✓ | 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 ( 𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀. )

FOURTEEN.

. . .

riley matthews
Hovering at the doorway of the art classroom, I immediately caught the strong whiff of paint lingering in the air. What better way than to be greeted in the morning by toxic fumes.

I subtly took a small stride inside, glancing around the room and expecting to find Maya in her usual seat at the back. But she wasn't. Art was one of her most adored subjects, why would she miss it? I shrugged lowly, making my way to my seat.

I had never really taken a particular interest in drawing or painting or anything that had to do with being remotely talented in my crafts, but Maya had recently persuaded a few of us to transfer to her art class. I wasn't a big fan of her introduction to the idea, but agreed anyway. What were best friends for, huh.

It may have also been due to the fact that Lucas was one of the few other individuals who Maya had persuaded.

Lucas sat a few seats in front of me, the corners of his mouth slightly twitching upwards as I walked past him. I plastered on a small grin. There was a certain spark of something in his emerald eyes that I hadn't seen before and was unable to recognise, but it was probably best that I thought nothing of it. He was still with Maya, after all.

And speaking of, where the hell was she? Her absence began to worry me. I considered texting her, but just as I whipped out my phone, the art teacher, Mr Jackson, walked in. Sighing, I placed it back into my pocket. She's probably just late. Though come to think of it, I hadn't seen her around much lately. Not since these past few weeks. Not since she started dating Lucas.

If a deserted island was the loneliest place in the world then my bay window would be a close second. Hell, even deserted islands had visitors stranded on its shores. My bay window on the other hand was completely devoid of all life, even the curtains were beginning to sag in unnourished complacency.

Lucas hadn't been showing up for quite some time now. I guess it was fair ─ he was with my best friend, after all. Though, he hadn't been coming even before their relationship began. Perhaps after a while, he just forgot. People had a tendency to forget about me.

And Maya, although occasionally visiting now and then, always had some lame excuse ready whenever I'd ask her if she was free. Although I didn't want to admit it, I blamed it on all the time she was supposedly spending with Lucas. She even stopped taking the subway to school with me because apparently Lucas's car was a much easier mode of transportation.

He took her to school, walked her to classes, sat with her at lunch, took her home and did whatever the hell else in between. He was practically occupying all her time at school, which again, left no room for me. Just like it had when she was going out with Charlie. And look how that turned out.

My fists reflexively clenched underneath the table. I was losing my best friend to the boy I liked, and losing the boy I liked to my best friend. What kind of paradoxical nonsense was this?

I was too enveloped in my own thoughts that I had barely noticed a dark haired girl take a seat next to me, filling Maya's usual position. I glanced over at her, about to ask her what she was doing in Maya's spot when the art teacher interjected.

"You're late, Isadora," Mr Jackson asserted, crossing his arms as he leant against the whiteboard.

"I'm so sorry, sir. I was caught up with planning for the school dance. I promise it won't happen again," she said. She straightened her posture on the seat, interlacing her fingers delicately on the table. He nodded once, muttering something about continuing our sketchbook drawings before plopping himself down onto his chair.