"Look it's not my problem if you've all given up, but I'm not planning on cowering before I've even tried. and I will try and I will come out on top." I persisted and I could tell she was taken aback at my forwardness,
"You'll have fun trying to crawl your way up the
St Kathrine's Hierarchy at first, but it's a nasty fall on the way down which Is why some of us have to find other ways to get to the top." Victoria declared, placing a hand on my shoulder as she passed by and made her way over to River.
Victoria took a seat on River's desk so she was right in front of him, River gazed up at her, if he cared or was even remotely entertained he was not letting it show. She leaned in closer and spoke in a slow, daring voice, her English accent thick and more prominent than ever,
"I want you to paint me as you did with her," she requested, gesturing to the painting, "except with me you can take everything off."
My breath caught in my chest and I couldn't help but feel this burning sensation I couldn't quite recognize. Not that River was even inherently confined to only me but I couldn't help but feel...jealous. I noticed a few girls gossiping in the corner about how Victoria King was now River's new plaything, and that she'd been the first girl bold enough to ever make a move.
I managed to regain my composure for the rest of the period, we learned about the history of fauvism and the artists that impacted the era. All while having to watch Victoria make advances at River who wasn't mean enough to ignore her but also not interested enough to entertain her. I gathered my books and stuffed them in my satchel trying my best to organize my thoughts.
"You're a good artist Miss Nnandi, keep pushing." Monsieur Etienne encouraged me and I smiled as a thank you.
The second I'd made my way out of class there was only one thought on my mind, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get him out of my head. Talk. I needed to talk to him right the fuck now. River was walking ahead of me, probably on his way home but I needed him to hear me out first so I raced ahead of him, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him into the nearby storage room.
I slammed him against the door and pulled him by his jacket and yet suddenly I forgot everything I wanted to say. River was slightly surprised by my sudden gesture and raised an eyebrow in question, probably wondering what I wanted. But I don't think even I knew the answer to that, what did I want, why did I drag him in here with me. What did I even want to talk about?
What on earth could I possibly say, that I was jealous of the way he was with Victoria, he had every right to talk to whoever he wanted however he liked. Oh God, I was losing my mind, I was spiralling, and my lips parted to speak but nothing came out. I felt a rush of adrenaline as River grabbed me by the waist and spun us around so he was above me, pinning both my hands to the door, my breath was heavy.
"Use your words Armani," River insisted, he leaned in closer towards me and I arched my body up towards his and closed my eyes waiting for him to kiss me, or do anything to me to take away the agony. But just when I thought he would, he didn't and all he said was,
"If you want something, all you ever have to do is ask." He taunted, before he swung open the door behind me and made his way out.
I was beyond screwed.
The next week had gone by swiftly and I'd gotten a fair amount of schoolwork done, I couldn't wait for Halloween to come around next week even though I knew it was not particularly celebrated here in France. We had exams the week Halloween came around and I'd been studying for it with everything I'd had. Not only because my parents had been calling nonstop to make sure I was doing so but because It was required for me to keep my scholarship.
Keomi, Merilla, Fabian Gene, and I had been studying in our dorm for the past two hours or so and it was clear that everyone was starting to get incredibly bored.
"I'm sick of staring at words all day, I mean who gives a fuck about Roosevelt's New Deal?" Gene groaned, slamming her history textbook shut.
“Right, and why do I need to know why prohibition never worked out in the USA?” Mer added,
“Because those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I famously quoted,
“No, it’s because we all decided to take the American history course.” Fabian reminded us with a snort.
“The worst decision of my life," Keomi complained burying her face in her textbook.
"Right let's take a break." Fabian agreed sitting up on Keomi's bed, Fabian practically lived there rent-free and Keomi didn’t seem to mind at all. Their friendship was comfortable and I’m certain they wouldn’t have had it any other way.
"We need to get away this weekend, all of us." Merilla encouraged and everyone turned to look at her, including me,
"What do you mean? Because some of us are broke this semester." Fabian protested and Keomi agreed,
“Yeah what he said!” I add warning everyone that I was in no place to break my bank account for a holiday. “Fabian spent all his money on Lego sets.”
"My uncle Claude owns a cabin by Lake Geneva, I could ask him if we could use it for the weekend." Geneviève offered, tying her hair in a ponytail before taking out her cell phone,
"Oh my God Gene that's amazing!" Keomi beamed, "But it has to be all of us, including RK."
"You've got a better chance convincing pigs to fly." Fabian scoffed and Mer swatted him on the shoulder,
"Don't be such a negative Nancy Fabes, Armani text him and tell him to come over, he shouldn't be far I just saw him at the art department when I went down to get my folder." Merilla insisted and I pulled out my phone to text him.
“Why Armani, I can invite him myself?” Gene asked looking slightly insulted.
