Brick Girl [Completed]

Pretty boy

Tara

I stared at the blank canvas in front of me and frowned with exasperation. I was supposed to be creating a piece for an upcoming art show. It was a really important show, a lot of lecturers from nearby universities and art schools attended. It had a huge impact on your future art career.

I need to do well in this, my mum wasn't going to be any help and if I want to get further with my art, I'm going to have to fly solo.

My mum. I can hear her staggering from the sofa to the kitchen, doors slamming shut when she can't find any booze.

I tried to block her out, I needed to focus. I groaned, tied my hair up in a messy knot and stared at the canvas.

"Come on!"

It was no use, Mum was making way too much noise. In normal houses, people would be sitting down to a lovely home cooked Sunday dinner with their family. Not here, all the money we got went on alcohol after from the small amount I managed to sneak out from mum's purse.

She had started to notice that some of the money had gone missing so I wasn't able to take as much. I had enough to buy art supplies and after that, I could manage a meal a day. I usually had it at the canteen as college so she wouldn't notice that I was eating.

My stomach growled loudly,I drank some water and sat on the edge of my bed. I would have eaten something by now but I had to use the money I would normally use to get a taxi from Zeke's house last night.

Zeke. A smile spread across my face as I remembered the previous day. After the kiss he had brought me some dry clothes, an old band tshirt and shorts and put a pizza in the oven. He had sipped a beer whilst he padded about, talking to me about college and his classes. It had all felt so natural and easy.

We ate together, in a lovely comfortable silence. I had worried he would think I was weird that I didn't want him to go further but he never brought it up again. His phone had beeped a few times but he ignored it and kept talking to me.

I blushed, thinking about the end of the night. My mum had called me, drunk, screaming that she had lost her keys and couldn't get in. I had hung up quickly and Zeke had offered to drive. I said no as he had had a few sips of beer but in reality I didn't want him to see where I lived and who I lived with.

When the taxi came he had walked me down the drive and brushed his lips against my forehead. It had been all so lovely.

I inhaled deeply and winced sharply, my side was sore from where my mum had kicked me. I hadn't been quick enough in getting home and she wasn't happy about it.

The noise outside my room had stopped. I waited a few seconds then opened the door quietly. Mum's room was at the end of the hall and the door was ajar. I could see her feet hanging off the end of the bed. I sighed, at least she had made it to bed this time.

I crept forward quietly and pulled the door closed then walked into the kitchen. Some of the doors were open and pots and pans had been pulled out of them in her search for booze. I bent down and started tidying up when my phone beeped.

Hey, it's Zeke. How's the leg?

I paused, staring at my phone.

Hi, my leg is ok thanks. How did you get my number?

Oh, I looked it up on the college directory. Do you mind?

No. Just surprised to hear from you, that's all.

I was surprised to hear from anyone. The only person who messaged me was Poppy and she was away for the week on a college trip. She was still annoyed that she had been in the bathroom when I had bumped into Zeke and fallen. All the girls were talking about the new guy in the sports classes.