CANVAS OF US ? Marius de Saeger

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The gentle hum of her alarm stirred Amora from sleep. Blinking against the soft morning light filtering through her curtains, she reached over to silence her phone. A new day at the academy awaited her, and she resolved to make it a good one.

Throwing back the covers, Amora slipped into her slippers and shuffled to the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face, instantly feeling more awake, and brushed her teeth to the rhythm of a random pop song playing in her head. Pulling her hair into a loose ponytail, she examined her reflection in the mirror.

"You've got this," she murmured to herself.

She slipped into a simple but stylish outfit; dark low-waisted jeans flared, a lacy cherry red cami top with over it and oversized black leather jacket, and her cherry red converses. A pair of gold hoops completed the look, adding just the right amount of flair. Grabbing her backpack, she made her way out, the scent of coffee wafting faintly from the dorm kitchen as she passed.

-

The hallways of the academy were already bustling with students, the chatter of early conversations mingling with the echoes of footsteps. Amora kept her head down, navigating through the crowd, her mind drifting back to the movie she'd watched last night.

A pair of strong arms steadied her as she collided with someone near the lockers.

"Oh! I'm so sorry—" Amora began, looking up. Her words faltered when she saw Marius standing in front of her.

"No, my fault," Marius said, his voice soft but steady. He ran a hand through his dark curls, his brown eyes scanning her for any sign of discomfort.

Before Amora could reply, another familiar voice chimed in. "Well, well, if it isn't our Hollywood star," Lou said, appearing beside Marius with his signature playful smirk.

Amora blinked, feeling a rush of embarrassment. "You two... you saw my movie, didn't you?"

Lou's grin widened. "Guilty as charged. And might I say, you were phenomenal. I mean, we already knew you were talented, but watching you on screen? Next level."

Amora felt heat rise to her cheeks. "Thanks, that means a lot. But I'm not the only one who deserves praise. I watched Young Hearts last night."

Marius's eyes widened slightly, and Lou raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And..." Amora hesitated, then smiled warmly. "You two were incredible. The film was breathtaking, and your performances were so raw and emotional. I'm honestly in awe."

Lou beamed. "Told you we were amazing, Marius."

Marius gave a small, shy smile. "Thanks, Amora. That means a lot, especially coming from someone like you."

For a moment, the three stood there, an unspoken bond forming between them.

Lou clapped his hands together suddenly. "Okay, so now that we're officially mutual fans, I have an idea. Café after school? Let's brainstorm for that short film project we have coming up. I think we'd make an unstoppable team."

Amora tilted her head. "You're suggesting we work together?"

Marius nodded. "I think it could be great. We all have different strengths we could bring to the table."

Amora smiled. "Alright, I'm in."

-

That afternoon, the trio met at a cozy café near campus. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as they settled into a corner booth, their notebooks and laptops spread across the table.

Lou leaned back with his coffee in hand. "So, here's what I'm thinking. A short film that focuses on the concept of connections, unexpected ones, like ours."

Marius nodded thoughtfully. "We could show how seemingly random encounters can lead to something meaningful."

Amora tapped her pen against her notebook. "I love that. We could make it visually striking too, with symbolic imagery and an emotional soundtrack."

The ideas flowed freely between them, laughter and excitement filling the space. By the time they finished their drinks, they had a solid outline for their project.

As they gathered their things, Lou pulled out his phone. "Alright, let's make this official. Exchange numbers?"

They all quickly swapped contact information, their phones lighting up with new names and notifications.

"Follow each other on Instagram too," Amora suggested, pulling up her app.

"Done," Lou said, grinning as he showed Amora her profile. "And Snapchat?"

"Of course," Amora replied, laughing as they added each other.

Lou created a group chat on the spot, titling it The Filmmakers and sending a wave emoji.

Marius chuckled, typing back: Let's make something great.

Amora smiled at the screen, feeling a warmth she hadn't felt in a while. For the first time since arriving at the academy, she didn't feel like an outsider.

Walking back to campus together, their laughter echoed in the cool evening air. It was the start of something extraordinary, and Amora couldn't wait to see where it would lead.