Days flowed by. Every morning, Lina now carried much more than her schoolbag, notebooks, and books: the great secret she held in her heart. The canvas was hidden in the back of her closet, but every evening, Lina couldn't help but take it out and look at it again. She felt her heart beat faster each time she looked at it, whispering to herself, "This painting will one day open to the sky."
One day during recess, Elif came running to her. She had a folded piece of paper in her hand. "Lina!" she said excitedly. "I found the contest poster!"
Lina unfolded the paper with trembling hands. Written in large font were:
"Young Talents Painting Competition – Draw Your Dream!"
Beneath it were the deadline, the rules, and the names of the jury.
"Only two weeks to submit," Elif said breathlessly. "We have to apply now!"
"Two weeks… too short," Lina said thoughtfully. "But we'll make it… we'll make it."
That evening, after school, Elif stopped by Lina's house. The two friends locked the door in their room and looked at the painting together. Elif cupped her hands around her mouth in admiration. "Lina… this is incredible. This painting isn't just the sky. It's your heart!"
Lina smiled shyly, but inside her was both hope and fear. "What if they don't like it?"
"They'll like it!" Elif said with determination. "In fact, they won't just like it; when they see this painting, they'll feel your dream."
In the days that followed, they made secret preparations. Elif filled out the competition application form, while Lina prepared her painting for submission. The biggest problem was: How would she get this painting to the competition without telling her family?
One evening, Lina looked out her window at the sky. The moon had emerged from the clouds. A voice inside her said, "Don't be afraid." "You weren't created to hide your dreams. You're here to share them."
The next day, Elif pulled a small folder from her bag. "Look," she whispered. "I've already photographed the painting and submitted the application. Now all that was left was to get the painting."
Lina's eyes welled with tears. "Elif... I wouldn't have the courage if it weren't for you."
"We're together," Elif said. "You drew the sky, and I paved the way."
And so the road to the competition had officially begun. With two little girls, a painting, and a huge dream...