The story of Ellie and Aiden from His Everything continues in Their Forever.
Accompany the two young people on their journey full of self-discovery, opportunities, true friends, and more challenges they will have to overcome.
They say true love know...
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November
"I can't believe it!" Lucy grinned as we stood looking at our grades pinned to the notice board.
She got the best grade for her boat illustration, the same as me for my portrait of Aiden.
The rest of the results were still a mystery. I wasn't naïve; I knew it wasn't high school where standing out was easy because few people cared about grades, and the majority focused on having fun instead. Here, most students tried to excel, and I wasn't an exception to that rule.
"I told you that your work was great, Lucy." I smiled at my friend. "Besides, it was original."
Lucy let out an excited squeal, and I couldn't help smiling either as we walked to the sketching class.
Once in the classroom, she clapped her hands. "Show me!"
I carefully took out my exam project. The deadline expired the following day, but we could hand it in earlier. Failing to conceal my pride, I placed the sketch on the desk.
It was a pencil drawing of the Sacré Cœur. What made it challenging was the fact that they demanded precision and would pay special attention to proportion and the level of detail. This time, there was no place for free interpretation.
"Wow!" Lucy gasped. "You're a genius! Seriously, it's the best I've seen, Ellie."
Her comment attracted a couple of students who approached my desk to take a look. I felt a bit self-conscious because of all the attention.
Thanking those who complimented me on my work, I got ready to put it back in the folder and leave it on the professor's desk once the class started. What happened next was so absurd and unexpected I couldn't have predicted it in a million years.
One of my classmates, Emma, tripped over something on the floor, and the dirty water with watercolor paint from the recipient she was carrying spilled over my desk, my notebook, and my drawing. Helpless, I stared at the muddy puddle that spread on the sketch, ruining the exam project it took me days to draw.
Loud gasps filled the air around me. It was Lucy's voice that pulled me out of my trance.
"Oh my God, Ellie!"
Frozen to the spot, I watched as Lucy frantically soaked up the water with nothing other than her sweater, trying to help me salvage at least something.
Who was I kidding? Nothing could be saved. Even if the water dried, the stains left by the paint would be impossible to remove. The professor wouldn't accept my work.
When I realized the full extent of the disaster, I grabbed my bag and dashed out of the classroom, with tears already welling up in my eyes.
I ended up in one of the empty lecture halls. Lowering myself onto a chair, I let the ugly sobs tear through me.
