School had ended and Alex had dropped me home. We hadn’t
spoken in the car at all, which isn’t unusual but he just seemed more zoned out
than he normally was. I’d spent about an hour of doing nothing at home before I
decided to come down to the local park two blocks away. I set up my easel and
now greens and reds were flying on to the pale white canvas, transforming it’s
empty surface into a garden. My fingers were numb from the cold and my body was
shaking.
“Yo.” Alex came up from behind me, holding two steaming cups of coffee “Figured you’d appreciate it.” He smiled at me and handed over the paper cup. I put my pallet down and we walked over to the park bench together.
“What’s up? You seem a little down.” I looked at his tired face, he was slightly pale and there were dark bruises under his eyes.
“Nothing’s up, I’m fine.” He smiled half-heartedly and took a sip of his coffee, swearing when the hot liquid scalded his tongue.
“Whatever you say” I sighed and stood up, placing my cup on the shelf of my easel “Mind if I paint you?” I asked him, pulling the easel in front of the bench and perching myself on the stool.
“It’s cold out here, Isla. Let’s go to my place, you can paint me there.”
There was something bothering him and I wanted to know. Normally he’d just tell me anything but today he was being kind of odd.
“Hey, stop looking at me like that. I told you I was fine didn’t I?”
Maybe he was just tired; he did say he’d been up late last night.
“How was school?” I smiled at him as I began packing up my things.
“It was fine, I guess. A lot of student council meetings have been on recently and they’re eating away at my brain.” He let out a long sigh and continued “There’s an Art Exhibition held by that scholarship group next month, thought you’d want to know.” I perked up at that and just stared at him with a massive grin on my face. He laughed at me and said “You like a child on Christmas morning.”
“I’m just happy that I can finally show my stuff.” I giggled and stood up; portfolio hanging from my shoulder.
This could be something to work for. My art project is due next week so once that’s out of the way I can work on something for the Art Exhibition. At times like these I loved the fact I attended New York Arts Academy (NYAA). Scholarship programmes held events like these every so often, and it was the perfect chance to show off my art work.
“I’m going to have to plan and think, and oh I’m just going to love this!”
“Yo.” Alex came up from behind me, holding two steaming cups of coffee “Figured you’d appreciate it.” He smiled at me and handed over the paper cup. I put my pallet down and we walked over to the park bench together.
“What’s up? You seem a little down.” I looked at his tired face, he was slightly pale and there were dark bruises under his eyes.
“Nothing’s up, I’m fine.” He smiled half-heartedly and took a sip of his coffee, swearing when the hot liquid scalded his tongue.
“Whatever you say” I sighed and stood up, placing my cup on the shelf of my easel “Mind if I paint you?” I asked him, pulling the easel in front of the bench and perching myself on the stool.
“It’s cold out here, Isla. Let’s go to my place, you can paint me there.”
There was something bothering him and I wanted to know. Normally he’d just tell me anything but today he was being kind of odd.
“Hey, stop looking at me like that. I told you I was fine didn’t I?”
Maybe he was just tired; he did say he’d been up late last night.
“How was school?” I smiled at him as I began packing up my things.
“It was fine, I guess. A lot of student council meetings have been on recently and they’re eating away at my brain.” He let out a long sigh and continued “There’s an Art Exhibition held by that scholarship group next month, thought you’d want to know.” I perked up at that and just stared at him with a massive grin on my face. He laughed at me and said “You like a child on Christmas morning.”
“I’m just happy that I can finally show my stuff.” I giggled and stood up; portfolio hanging from my shoulder.
This could be something to work for. My art project is due next week so once that’s out of the way I can work on something for the Art Exhibition. At times like these I loved the fact I attended New York Arts Academy (NYAA). Scholarship programmes held events like these every so often, and it was the perfect chance to show off my art work.
“I’m going to have to plan and think, and oh I’m just going to love this!”
The entire way home I rambled on about my ideas and how much
I was looking forward to this, the words just flying out everywhere and filling
the silence of the streets.
“Calm down, you’ve got an entire month to plan. Why did I tell you now? You’re going to make the next few hours a living hell, aren’t you?” Alex ruffles my hair and pulled it all towards the left, dropping it over my shoulder in a fuzzy heap. I glared at him through the curtain of hair. At this point we’d reached the apartment complex where Alex and I lived which consists of four buildings marked A1-4. I live in A3 and Alex lives in A1.
“You go on ahead; I’ll meet you at my place.” Alex handed me his keys and jogged towards the small shop at the base of A2. There was a figure there, leaning against the wall. I looked closer, trying to work out who it was in the dark. From the person’s shape you could tell that it was a girl. Alex stood beside her and she was up to his chin. Her hair was in a braid and falling over her right shoulder. I couldn’t tell what colour it was or see much of her face since it was dark out. She reached for his collar and pulled him in for a kiss. Right, so I guess she’s one of his many girlfriends. I walked over to the apartment and found another figure leaning against a wall.
“Hey.” It was a tall, skinny guy who had the look of a nervous cat.
“Um, I’m just waiting for someone; I don’t mean to bother you.” He looked at me and his eyes were completely blue, his pupils’ dark pinpricks.
“It’s alright, you’re not bothering anyone.” I jiggled the keys in the lock, struggling to get the door open. There was this awkward tension in the air, and then I heard the satisfying click of the door; nodded to the boy and quickly walked into Alex’s apartment.
“Alex, dinner’s on the table. It’s pizza tonight.” Alex’s mom came out from the kitchen, saw me and smiled. “Hey sweetheart, Alex not with you?” She had such a gentle voice and soft features. She has light blonde hair and is quite pale; she reminded me of a dandelion, small with the look the she might blow away with the wind.
“Hi, Ella. He just popped into the store. Mind if I stay for dinner?” I smiled at her, taking my shoes off and placing them on the rack by the door.
“You know you don’t need to ask Isla, go and help yourself. I have to go out for a while; I got a call from the nursing home. Tell Alex I’ll be home late.” She gave me a hug and grabbed her coat, “His dad’s in Brooklyn so it’s just you two tonight. Remember to lock the doors.”
“Don’t worry Ella, I will.” She shut the door behind her and I let out a long sigh.
I wonder what’s taking him so long. He better not have ditched me to go out with that girl, though it wouldn’t be the first time. I let out another sigh and I looked around me. Alex’s apartment was very modern the furniture was simply shaped with simple colours; mainly browns and beiges. His apartment was the same size as mine but looked larger since there wasn’t clutter. His room was pretty much the same as the rest of his house; neat and organised. The only things that stood out were his stacks of comic books and games which were filling up the shelves and the keyboard which was covered in concert tickets and album covers. Alex was big on Indie artist like Sóley and Low; basically stuff that no one else listens to. Alex is amazing on the piano; he’s played it ever since he was a kid. When we were little and it was acceptable for a girl to spend the night at a boy’s house, he’d play me a lullaby so I’d fall asleep.
“Calm down, you’ve got an entire month to plan. Why did I tell you now? You’re going to make the next few hours a living hell, aren’t you?” Alex ruffles my hair and pulled it all towards the left, dropping it over my shoulder in a fuzzy heap. I glared at him through the curtain of hair. At this point we’d reached the apartment complex where Alex and I lived which consists of four buildings marked A1-4. I live in A3 and Alex lives in A1.
“You go on ahead; I’ll meet you at my place.” Alex handed me his keys and jogged towards the small shop at the base of A2. There was a figure there, leaning against the wall. I looked closer, trying to work out who it was in the dark. From the person’s shape you could tell that it was a girl. Alex stood beside her and she was up to his chin. Her hair was in a braid and falling over her right shoulder. I couldn’t tell what colour it was or see much of her face since it was dark out. She reached for his collar and pulled him in for a kiss. Right, so I guess she’s one of his many girlfriends. I walked over to the apartment and found another figure leaning against a wall.
“Hey.” It was a tall, skinny guy who had the look of a nervous cat.
“Um, I’m just waiting for someone; I don’t mean to bother you.” He looked at me and his eyes were completely blue, his pupils’ dark pinpricks.
“It’s alright, you’re not bothering anyone.” I jiggled the keys in the lock, struggling to get the door open. There was this awkward tension in the air, and then I heard the satisfying click of the door; nodded to the boy and quickly walked into Alex’s apartment.
“Alex, dinner’s on the table. It’s pizza tonight.” Alex’s mom came out from the kitchen, saw me and smiled. “Hey sweetheart, Alex not with you?” She had such a gentle voice and soft features. She has light blonde hair and is quite pale; she reminded me of a dandelion, small with the look the she might blow away with the wind.
“Hi, Ella. He just popped into the store. Mind if I stay for dinner?” I smiled at her, taking my shoes off and placing them on the rack by the door.
“You know you don’t need to ask Isla, go and help yourself. I have to go out for a while; I got a call from the nursing home. Tell Alex I’ll be home late.” She gave me a hug and grabbed her coat, “His dad’s in Brooklyn so it’s just you two tonight. Remember to lock the doors.”
“Don’t worry Ella, I will.” She shut the door behind her and I let out a long sigh.
I wonder what’s taking him so long. He better not have ditched me to go out with that girl, though it wouldn’t be the first time. I let out another sigh and I looked around me. Alex’s apartment was very modern the furniture was simply shaped with simple colours; mainly browns and beiges. His apartment was the same size as mine but looked larger since there wasn’t clutter. His room was pretty much the same as the rest of his house; neat and organised. The only things that stood out were his stacks of comic books and games which were filling up the shelves and the keyboard which was covered in concert tickets and album covers. Alex was big on Indie artist like Sóley and Low; basically stuff that no one else listens to. Alex is amazing on the piano; he’s played it ever since he was a kid. When we were little and it was acceptable for a girl to spend the night at a boy’s house, he’d play me a lullaby so I’d fall asleep.
I scooped his laptop up off the floor, typed in his password
(which had been ‘Quails22’ since we were about 10) and started playing Sims3.
Luckily that was short lived and Alex appeared in his doorway with a plastic
bag filled with Doritoz and Haribo jellies.
“Ooh snacks.” I placed the laptop on his bed and began rooting through the shopping bag. “Where’d your girlfriend go?” I asked him as I picked at a bag of Jumbo Jelly Babies.
He emptied out all of the contents on the bag onto the bed, looking for the Doritoz.
“She’s not my girlfriend and I sent her home, she just came to ask me something.”
“She sure looked like your girlfriend, with that kiss and all.” I said cheekily.
He raised one eyebrow at me and snorted.
“For how long were you looking, you snoop?”
“Long enough to see a kiss.” I smiled at him, and then bit the head off of the Jelly Baby. He laughed at me and said;
“Friends can kiss too. We’ve kissed and you’re not my girlfriend.”
He made a good point, we’ve always been friends but we have kissed a number of times in the past.
“Okay, you’re just friends.” I shrugged and dismissed the topic, he knew the past was one of the few things that I wasn’t fond of talking about and it shut me up each time.
“Shall we play the mighty ‘Little Big Planet’?” Even though I’m nearly eighteen, that game never ceases to amuse me.
“We shall, but I thought you wanted to paint me?”
“I did, but I’m too lazy to set up everything now and I’ve painted you enough times to be able to do it without a live model.” Alex began setting up the PS3.
“But you can’t possibly get bored of this face, I’m just too sexy.” He posed like a pin-up and started singing ‘I’m Sexy and I Know It’.
“Of course you are, I bet your girlfriend agrees.”
“I told you, she’s not my fucking girlfriend!”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. Alex hadn’t raised his voice at me since we were fifteen when he found me “innocently” snooping through his bedroom.
“What difference does it make to you, anyway? My relationship with other people is none of your business.”
His words were sharp and mean in the new found silence. I didn’t reply, I just looked at his face, trying to read his expression. At first glance he looked pissed off, but the closer you I looked at the tightness of his lips, his furrowed brows and the bags under his skittering eyes, I could tell that he was scared. This girl wasn’t a lover or even a friend but someone he was afraid of. He can’t hide his feeling from me, like I’d said; I’ve painted him enough times to know his body language, and I know enough to see that he’s terrified.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you, it’s just really complicated.” He ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at his hands which were covered in song lyrics.
“Her name’s Alyssa.” He let out a sigh and looked over at me, then back down at his hands. “She was one of the people who got me into drugs.”
“Ooh snacks.” I placed the laptop on his bed and began rooting through the shopping bag. “Where’d your girlfriend go?” I asked him as I picked at a bag of Jumbo Jelly Babies.
He emptied out all of the contents on the bag onto the bed, looking for the Doritoz.
“She’s not my girlfriend and I sent her home, she just came to ask me something.”
“She sure looked like your girlfriend, with that kiss and all.” I said cheekily.
He raised one eyebrow at me and snorted.
“For how long were you looking, you snoop?”
“Long enough to see a kiss.” I smiled at him, and then bit the head off of the Jelly Baby. He laughed at me and said;
“Friends can kiss too. We’ve kissed and you’re not my girlfriend.”
He made a good point, we’ve always been friends but we have kissed a number of times in the past.
“Okay, you’re just friends.” I shrugged and dismissed the topic, he knew the past was one of the few things that I wasn’t fond of talking about and it shut me up each time.
“Shall we play the mighty ‘Little Big Planet’?” Even though I’m nearly eighteen, that game never ceases to amuse me.
“We shall, but I thought you wanted to paint me?”
“I did, but I’m too lazy to set up everything now and I’ve painted you enough times to be able to do it without a live model.” Alex began setting up the PS3.
“But you can’t possibly get bored of this face, I’m just too sexy.” He posed like a pin-up and started singing ‘I’m Sexy and I Know It’.
“Of course you are, I bet your girlfriend agrees.”
“I told you, she’s not my fucking girlfriend!”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. Alex hadn’t raised his voice at me since we were fifteen when he found me “innocently” snooping through his bedroom.
“What difference does it make to you, anyway? My relationship with other people is none of your business.”
His words were sharp and mean in the new found silence. I didn’t reply, I just looked at his face, trying to read his expression. At first glance he looked pissed off, but the closer you I looked at the tightness of his lips, his furrowed brows and the bags under his skittering eyes, I could tell that he was scared. This girl wasn’t a lover or even a friend but someone he was afraid of. He can’t hide his feeling from me, like I’d said; I’ve painted him enough times to know his body language, and I know enough to see that he’s terrified.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you, it’s just really complicated.” He ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at his hands which were covered in song lyrics.
“Her name’s Alyssa.” He let out a sigh and looked over at me, then back down at his hands. “She was one of the people who got me into drugs.”
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