Paint the Pictures

Chapter 18

Rhys' POV

Sydney was almost late coming into Art the next day. She made sure to look away from me and angled her chair away so that she didn't have to look at me. I don't know what she was so scared about tell me about. It wasn't like I had anyone else to tell.

I told her about my depression and for me that was a big deal. It was something that I barely talked to my own family about. It was hard to talk about but it was a huge part of me. It was the reason that so many of my pictures are dark and why sometimes I struggle to do anything.

Mrs Wiley talked briefly about the project again before letting us get to work. Sydney still didn't say anything to me so I just started to work. If Sydney wasn't going to tell me her secret then I was going to draw my own so I could hand something in.

I grabbed paint and started to think. It was hard to know how to show this because it is something that I hold deep with me. I decided to do something a little different to what I usually do. It was person sitting on a cliff. The sky was dark and I started to draw.

I glanced over at Sydney and she didn't seem to be doing anything and I didn't say anything as I continued to paint. Mrs Wiley didn't seem to notice that we weren't working together and I was glad. Sydney clearly didn't want work with me.

Sydney packed up ages before the end of class and I was glad when the class finished so I didn't have to deal with the awkward silence around us. I tucked my picture away and headed out as well. Sydney still hadn't said anything to me and it continued after class as well.

I headed back into the art room at lunch and wasn't surprised to not see Sydney. I had finally found the motivation that I had been missing the last couple of weeks and I felt calmer. I grabbed my picture that I started earlier.

We only had a couple more lessons to work on it so I wanted to get all main colour sections done and start on the details tomorrow or the day after. I continued to work on the cliff after having already having finished the dark sky.

I wasn't looking forward to drawing the person because I don't usually paint people. I can do it but it isn't my favourite thing to do. I put my headphones because the art room was silent with Sydney not there.

The bell rang and I happened to walk past Sydney and a couple of her friends when I headed to class. She didn't notice me because I was almost pressed up against the lockers but Patrick looked at me. He offered me a small smile and I just raised a shoulder. I heard him say something to Sydney and then turned to talk to me.

"Sydney didn't say anything about why she was sitting with us today," he said plainly.

"I didn't realise that she had to," I said.

I tried to push past him but he clearly had something else to say.

"No but she usually does. What happened between you two?" he asked again.

"She isn't talking to me because we have to do an art project about our secrets and she won't tell me hers."

He shrugged and clearly didn't know any more about it then I did.

"Just try and talk to her. I don't know it seems weird," he said before heading to his own class.

I stood there for a second longer but Patrick had already disappeared. I wasn't sure what to think but I guess that whatever Sydney is keeping a secret she keeps it very deep and very secret. I snapped out of my thoughts and realised that I needed to get to my own class.

I slipped into class moments before the bell rang and the teacher started talking. I didn't really pay attention to the teacher talking but I was thinking about other things. I was going to hand in my picture if Sydney still didn't want to work with me.

I headed to Texans' training after school and headed straight out onto the field. Most of the team were on the field but I saw Blake stretched out on the ground and I sat down beside him.

"What did you hurt now?" I teased.

He fake glared at me and pointed to his ankle. I grabbed my sketchbook out and started to sketch. Blake reached over and grabbed it of me. He flicked through a couple of pages before handing it back to me.

"They all look good," he said.

I nodded and continued to draw as training continued. Blake continued to ice his ankle on the side lines. It was starting to get colder outside and I pulled my jacket tighter around me. More players came and talked to me but I continued to daw.

Dad took a seat next me on the ground as training came to an end. We talked briefly about my day but he had meeting that he had to change before he could go it. He stood up and offered Blake a hand so that they could head into the locker room.

I slowly stood up as well and trailed after them into the building but I didn't head into the locker room. I headed into the meeting room that I knew that the defensive meeting was going to be in and took a seat at the back of the room.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and thought about texting Sydney. I wasn't sure if it was worth it but I sent a quick message anyway.

Sydney, I have started working on a painting that I can hand in if you still don't want to talk to me but I would prefer to work with you. Just talk to me when you are ready

I sent it before I had any time to think about it anymore. The meeting started in front of me but I didn't care at all. I didn't get a reply from Sydney the whole time that I was in the meeting. I headed home before Dad and Mom was waiting for me when I got home.

"A lot of the guys and their families are coming around tomorrow. Are you alright with that?" she asked.

I knew the guys that she meant. She meant some of the Texans and their families. I was fine with that because it was all people that I knew. Sometimes I just have to head into an empty room and have some time to myself.

She smiled and continued making our dinner. The rest of the evening was peaceful but I still didn't have a response from Sydney. It seemed more and more likely that I was going to be doing this alone.

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The Wise One