Chapter 4

Wynverston Arts and Creativity Museum.

I couldn't believe I was standing in the middle of the largest and most prestigious arts museum in the world. This is where Art dreams came to life, only the best modern art was displayed along these halls and walls and I was in awe. I wanted to some day have my very own art displayed in this museum for young, hopeful artists to scrutinise and wonder the meaning behind. 

I was in art heaven.

Today was a special day and I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t excited but I’d also be a liar if I said that I was only excited to see the art showcase of the African duo. I was happy that someone from our wonderful continent had gotten the opportunity of a lifetime, but I was elated that I could see all the other European pieces of art that I’d only seen in pictures and videos but never in real life. 

Today had attracted a lot of press and a lot of young students. The place was full and there were camera crews everywhere. I don't know how many times a mic had been shoved in my face, asking me questions about where I was from and what I was feeling about this. 

Sihle held my hand tightly in hers, making sure I didn't stray from her. I've always been like a little child and she was the mother. I just wanted to run off and have a good time and she kept me by her side, it's happened more than once when she's let me out of her sight and I got lost and would panic and cry. 

She's my mother away from my mother. 

Everyone had now gathered at one place, we were all standing in the foyer, and Sihle and I pushed through the crowd  to get to the very front. Everyone kept pushing us back, and cussing at us but honestly, we didn't care. We just wanted to make sure we saw everything. 

I had my phone in my hand and I was taking videos and pictures of myself next to all of these amazing sculptures and paintings and then immediately sending it to my mother via WhatsApp. 

I held up my phone as we reached the front and switched on the video camera mode. We were all waiting, the cameras were flashing and everyone was speaking over each other. The event was going to start soon. 

"Should they keep us waiting for so long?" I complained as I looked at Sihle and she also wore a frown on her face as she lowered her phone and turned to look at me. 

"They said 12:30," she said to me, "but now it's 12:45." 

I nodded, "how inconvenient," I complained, "but we've got to give it them, the art here is amazing." 

"It really is, especially that...uh, is it mosaic? I don't know, but there's one that I really liked," she said as she placed a finger under her chin, "which one was your favourite?" 

"Definitely the one by Gauthier, I think the colours are just amazing. The way everything goes together and comes together to create this perfect image." 

She looked at me like I'd lost my mind, "I know you're not talking about the painting of the jellyfish." 

I laughed, "well, when you say it like that, you make it sound-" 

"Can you shut up!" This girl standing behind us hissed and both Sihle and I turned to look at the English girl with a crooked nose, "everyone's looking at you two." 

I would've glared at her if I didn't realise that the entire place was silent now and before us, feet away stood a group of men who were already speaking and facing the cameras. 

I bit my bottom lip, "sorry," I apologised, weakly as I looked at Sihle and we shared an embarrassed look. 

I looked back down at my phone, listening to them talk and quickly texting my mum back so I can start taking a video of what was happening. I sent the text and lifted my phone to video everything that's happening. 

"When Modimetja and I," began the Nigerian painter, dressed in what I assume to be Nigerian traditional attire, "were struck with the idea to create a painting that showed not the struggles like so many other painters have created, but rather our victories as African people." 

"I remember when Adebowale and I had gotten the opportunity to go to Nairobi, and explore the history of the people from different places. We had come across, another painter who'd painted this beautiful masterpiece of a sunset, a sun setting behind the hills and both Adebowale and I wondered what it meant. I mean, we translated it the way we thought was right but that man laughed," the South African man, dressed in a black shorts with an African print shirt, continued, "he said that..." 

I was fully listening to him but I also made sure to continuously move my camera. I looked up from my phone, accidently making eye contact with a man who was standing in the front. His arms were behind his back and he wore a suit that looked like it was made for royalty. His face looked stone cold and he was an older gentleman whose everything screamed out rich and arrogant, or so I think.

I would've looked away, if he wasn't already staring at me. I blinked twice to make sure I wasn't seeing this, but surely this man with dark brown hair and hard eyes was looking right at me. 

I looked away, uncomfortable under his gaze and tried to pay attention to the two painters but nothing, nothing came into my ears because I could feel that man staring right at me. 

I looked back at him to make sure that he was still looking at me and I found that he was shamelessly doing so. 

"What the fuck," I said under my breath, and then looked at Sihle, nudging her with my shoulder. I looked back at the man and saw him finally look away. 

Sihle raised her eyebrow in question and I looked at the man, who wasn't looking at me anymore. I let out a soft breath of relief as I shook my head and told her with my body language to forget about it. 

She looked back at the two men, her phone up and recording and I was about to do the same thing, but my eyes went back to that man and yet again he was looking at me. Something in his eyes gave me the chills. 

I felt myself visibly shudder, and it was freezing today, but I was more than dressed. I had on two long sleeved tops, a nice white sweater and a coat on top with gloves as well. But I knew the shiver wasn't from the cold. 

I felt weakened at my knees, unable to pull away from his gaze. I struggled to swallow, or to breathe and I felt myself feeling more distant with each passing second. 

It was unlike anything I've ever felt before. 

Until he looked away and things immediately went back to normal and it was like nothing ever happened. 

I looked around with my eyes frantically, trying to see if I really went through that or if I had just dreamt it. 

~~~