I sit in the last seat on the other side of the aisle from Loner and dump my backpack on the ground next to me. Mr. Jones said to start doing homework, but I don’t have any. I don’t want there to be a chance he comes over and asks me anything, so I pull out my own sketchbook and get to work on the piece I started last night.
Focusing on shading the side of the statue, I run my fingers over the outline of Athena. The goddess of war.
I like to think I’m like her; strong, fearless, unbreakable.
“Mr. Hernandez!” Mr. Jones snaps, breaking the silence in the room like a whip. “I have told you for the last time to take the hood off!”
Loner scoffs under his breath and sits upright. But as he does, it’s like heuncoils. Sitting straight up takes him minutes, then he stretches out and his arms go on for miles.
“You got it, Mr. Jones,” he says, and Iblushfrom just his voice.
How is it so smooth?
He slowly–is that me or is time really slowing down?–pulls his hood back and looks around as he stretches. My breath catches as I’m shown the hottest guy I’ve ever seen in real life.
His hair is short, but long enough that as he pushes his bangs out of his face, a few strands fall back. He’s…so hot. His jaw is defined, his cheekbones high and those eyes… His eyes are magical, I swear. So dark and deep, they look black.
“Hi,” he says softly to me after he catches me staring.
“Hi.”
“I’m Ty.”
“Roxie.”
“No talking!” Mr. Jones yells out and I jump slightly before rolling my eyes.
Ty leans his arm back on the desk behind him as he looks at me with a lazy smile.
“He’s loud, but he’s harmless.”
“I can see that,” I say back, a smirk of my own mirroring his. I look down, the weight of his gaze setting me on fire before pushing a lock of hair behind my ear.
“What are you drawing?” Ty asks quietly, moving a desk back so he can get a better look at my sketchbook.
“Oh, um,” I stutter–so fucking embarrassing–before biting my lip as I cover my book. “Nothing.”
“Don’t like sharing until it’s done?Mi mala, chica nueva,” he asks.
Oh god, he speaks Spanishandinterjects it into his speech so effortlessly? I’m going to die.
“No, no,” I say quickly, not wanting him to leave just yet. I mentally steel myself before uncovering my book. “Just not used to people wanting to see it.”
Ty smiles in thanks, leaning over the aisle to see my work.
“Wow,” he breathes out, his eyes widening with surprise. “That’s really amazing. That’s really, really good.”
“Really?” I ask, shocked and surprised. Turning the book around so I can see it again, I look over my work. It’s not my best, but it’s definitely a good one. Drawing is calming for me, something that lets me get my emotions out without violence.
“Yeah, I like it. Is it Artemis or Athena?” Ty asks, leaning over the desk and grabbing his own sketchbook and flipping through the pages before opening to one and handing me his book.
“I drew Apollo the other day. Pretty coincidental. If you believe in that kind of thing,” he says softly, looking at me with a shy smile. His Apollo is breathtaking. It’s clear as day, the shading, the curves, the fine lines.
“How?” I ask, letting the word fade.
“What?”
“How are you so good?” I look at him, my eyes wide with shock. “Teach me,” I put my hand on his and ask earnestly.
