When I woke up this morning, my heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. My hands were shaking; even my breathing was different. The light filtering through the curtains was streaming into my room, but I'd never felt so awake. Today wasn't just any day. Today was the day I would test all my courage.
I saw the box in the corner. I hadn't been able to close my eyes for hours last night because inside it was my heart—my picture, my dream, my future. When I placed my hand on the cardboard, I felt like I could hear a warm heartbeat. "Hang on," I whispered, "you'll be free soon."
The door clicked. My mother was calling me for breakfast. "I'm coming," I said, trying to hide the tremor in my voice. As I sat at the table, she talked about exams and lessons, as usual. But as I watched her lips move, the words wouldn't reach my mind. A single voice echoed inside me: Today, you will either succeed or you will be lost.
Elif was waiting for me at the door. When we lifted the box together, its weight pressed not on my shoulders but on my heart. As we walked along the street, passing through the crowds, the cars, the people, some noticed the old book covers on the box and smiled. But no one knew what was inside. This secret was between Elif and me.
Instead of going to school, we took the bus. Elif's eyes were bright. She kept telling me little things—a teacher's strange gestures, a funny memory… but as I listened, I tried to calm down with just her voice. Because the storm inside me was so great, I needed some peace.
When we reached the front of the hall, my knees weakened. A giant building, its tall windows, the hum coming from within… This was another world. The picture I had in my tiny room was now about to emerge into the midst of a vast universe. My hands were slipping with sweat when I placed the box on the table. Elif immediately took my hand.
"You've come this far," she whispered. "There's no turning back."
As my turn approached, it became difficult to breathe. The judges sat at long tables; their eyes were stern and attentive. One by one, people took out their paintings and displayed them under the lights. Some applauded, others fell silent. My heart was beating so fast it echoed in my ears.
Finally, my name was called. I stood up. My knees were shaking, my hands reaching for the box. "Come on, Lina," I said to myself, "this isn't the time to run away." I opened the cardboard cover and took out my painting.
At that moment… time stood still.
The colors merged with the light. My dreams, blending with the sky in my painting, spread across the hall. I was looking not just at my painting, but at all the emotions I had hidden within me. My mother's prohibitions, my father's silence, the brushstrokes I'd secretly made for nights… They were all there.
One judge bowed his head and looked intently. Another took notes. A buzz spread through the hall. I just held my breath.
At that moment, I realized: It didn't matter whether I won or not. Because I had already succeeded. I was able to take my picture out of hiding and show it to the world. This was my first step toward freedom.
And silently, I said to myself:
"Now you are in the sky."