The atmosphere in the house was growing heavy. Lina's silence was beginning to seem like "stubbornness" to her family. She was pretending to study, but the dark circles under her eyes whispered the truth: Lina had been caught up in another world.
One evening at the dinner table, her father brought up the same topic again.
—What did you get on your math test?
—Eighty, Lina said in a hushed voice.
—Eighty? Her father asked, frowning. "You need at least a ninety. You don't study. It's all because of those pictures."
The table fell silent. Lina picked up her fork and took a deep breath.
—Dad… painting is important to me. Very important…"
Before she could finish, her father interrupted her harshly:
—Stop wasting your time, Lina! I think you'll come to me. What will you do, become a painter? Will you starve?"
Her mother added quietly:
—My daughter, your father is right. We raised you for a good life.
Lina's throat tightened. Tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't want to cry. Because she knew if she did, they would trap her in what they called "childhood lust." She put her fork down on the table and stood up.
—You never understand me…
She ran to her room. She slammed the door shut and collapsed onto her bed. Her breath was ragged. She hugged her pillow, swallowing back the tears. She pulled the notebook from under her pillow and held it in her lap. She looked at the pages; at her dreams filled with color. In that moment, she promised herself:
"No matter what they say, I won't give up. This is my path."
The night wore on. Lina sat at her desk. She took out the canvas. She dipped her brush into the paint. Her hands were shaking, but a strong resolve welled up inside her. On the canvas, she began to draw the silhouette of a girl reaching for the sky. A figure reaching out her arms to the stars, eager to blend in with the clouds…
As she painted, her tears slowly stopped. Because now she knew: this painting wasn't just a picture; it was her own story.
The next morning, she and Elif met in the schoolyard. Lina explained what had happened. Elif's eyes lit up.
"That's it!" she said with determination. "They may not understand you, but you understand yourself. And that's enough."
Lina smiled, but there was a stubbornness mixed with sadness in her eyes.
"Elif, I will participate in this competition. No matter what. Even if I get caught... I will still try."
It was the first time she had spoken so definitively.
As the clouds slowly cleared from the sky, Lina felt: there was no turning back now.