“Sometimes I just let myself go. Other times, I draw a specific thing.” And apparently sometimes my brain decides to control my hands and draw a girl I shouldn’t be drawing.
“Wow. That’s so cool.”
Something tugs at me, but I pay no attention to it. Instead, I focus on the canvas. Whyon Earth did I draw a river?
She’s quiet as I continue to draw, as if she wants to give me the space I need. It’s very…considerate of her. And the fact that she’s sitting with me, even after I’ve been so rude to her?
Why? Why is she determined not to leave me alone? And why doesn’t it piss me off as much as I thought it would?
I can feel the body heat radiating off her. It’s kind of hard to concentrate when she’s so close to me, but I can’t distract myself. I need to focus on something or else I’ll find myself falling for her.
Her eyes are like fire as they watch me, and my fingers lose control and make a thick streak of red paint across the canvas. “Crap.” I’ve messed up the whole thing.
I stand and reach to trash it, when Artemis says, “Wait. Don’t throw it out.”
“It’s screwed up.”
She shakes her head. “It’s blood, see? First I thought it was going to be maybe a beach or maybe you’d add a boat to it. But now you can put a shark.”
I lift a brow. “A shark eating a human?”
“No, silly. A shark or sharks feasting.”
I rub my chin as I run the idea around in my brain. “You never told me you’re an artist.”
She holds up her hands in defense. “I’m not. I suck at art.”
“But you have an eye for it.” I pause. “Want to help me?”
Her eyes widen like I asked her if she wants me to kiss her. “What? You want me to help you?”
I don’t know why I suggested it. I always keep my art to myself, have never shown it to anyone other than my parents and the strangers who buy it. And now I’m showing it to Artemis?
“Yeah,” I find myself saying.
She presses her lips together. “But I don’t know how. I mean, how do I even draw a shark?”
I shrug. “Draw however you want. It’s not like it’s professional or anything.” I guess I’ll need to work on another painting to sell.
She steps closer to the canvas. “I really don’t know…”
I’m about to say something, but the bell rings. Artemis groans. “The bell always rings at the worse time, doesn’t it?”
“Want to work on it after school?”
She blinks at me. “Really?”
I nod.
“I thought…” She runs her hand through her hair. “I mean, I thought you don’t want to hang out with me.”
I do, and have no idea why. It seems the more I push her away, the stronger I feel about her. As a friend. It can only be as a friend. She was right when she said I need a friend, and I don’t want it to be anyone but her.
“We’ll meet here after school?” she asks.
I nod and we head down the hallway to our next class. She gives me a shy, sweet smile, and I wish I could return it. But I haven’t smiled in over a month and I doubt I will anytime soon.
I’m very aware of her hand that’s right next to mine, and my fingers itch to wrap around hers. Is her skin as soft and warm as I imagine it?
