to start this journey now. I walked back inside the house with my parents facing me.

"I think... I think I'm ready," I stated.
"You're going to attend the academy?" my mother asked, relieved.

"Yes, and this is my final decision," I answered, smiling.

"I'm proud of your decision," my father commented. "Your mother knew you would come to your senses."
I smiled and ran back to my room. I packed my bags. Before I knew it, the day arrived, and I was on my way to enter the plane which starts my career. I knew that I'd be living this dream for Scarlett as well, and hopefully one day, we can cross paths to let her know how thankful I am she brought me on this amazing journey. I'll always remember the leaves of Autumn passing my window as a memory of her.