I, Swapna Rajput, hereby declare that the story titled "Painted, the canvas of love" is my original work. I am the sole author and hold all rights, including copyright, to this story.
Any resemblance of the characters, incidents, or events in this story to actual persons, living or dead, or to other works, is purely coincidental and unintentional.
I affirm that this work has not been copied from any other source and is a product of my own creativity and imagination.
Author:Swapna Rajput
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Painted canvas of Love
In the 1980s, a street filled with food stalls, flower vendors, ancient jewelries, and handmade art, the walls were painted ivory, and the stone-paved roads stood in an old Italian city.
In that timeless setting lived Amelia, a quiet artist who spoke through colours and canvas instead of words. People called her arrogant, odd, and even strange, but she never cared. Her world was tucked away in a small studio above a bookstore, where Amelia created magic.
She painted the unnoticed: a child's broken toy, a teenager's tears, the wrinkled hands of an old woman, an old man tending a garden, raindrops on forgotten rooftops. Her canvases whispered emotions that words often failed to express.
By the age of 30, Amelia had seen more than most. Her parents died when she was 15. At 16, her uncle threw her out of her father's home. Her maternal grandmother took her in but couldn't afford her education, so Amelia left school and began helping at her grandmother's small bookstore. Whatever money they made went towards daily survival and her grandmother's medicines. Amelia saved whatever she could to buy paints and brushes, and she began painting.
But fate continued to test her. Her grandmother passed away when Amelia was just 17. The bookstore was sold to cover funeral costs. All she had left was the small top-floor room which she turned into her studio and home. To make a living, she began selling her paintings on the street.
Amelia's beauty was impossible to ignore. Her piercing green eyes could mesmerize like emeralds in the moonlight. Her flawless skin glowed with radiant beauty, and her golden hair flowed like sunlight down her back. Her soft, melodic voice was almost hypnotic.
But her beauty became a curse. It drew not only admiration but also unwanted attention and obsession. Men saw her as an object, some touched her hands inappropriately while pretending to buy her paintings. Others went further, attempting to harass her in the name of art.
So Amelia stopped speaking to men altogether. She began leaving her paintings on a street corner, asking customers to choose for themselves. She would sit at a distance, a small box beside the paintings to collect payment, a quiet boundary she set to protect her peace.
All she had left was her grandmother's home, and the money she made was barely enough to survive. For years, she avoided galleries and fame, choosing solitude over the spotlight as many men took her to galleries with paintings and tried to take advantage of hers. She protected herself by setting that rule of not stepping into any walls to sell her art. She sold paintings in the early mornings, and spent the rest of her day painting and cooking simple meals in her studio.
One winter, a 16-year-old orphan named Arnold wandered into her studio. He was deaf but curious, with wide, wondering eyes. Amelia saw in him a reflection of her loneliness. She began teaching him through gestures and sketches, and their bond grew like siblings. Arnold came every morning to collect her paintings and sell them on the street. Over the years, he took over her street sales completely, allowing Amelia to remain safe in her studio. At the end of each day, he would return with the money she had earned.
Eventually, Arnold developed a love for art as well. He began creating his own paintings and one fine day entered both his and Amelia's work into a large art gallery exhibit. The response was overwhelming. Their work won hearts, and awards and one of Amelia's paintings was bought by a millionaire for one lakh euros. The buyer was so moved by the piece that he requested to meet the artist behind it. Arnold happily agreed.
Amelia had no idea her work had been exhibited. Arnold ran to her studio, where she sat quietly, painting. He burst in, smiling and breathless, holding a cheque of one lakh euros in her name.
Amelia stared in doubt. Before she could ask anything, Arnold grabbed her hand and signed for her to follow him. Confused but curious, Amelia followed as he rushed downstairs and out onto the street.
There, under the dim glow of the streetlights, stood a sleek white Benz. Amelia froze as the door opened. A figure stepped out — polished black shoes, sharp ivory trousers, a crisp white shirt, and a long black coat. The lights cast a soft glow on the person's face.
Amelia's breath caught.
It was Grace.
No words were needed. With tears shimmering in her eyes and a radiant smile, Grace opened her arms wide, a silent invitation that spoke louder than anything spoken aloud.
Amelia ran to her and embraced her tightly, tears finally falling from her silent world.
15 years ago…
It was the time when Amelia lost her parents and was raised by her uncle, she was 15, and her classmate Grace who always liked Amelia and kept on supporting her during her tough time. She even brought food and painting items to Amelia as her uncle was not providing anything to her. Grace took care of Amelia in every manner. Grace took her to her home and gave her all-new cozy clothes as well as blankets so that Amelia wouldn't sleep on an empty wooden bed in the attic as her uncle tossed her in the attic after her parents death. Grace asked Amelia many times to move into her big house but Amelia was a very self-esteemed girl, she did not agree to that.
One day after school hours, Grace took Amelia to the garden of the school and expressed her feelings to her "Amy, I don't know how you take it but I wanted to tell you one thing, it is a very serious, so I expect you to understand it slowly and no matter what you should be with me whether you accept this or not."
"What is it, Gracy?" Softly asked Amelia.
"I know it is hard to understand but even I don't know how it happened but I am sure about this feeling." Grace took a pause.
"Gracy, tell me what is it?" Amelia asked.
"Amy, I … I am in love with you!" Grace said holding her both hands.
Smiling Amelia also said, "I love you too, we are best friends why are you saying all these dramatic lines for this small thing?"
"No… I think you do not understand… It is not about the love between two friends… It is more than that. I didn't say I love you…I am saying I am in love with you." Grace said.
"What? You love me like a friend right?" Amelia asked.
"No, I am in love with you like a lover loves her lover!" Grace said.
"What? But we both are girls how is that possible?"
"I am not talking about the possibilities; I am saying how I feel for you. And it is not from a day or two, I have been feeling this from the very first day I met you which was 3 years back when we both were 12 years old! I know it is tough to understand but this is how I feel for you. And I am fine if you do not feel for me the same way but seeing you in pain and struggling with families makes me very much worried for you so I am saying please move in with me to my home. As you know I am the only child of my parents and they will never mind if you stay with me, they will even come and ask your uncle's permission and take you from him." Grace said.
Amelia was silent for some time they both sat on the bench next to them.
Sighing, Amelia calmly said "Grace, this is not the love between two lovers, it is just you pity my situation, you are feeling all my pain as a close friend so you are asking me to move in with you. But I can not do that as I love to be in the house that is filled with the memories of my parents who gave me so much love, I know nowadays it is horrible to stay there because of the terrible behaviour of my uncle but I cannot leave my house like that. "
"Amy, you do still not understand, nevertheless if you wish to stay in your parent's house it is fine but remember one thing I will always be there for you whenever you turn back," Grace said.
Grace and Amelia met when they were 12 in the class. Grace's father was an engineer and she was building a market complex in the city and working with the government in building all the infrastructure of the country. They belonged to the richest families of the country and most of her family members were working in the ministry of government.
On the contrary, Amelia's parents were farmers and had land where they grew fruits and vegetables, they also had goats and cows and her parents sold milk, fruits, and vegetables in the market every day.
One day when her parents were coming back from the market their small truck fell off the hill and they both lost their lives. Her uncle who lived next door had no good business he helped her father in farming and when her parents died she took over her father's business and house and moved into her house along with his wife and infant son. Slowly made Amelia live in the attic and took over the entire house, her hobby of drawing, burnt all her sketches and asked her to work in the kitchen and take care of his infant son when she came home from school. His wife also had no good feelings for the young Amelia many times they never fed Amelia and she slept empty stomach at night.
Within a couple of months, Grace tried many things to keep Amelia close. She daily brought healthy and good food for her and even sent a parcel of food hiding it in her bag while going so that she could eat fully in the night. She applied ointments and gave medicines to her wounds that she got while working in the farm of house. Amelia's heart melted many times seeing so much care for Grace, she hugged her and cried many times. Grace's heartbeats used to increase whenever Amelia hugged her.
One quiet afternoon in the library, Grace climbed a tall ladder to reach a dusty old history book on the top shelf. Amelia stood below, balancing the ladder with gentle hands, her eyes following Grace. As Grace stretched to pull the book, her foot slipped from a ladder and she fell.
In a second, Amelia caught her but the force pulled them both down. They tumbled to the floor with a soft thud, Grace landing on top of Amelia. For a moment, the world stopped for them.
Their faces were just inches apart. They could feel each other's breath, the fast rhythm of their hearts pounding in perfect sync. Their bodies pressed together in a way that neither had expected, yet neither wanted to get separated.
Grace's gaze remained on Amelia's lips. Without a word, she leaned in, and slowly, hesitantly kissed her. Soft at first, a question asked in silence. Amelia closed her eyes, her hand gently resting on Grace's back, and she kissed her back, tenderly, deeply. Time melted away. The slow passionate first kiss of both young girls felt like forever but lasted for two minutes of unspoken truth that was accepted from both hearts.
Then, the sharp tap of approaching footsteps echoed between the bookshelves. It was none other than the Librarian who walked towards them.
Startled, they pulled apart, their cheeks flushed and hearts still racing. Scrambling to their feet, they exchanged a glance, wide-eyed, breathless, and full of something new neither of them could deny.
Grace's love won the heart of Amelia and she grinned with victory. The librarian asked whether both the girls were hurt as she heard the thud of falling in the entry of the big library. Both said they were fine.
Amelia ran home instantly after coming out of the library. Grace was busy with the Principal talking about the drama at the Annual day function of the school. When she came out she searched for Amelia but couldn't find her. She asked her driver to drive to Amelia's house as she wanted to confirm whether she was annoyed after the kiss, she recalled everything while sitting in the car, she felt that Amelia liked the kiss but she did not understand why she ran away without even saying a word after the kiss.
Amelia was working on the farm after coming back from the school. Her aunt was taking care of her infant and her uncle was out to the market to sell the harvest. Grace instantly went to her and pulled her behind the tree where no one could see them.
Shocked by her act Amelia raised her eyes and gazed at Grace and asked
"What are you doing? What if someone sees us here like this?"
Grace left her hand and said, "I am sorry, I just wanted to ask you are you mad at me?"
Amelia shyly looked down and asked, "For what?"
Knotting her eyebrows Grace said, "You know, for the kiss that happened in the library?"
Amelia instantly placed her hand on the mouth of Grace and said "Shhhh… Don't be so loud. Someone might hear us."
"Oh stop it, about someone see us or hear us, I want to know are you mad at me? Amy, it just happened I don't know how and why I slipped and your closeness mesmerized me and in a second I .. your lips…" she paused gazing at her lips.
Amelia looked at her and softly said "Stop looking at my lips."
"Ok, I am sorry." Saying Grace looked at the other side.
Amelia gently held her face and softly muttered, "I am not mad at you, I just got scared of what happened and so I ran home. It is all happening for the first time to me. For me, love means only what I had from my parents, your care and friendship were there. But this feeling with you which I developed today is different than past."
Grace listened in silence, her eyes lighting up with emotion as the sweet words of acceptance dropped in. A gentle smile slowly curved across her lips.
She slowly pushed the hair back her ears and said "I want to take care of you and give you all the love I have for you, do you accept my love for life?"
Tears filled her eyes Amelia nodded yes and said "Yes, and I want to give you the same love and care for the life my love."
Instantly Grace hugged Amelia.
"Amy" Grace muttered
"Mmm" Amelia mumbled.
"Can I kiss you again?" Grace asked.
Shyly Amelia hid her face in Grace's neck, Grace took Amelia's face in her hand and kissed her again, which was deep with rubbing lips against each other and sucking them softly to she desire for each other.
After that they kissed many times during school hours or study hours in the library or garden, even Grace walked with her to her home as Amelia was not allowed to go anywhere other than school. Grace gifted Amelia an art kit on her birthday for her painting which Amelia kept back with Grace and practiced her drawing skills with Grace and kept them all with Grace as her uncle and aunt hated her drawing. Grace happily kept all her drawings.
A month later, Grace's father completed his project and was transferred to another city for work. Grace had no choice but to go with her parents. The thought of parting devastated both of them. Amelia and Grace spent days in tears, dreading the moment their paths would separate.
Grace begged Amelia more than once, asking her to come along. But Amelia gently refused each time. She never wanted to be a burden, never wanted anyone to look at her with pity.
On the evening of our final moments together, as the sun was setting down, spreading golden light in the sky, Amelia softly said,
"If we're meant to be together, then fate will find a way — no matter how long it takes. But right now, in the state I'm in, I can't go with you. I need to stand on my own."
Grace hugged her tightly and kissed her for the last time.
Years passed, Grace went to Amelia's home in search of her but her aunt said she ran away from home where as they sent her to her grandmother's home. Grace searched for Amelia everywhere but couldn't find her. She became a businesswoman carrying her father's business of construction, she was also an art collector, and she never missed any art exhibitions in search of Amelia. That day when Arnold exhibited Amelia's painting, she instantly understood it was made by Amelia as in every sketch of drawings Amelia draws the name of Grace in a hidden way which only Grace used to find.
Grace was never married, she never cared for her family's pressure of having a man in her life. Many of the men were impressed and pursued her pretty looks and intelligent mind. She was so much in love with Amelia that her absence was also covered with memories of her love.
Present
"It is you! You found me!" Amelia softly said holding Grace in her arms.
"How are you? I looked for you everywhere!" Grace said tears filled in her eyes holding her tightly in her arms.
Arnold wondered, he was silently watching them hug.
Grace and Amelia walked into her house upstairs. Instantly, Amelia pulled the chair cleaned that with a cloth, and asked Grace to sit. She sent Arnold to get something to eat by making him sign gestures. Arnold ran down. Smiling Grace observed the entire house.
It was a small studio apartment. One corner of the room had a small single bed and a table fan next to it, a compact kitchen which had the least groceries which made Grace wonder whether she ate properly or not, a bathroom in the corner was neat and clean that all explained that Amelia is single. Rest all parts of the house were filled with canvas, paints, and paintings and only one chair was present in the house in which Grace was sitting and one stool was there which Amelia pulled and sat on.
"So, this is the place you were hiding all these years?" Grace asked.
Nodding Amelia smiled and asked, "How are you?"
"As you can see, I am good."
"Are you Married?" Amelia asked.
"No"
"Why?"
"Are you married?" Grace asked
"No"
"Have you dated anybody" Grace asked
"What? My situation got worse day by day year by year…I had no time or no one for dating or wedding."
"If you had a good time or any person would you date or got married?" Grace asked in sarcasm as she was angry at her for staying away from her.
"Gracy!" Softly uttered Amelia.
"Answer me"
"No"
"Why?"
"I don't want to answer that"
"Ok tell me you had my number and address, why didn't you contact me after running away from your uncle's home."
"Do you think I could run away from my parent's home which I loved the most? That was the only memory of my parents how could I run away from there?"
"I went to your home a year later, waiting for your letters after sending so many letters to you and not getting any answer from you! Your aunt told me that you ran away."
''And you believed that!"
"What could I do? You were nowhere! And your aunt and people in the town also created a rumour that you had a boyfriend and ran away with him!"
Amelia broke into tears hearing that, "You believed that all? That's your trust in me?"
"I didn't believe anybody, all I wanted to know is you had my address and numbers you know my family addresses why you didn't come to me?" Grace asked.
"My own family disowned me, my uncle threw me out of the house by calling my maternal grandmother, she was old and begged him not to take my parents home from me but he didn't listen and pushed me out of the house by making my parents home in his name. My grandmother took me here and within 1 year she passed away, I had to sell the ground floor to pay her debts and funeral. All these years I could hardly earn anything because I had no graduation or financial backup. If I went out to sell paintings people looked at me in a cheap way, I hid myself here. I think my destiny is filled with all these failures, disgust, and bad luck getting separated from the ones who loved me. My parents, my home, my animals, you, and my grandmother, so I got detached from everyone. I didn't want to see you again with my failures and make you show sympathy-filled love for me!"
Grace broke into tears, "Sympathy? Do you think I loved you out of sympathy? You stupid, I have been waiting for you and looking for you for the last 15 years, asking every artist I meet about you in so many cities in this country do you even have any idea about it? The entire clan of mine came behind me to get me married but I never gave any hint to any man or woman in this world and keeping you safe in my heart and you think I loved you out of sympathy?"
Amelia also broke into tears and held her hands saying "I am sorry Gracy. I am so much lost and in pain that I didn't want to make myself a burden to you."
"Amy, I am asking you one final time now, I love you and I want you to be with me for the rest of my life! If you refuse I will hit my head on the wall and you paint my story with my blood now!" Grace said strongly.
Her words were heard by Arnold outside after correcting his hearing aid in the ear. He laughed hearing that tears filled in his eyes. Amelia and Grace looked at him.
"Who is this guy, by the way, he sold your paintings and took me here. He can not talk and I do not understand his sign language so asking you." Grace asked.
"He is like my younger brother, after grandmas death for years I was lonely, but a few years back he came into my life and became my brother. He is also an orphan like me so I taught him painting, and in return, he sells my paintings and gets money for me." Amelia said.
Arnold gave the juices and snacks pack to Amelia and told her in sign language that he would leave for now.
Smiling Amelia nodded taking the food from him.
Serving the food on plates and juices in glasses Amelia got them on the stool and asked Gracy to have them.
"I will eat it in one condition, you are going with me now!" Grace asked.
Tears filled her eyes, smiling Amelia nodded with yes and said "Ok, I will go with you and be with you for the rest of my life! Now eat this" Saying gave a bite of snack to her.
Together they ate and Grace helped pack her stuff and they left in Grace's car.
While going Amelia left a note for Arnold on the door about her leaving and new address.
Grace had a big villa, and her parents lived in another town she lived all alone in that house and had 3 servants for her help. Amelia walked into each room which had luxurious furniture and a couple of her paintings hung or placed on tables decorated with expensive frames. Grace introduced Amelia to all her servants and said that she is the owner of the house from that day, she even called her parents and told them that she found Amelia. Her parents happily said they will meet them soon, they had no objection about her being with a woman for the rest of her life, all they wished for her was to be with someone who takes care of her when they are not with her.
Grace and Amelia got fresh ate dinner and both of them slept in Grace's room, Grace had 3 guest rooms but she didn't want Amelia to sleep in any guest room and get separated even a room away. Grace was tired so much that she slept instantly after falling on the bed by holding Amelia's hand. She came back from France that afternoon after attending the meeting and came to that art exhibition where she found Amelia's painting.
Amelia gazed at the innocent face of Grace and smiled all night caressing her face. She kissed her forehead twice and whispered "I missed you and I am in love with you from the bottom of my heart!"
She slept holding her hand at midnight.
The next morning Grace took off from her office and went shopping with Amelia. She bought everything that suited Amelia from clothes, accessories, cosmetics, shoes, and many more. When they came back home in the night servants served the food to them and after eating the delicious delicacy of Italian native food they spent time talking about stuff they did all these years.
Later, Amelia went to the room to take a shower as she was tired of full-day shopping. Grace gave leave to all her servants for that day and asked them to come back after 3 days as she had planned to go on holiday with Amelia.
Amelia came after taking a shower. On the other hand Grace also took a shower in the guest room and changed into a night suit in her room by waiting for Amelia in the bed. Hesitantly Amelia came to the bed and gulped the water kept on the side table.
Grace held her hand and gently pulled her towards her. Their heartbeats increased, their lips were longing for each other's touch, their breath increased and their heartbeats raced, eyes forgot to blink in the gaze filled with love.
"Amy"
"Mmmm"
"I want to make you mine tonight and forever"
"I …I am yours from the last 15 years, tonight and forever"
Grace kissed her gently and pushed her on the bed with that passionate kiss.
Slowly the soft kiss became an intense kiss and both softly uttered I love you to each other. Grace kissed her neck and chest, Amelia's eyes closed with the pleasure.
Their teenage dream of living together forever came true after 15 years. They went on holiday filled with romance for next 3 days. Later that month, Grace bought the house , farm and also the animals of Amelia's parents from her uncle and gifted that on her birthday. Amelia's fear of losing loved ones was ended with finding true love and also getting back what was lost years ago. She turned her studio into art class for the new aspiring artists and taught them for free. Arnold also became an independent artist and worked for Amelia's art classes.
Every month 2 days they spent time in Amelia's hometown.
❤️🌈The End🌈❤️