6

Ashleigh found the right floor and walked down the hall. She reached the apartment and knocked on the door.

It was opened and there stood Damien.

"Ash," he greeted.

"Damien." She gave him a small hug.

"Come in," he told her. He closed the door behind her.

Ashleigh looked around. To her right she saw canvas on a stand and a table which held a tray of paint. As she got closer she saw some canvases on the floor, along with tons of crunched up paper.

"I've been struggling," Damien stated.

Ashleigh understood that. Courtney was the one who got him into painting. Since her passing, Damien hadn't touched a paintbrush. She understood why he was struggle. But she knew painting was his greatest from of expression and if he couldn't express himself, he'd fall apart inside out.

"What are you trying to paint?" Ashleigh asked turning to look at him.

Damien sighed and looked at the floor below him. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he stated, "The pain I feel inside."

Ashleigh gave him a hug