Competition day was rapidly approaching. Lina's heart was beating faster every day. The canvas in her room wasn't just a painting anymore; it was like a secret travel ticket. But before she could use that ticket, she had to overcome a major obstacle: her family.
Her mother would tell her every day, "Focus on your studies, Lina. Don't waste time painting." Her father, however, often returned from work exhausted and didn't even visit Lina's room. In their eyes, painting was simply killing time. Lina knew this canvas was the most important step in her life.
One evening, after school, she and Elif met in the empty park around the corner. Lina whispered, "I don't know how I'm going to get the painting out of the house. It's too big; it won't fit in my bag. If my mother sees it, she'll never let me."
Elif narrowed her eyes, thought, then smiled slyly. "Then we need to come up with a plan."
The next day, Elif came with a large cardboard box. She had pasted old book covers and pictures of toys onto it. "Here," she said. "This is the homework box." Even if your mother sees it, she'll think it's just school supplies. We'll put the canvas here.
Lina's eyes welled up as she looked at the box. "Elif... I couldn't do anything without you."
"No, Lina," Elif said solemnly. "You're already strong enough to do anything. I'm just standing by."
The night before the competition, Lina took out her canvas in her room for the last time. She ran her hand over the paint. Every stroke she made with the brush was a piece of her heart. She whispered to herself:
"Tomorrow, I'll release you into the sky."
But just then, the door suddenly opened. Her mother entered, carrying laundry. Lina quickly stepped in front of the canvas. Her heart was pounding.
"What are you hiding there?" her mother asked suspiciously.
A moment of silence… then Lina smiled weakly:
"Just my homework..."
Her mother looked at her intently, then nodded and left the room. As the door closed, Lina sank to her knees. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she took a deep breath. There was so little time left… just one day.
In the morning, Elif was waiting at the door. The two friends grabbed the box and set off. With every step, Lina's heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest. But for the first time, she felt courage rather than fear.
Because now she knew: This wasn't just a competition; it was the first door to her dreams.