When the alarm went off in the early morning hours, Lina opened her eyes, her eyes half-lidded. She saw the notebook on her bedside table; her drawings from the night before were still open. A dried drop of blue paint lay on the tip of the brush. Her eyes were tired, but her heart was still pounding with color.
She quickly got ready and sat at the breakfast table. Her father had opened the newspaper and was reading the news over his glasses, while her mother was frantically filling the teacups. Silence reigned at the table, the only sound being her father turning the pages.
"This is your exam year, Lina. You need to study harder," her father said suddenly.
"I'm studying, Dad," Lina said, her voice trembling.
"I'm talking about your studies," her father said, frowning. "Put that sketchbook down. Be realistic. Is drawing a life built on drawing?"
A tiny pain stabbed at Lina's heart. She swallowed and didn't answer. She chose silence. Because she knew that no matter what she said, she would always hear the same words in return.
That day at school, when the literature teacher entered the classroom, her face showed an unusual excitement. She left a brochure on the table.
"Children, I have good news for you. The "Young Talents Art Competition" will be held again this year. Applications are being accepted for drawing, photography, and writing. Selected students will exhibit their work. There are also scholarship opportunities for the winners.
Whispers began in the classroom. Lina's eyes lingered on the brochure. "Art Competition." The words touched her heart. She felt a tremor in her fingertips.
After class ended, she picked up the brochure. Written in large letters on colored paper were: "Leave Your Dream to the Sky."
She caught her breath for a moment. She whispered silently: "This could be for me..."
But then, fear gripped her. Her parents would never allow it. In their eyes, the painting was nothing more than a "lingering." Yet, the spark within Lina remained. She put the brochure in her bag and clutched it tightly as if it held a hidden treasure.
On the way home, the sky was covered in clouds. The wind whipped her hair. A decision began to take shape deep in her heart. She muttered to herself:
"I will enter this competition. No matter what…"
At that moment, sunlight shone through the clouds in the sky. Lina saw it as a sign.
That evening, she opened her notebook in her room. In the middle of the page, she wrote a large sentence:
"One day, my paintings will merge with the sky."
And that night, Lina took her first step. There was no turning back.