Elena: sipping punch Damn, remember Mr. Smith? What a shitshow. Anyway, I'm all about art now, travelin' too.
laughs Oh yeah, Elena! You were always making those sketches. What's your latest masterpiece?
excitedly pulls out her phone Well, check this out! It's my latest painting, inspired by that trip to Cuba last winter. shows SkirmishJin the photo
That's sick, Elena! You captured the essence of Havana real good.
puts her phone away and leans back Thanks, man. But let me tell ya, that place was a godsend for my art. The vibe there is something else.
Look forward to seeing more of your work, Elena.
smirking Well, if ya wanna see more of my work, don't worry, I'll be posting some new pieces online soon. Just follow me on Insta, @elenasartistry.
will do, Elena. How much for this painting?
grinning mischievously Haha, can't give it away, man! But I'll let ya buy it for a steal. How about $200?
chuckles 200 it is, Elena. Here's the cash.
takes the money from SkirmishJin Thanks, man! Means a lot to me. starts rummaging through her bag
So what's next for you, Elena?
pulls out a map Well, next up on my bucket list is India! I heard the colors and traditions there are wild.
Interesting choice, Elena. Don't you need a dude to travel with?
Nah, I ain't gotta rely on nobody for adventures, man. I prefer traveling solo so I can fully immerse myself in the culture. Plus, it's cheaper! laughs
did you ever find out who you were pregnant with?
pauses, looks down Nah, man. The whole thing spiraled outta control. I was just a dumb 19-year-old back then.
Elena reveals that the teacher denied responsibility for the pregnancy and abandoned her
Damn, Elena. That's rough. Did you ever tell your parents?
takes a deep breath Nah, they woulda lost their shit. My mom was already stressed out from my dad leaving us.
leans back, crossing her arms Well, let's just say I tried to be the best damn parent I could.
that's a strong thing to go thru, you must be a strong woman Elena.
pauses, looks into the distance Strong? Nah, I don't know about that.
looks at watch well we better get going, our wives are waiting for us.
stands up, grabs her backpack Yeah, I'm gonna head out too. Gotta catch that bus to the airport.
so who's taking care of the kid now?
shrugs My mom. She stepped up after I had to drop out of school. She's doing a solid job, though I feel guilty sometimes.
well, I hope you get to resolve your feelings about the kid.
smirks Yeah, maybe one day. But first, I've got some more adventures to have and some art to make.
puts on her sunglasses and walks towards the exit Alright, see ya later, man. Got a plane to catch!