Just One Bite

Art

Louis' POV

She's in the art room today, painting. Maybe I should go and try to talk to her while everyone is in class...

I walk in the back door of the art room and walk up behind her quietly, trying not to disturb her. I'm staring at what she is working on as I inch forward hoping not to scare her. Her work is amazing. My shoe made a noise on the floor causing her to jump and turn around.

“What do you want?” she snapped as she narrowed her eyes at me. I took a step closer and she returned to working on her piece. I took a breath and stepped beside her, looking at what she was doing.

“You’re very good,” I smiled at her. She glanced at me and continued.

“Do you need something, Tomlinson, or are you here to mock me some more?”

“I’m not mocking you. I think you are amazing with a brush. Actually, with a camera, and piano as well,” I told her. She looked at me with confusion, like she didn’t understand what I was saying.

“So, let me get this straight, you like my work, yet you make fun of me… Seems a little odd, don’t you think,” she rolled her eyes and kept working on her painting.

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I confessed.

“Wait,” she started as she looked at me. “You said piano. When have you heard me playing?” she questioned.

“Well, I had time to waste one day, so I was walking around and I heard music coming from the auditorium so I went in to see what it was. I stood in the back and listened,” I told her as I looked at the ground.

“So you were spying on me?”

“No! No, not at all. I, I just…” I stammered.

“You just what? You were looking for more dirt you could use on me when your friends are around?”

“Jasmine, please, I don’t mean to be rude,”

“Really? You don’t mean to be rude, but you are. The fewer friends you have around you, the nicer you are. What does that tell you, Louis?” She glared at me before returning to her painting again.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I looked at her, but I don’t think she heard me. “I’m sorry,” I said again louder making her look at me. “I’m sorry I am such a jerk, but can I try to explain, please?” She looked at me and though it over before nodding her head yes.

“Alright, give it a shot,” she said. I pulled up a stool beside her and took a seat as I looked her in the eye.

“I want you to know that I don’t want to be mean to you,” I started.

“Then why do you do it?” she asked softly.

“Honestly?” I asked. She nodded her head yes. “Because I’m scared that if I don’t, my friends will ditch me and get me kicked off the soccer team and I will lose my scholarship if that happens. I know that’s not a very good reason to do it, but that’s why I do it,” I frowned at her. “I really am sorry.”

“I believe you,” she smiled weakly.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” she said.

“That song you sang the other day, the one about skyscrapers, what did you write it about?” I asked. She looked away and I knew it had to be something about me or my friends.

“It’s about people like your friends that make life hard for me and about how I’m not letting it get to me anymore,” she explained.

“What do you mean by letting it get to you anymore?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you that,” she smiled weakly. “That’s a little too personal for me.” She turned back to her painting and picked up a brush. I grabbed her wrist to stop her and saw her wince. I didn’t grab her hard so I know I didn’t hurt her. She wouldn’t, would she? My eyes shot up to hers when I realized what she meant.

“You don’t…” I started. She looked at the ground.

“Can you please go? I want to finish this before the next class comes in here.”

“Jasmine, I’m sorry. I really am,” I told her. She nodded and I saw the tears forming in her eyes. I didn’t know what else to say so I quietly left the room. I couldn’t do it anymore. I made the decision that it had to stop. I didn’t care if they did get me off the team. I wouldn’t let them bother her anymore. She shouldn’t be doing that to herself because of anyone. I hung around until the next art class started to file in and I saw her walk out the door carrying a canvas. “Hey,” I called out to her. She turned and saw me walking towards her, and huffed.

“What do you want now?”

“I just wanted to tell you that it’s going to stop. I’m going to make it stop,” I said.

“Yea, we’ll see,” she said as she walked away. Suddenly she stopped and walked back to me. “Here,” she said as she handed the canvas she was holding. “Since you are a fan of my work, you can have this. It’s not one of my favorites so I don’t want to keep it,” she said and walked away. I looked down at the canvas and was amazed like I was every time. I couldn’t see how she didn’t like it. It was beautiful, just like her.

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f190/Jessica_Shadows/Just%20One%20Bite/Jasmines%20stuff/walker-1.jpg