Gemotions

The gallery owner, a woman with a beehive hairdo and a penchant for brightly colored cardigans, waved him over. "You've got to see this, Leo!" Her voice was higher than usual, a little breathless. He jogged toward her, heart thumping.

He peered at the woman's outstretched arm. There, on her bicep, was a perfect replica of his "Ephemeral Bloom" – the watercolor he'd poured his heart into last spring. He ran a hand over his own jaw, a smile cracking his face. He felt a ridiculous urge to laugh.

"Amazing, isn't it?" she chirped. He just nodded, speechless for a moment. He wanted to shout something, to skip, to do anything to express the ridiculous joy bubbling inside him. He started bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"She found you online," the gallery owner continued, pointing to a girl who beamed back at him. "Said she's been a fan for years." Leo gave a shaky thumbs up. He’d made it. Someone actually loved his work this much.