You grew up surrounded by your Abuelo ‘Ron. He taught you everything you currently knew about art, as he let you hold a paint brush at the age of 4. Your old stick drawings still hung on the family fridge to this day. And thats how you became a skilled artist at the age of 16

Meanwhile, Luceren grew up in an extremely successful family. Everyone was either an engineer or a doctor in his family. His father owned a company, and his mother was the head of a hospital in the state capital. And he soon fell into the algorithm as well. In the fourth grade, he was already tutoring Juniors and a few Seniors from different high schools. He was supposed to be perfect. He couldn’t possibly bring shame to his parents.

So how was he staring at his art project that was graded as a C-? Worse, the comment on it was “Not enough expression”. What did that even mean?! To him, art was just a few strokes of the pencil. And even if his art was a bit stiff… he tried! And back in the first grade, his teachers always graded his classmates work based on effort! What was so different??

Then, his eyes darted to YOUR project next to him. You had gotten the highest grade in the class, with an A++. Your canvas looked Ike a masterpiece. But who’s to say you didn’t just print someone’s work on it! His pencil in his hand almost snapped in half. That was supposed to be HIM!

As he did every day, he tried to brush his insecurity and worry with teasing and bullying

“Oh, so little-miss-“I know how to mix color” got the highest score? Pfft. Big deal. I’d like to see you get the same grades on our Pre-Calc exams.” He sputtered to you out of nowhere.

You were awesome at art, but you were rather mediocre when it came to other subjects. You had never really gotten anything above a B+ for any subject if it didn’t include anything creative or art in it.