Paul Lahote x reader x Quil Ateara

82: Art Project

"..I really don't want talk" I frown.

"You're going to have to" Ben chuckles as we enter the art classroom.

"Ugh! I hate presenting" I seat in our usual table.

"It'll be quick"

"Better be" I drop my head on the table and lay there until the bell rings.

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"So why did you guys choose these places?"

"Y/n" Ben says giving me the floor to speak since I've been quiet this whole time.

"Um.." I turn to look at our paintings. "We picked these places because something about them pulled us towards them, it made us feel special, unique and part of something bigger" I turn back to face the class and Mrs. Jones was smiling at us.

"Okay now this painting here, I'm assuming Ben painted it?"

I look at the painting she was pointing at and I guess the reason she assume this was because I was in the painting. My eyebrows narrowed and I looked at the rest of Ben's paintings and I was in all of them. I looked at Ben and back at the teacher.

"Yes"

"Okay so Ben, what where you feeling and thinking when you were painting this one"

"I remember exactly what I was feeling.. I was calm, Y/n and I were talking about life and the painting took life of its own"

"And why include Y/n?"

"I- uh- I don't know I guess the way I was positioned was always towards her and it felt right to include her while she was painting, it felt natural" He looks at me.

"Wow, now that's beautiful, thank you for your presentation you can sit"

Ben and I grab our paintings and go back to our table.

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".. hey can you take me home?" I say as I grab my tray.

"Yeah it's no problem" Ben answers and we walk towards the lunch table.

"Swan!" John yells from the table.

"Tell Abigail that she doesn't look fat"

"Abigail you are not fat" I sit across from them. "Why would you say that?"

"I didn't" She looks at John and he just bursts out laughing.

"Oh you think you're so funny" I roll my eyes at him.

"So are you doing tomorrow?" Ben talks to me in a low voice.

"I'm not sure" We turn to face each other.

"I was thinking maybe we could do something?"

"Yeah that'd would be fun" I smile and bite my sandwich.

"Okay" He smiles.

"So how's everything with that girl?" I ask him.

"Um it's I don't know actually" He nervously chuckles.

"Oh no why?"

"We just didn't click" He shrugs.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah it's fine don't worry about it?"

"HELLO? Earth to Ben and Y/n!" Abigail says very loudly.

"Sorry what?" I say with a laugh.

"Are you guys coming later?"

"To where?" Ben asks.

"To smoke duh" John says in a funny girl voice.

"Y/n doesn't smoke" Ben says in my behalf as we all laugh.

"It's okay she doesn't have to, she can just laugh at us" John adds, Michael and Abigail shake their head in agreement.

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School is finally over. Ben and I walked out of the building and are currently walking towards Abigail, Michael and John.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm very nervous for this, my heart is beating fast" I laugh.

"You're going to be laughing the whole time" Ben laughs.

"I can't imagine John getting any funnier" I laugh as we go down the stairs.

"Yeah no, now you'll hear him say a bunch of nonsense" We get to the guys.

"Took you guys long enough" Michael says while holding Abigail.

"Sorry we were at the other side of school" I smile.

"Okay so" Abigail claps her hands together. "Meet at the same spot as always"

"Who's coming in my car?" Ben says mainly towards John.

"I'm going with them" John says with a smile.

"Okay so it's just you and me" Ben leans down to hip bump me.

I just laugh and stand straight again. I loud truck pulls in and everyone's attention shifts. I turn to look at the truck and it was Paul. He gets out of the car and leans on the side with his arms crossed.

"Who is that?" Abigail asks, definitely not thinking she'd get an answer.

"Um that's Paul Lahote" I cross my arms and walk over to him.

"What are you doing?" He says a bit annoyed.

"Hanging out with friends"

"Those are not friends, I can smell their hobby from here"

"Why are you here?" I said confused and ignoring his previous comment.

"I'm here because of you, let's go" He grabs my bag and put it in his car.

"Hey hey hey, I'm Ben" Ben comes from behind me.

"Nice to meet you Ben, we are leaving" He keeps the door open signaling to get in.

"Sorry, I'll see you tomorrow"

"Wait before you go can I talk to you?"

"Yeah" I turn to look at Paul and he huffs as I walk away with Ben.

"So that's Paul huh?"

"That's Paul" I say.

"So um I just wanted to tell you that we've been spending a lot of time together"

"Yeah" I encourage him to keep talking.

"I like you, not as a friend"

"Is that why you included me in the paintings?"

"That was unintentional, I promise but it just shows how much I like you"

"Ben I can't, I- I'm already in a complicated situation and I just can't"

"I understand but you need to know how I feel and I'm the one that's here for you"

"Okay um I think we should take a step back and take a break from being friends"

"But Y/n"

"But nothing, you're trying to force this on me and I'm not feeling it! I mean it Ben stay away" I turn away and walk to the car.

"I told you they're not your friend" Paul says as he closes the door to the car.