Summer (Original)

Chapter Three ~ Three Art Classes

***
I pull out my watercolour pencils and drawing pad. Continuing the picture from Monday.
Art is my favorite subject, it helps me escape reality. I seem to draw my feelings without even knowing I'm feeling them.

"Allison and Ethan, can I speak to you for a minute?" Mrs Spencer calls from her desk.

The closest I've been to him the past week or so is at my locker when he is at his; which just had to be beside mine.
I get up and walk to Mrs Spencer's desk.

"Yes?" I say hoping she'll tell me and let me go before he gets here.

"Yes Mrs Spencer?" And there he is.

His deep voice echoing in my ear.

"There's an art competition in New York I thought you'd like to go. Enter."

I smile slightly before letting out a small laugh. "I'm good."

"Come on Allison, it'd be fun. Ethan would really be your only competition, the two of you are my best art students. Most dedicated to their work. There's only a few spots so think about it?"

"W-when is it?"

Mrs Spencer smirks knowing I'm about to say yes. "In four weeks."

I sigh before rolling my eyes. "Why not, you like something go for it, right?"

"Ethan?"

I turn my head to look at him for the first time in ages. He is standing there so innocently. His face with a small smile and sparkling eyes as he looks at me. He quickly looks away to answer Mrs Spencer. He is always more behaved in art.

"Nah, I think I have lacrosse."

"I already checked the roster of all the sports you play, so unless you're dying or a family member is, you have no excuse."

"What do I win?"

"A spot to hang your artwork and $2000 if Allison doesn't beat you."

"Please I got this easy! Right Allie?" He winks at me before telling Mrs Spencer he'll do the competition.

"Okay then!"

I turn around and start walking back to my table when I hear him again. His voice laced with saddened guilt.

"Allie?"

I shake my head and sit back down. I can't talk to him. He wanted me to forget about us and this is me forgetting.

Soon enough it's lunchtime, I clean up my art supplies and walk to meet Becca at her locker.

"How was art?"

"Mrs Spencer asked me if I wanted to join an art competition in New York!"

"Really? You so have to!"

"I am, who do you think I am?"

She laughs at me a little, "I bet she asked Ethan too!"

"Eh-yeah she did, he didn't seem that keen to begin with."

"Oh my god, he's captain of the football team, not a bloody kid in prison he can do what he wants. He's just tryna be cool!"

"Maybe.."

After Becca gets out her books for after lunch we walk to my locker where he is standing, alone. He's never alone. Always with his friends, or Grayson, most of the time Valery or just in a group of people drooling over him. But not now; he's all alone. And that scares me.
I start walking slower, my confidence draining, hoping he walks away but he doesn't he just leans his head harder on the locker door. Like something's wrong, I hate seeing something wrong with him, he's meant to be the happy one, he's more cocky than happy but still. Not the sad one.

***
I walked into his room to find him with his head in his hands.

"Ethan.. are you okay.?" I sat on the bed beside him.

"It was envitable."

"What was?"

"The sadness, you said that day that we're always going to end up sad. I guess you were right.." He sighed.

"Oh no, no I was joking. You shouldn't take me seriously when I'm having a mental break down like I was. I was angry at so many things and people that day! No I was kidding!" I said really fast.

In a panic.

He looked up at me and giggled, I had no idea why he was laughing at me but I didn't care. Seeing his eyes red and his cheeks stained from the tears terrified me so much. Knowing he was so much stronger than me and the fact that he was sad and crying. But when he laughed at me I was less terrified.

***
I open my locker door and pull out jumper I left in there this morning. I close my locker and accidentally look to my right. At him. He was already looing at me. I look away quickly and go to walk away but he grabs my hand, accidentally entwining our fingers as he used to.

"Allie, talk to me? Please?" He whispers sad.

"Forget about us. Remember?" And then I snatch my hand away and walk to the cafeteria.

"Um slow down Allison! What the hell was that?" Becca speed walks behind me.

"Nothing just a stupid decision!"

"Oh my good! No way? You and Ethan hooked up over the summer?"

"We did not hook up at all! Get over it. Please."

"Sorry.."

Becca and I walk in silence to the cafeteria, sitting opposite each other at our table. Our silence not awkward just silent, Becca not wanting to make me mad and me just not wanting to talk.

"Um Al?"

"Yeah?"

"Grayson is coming over here.."

I spring around in my seat to see him right behind me. He smiles before sitting down beside me. The way he sits beside me brings another sad wave over me. He is just like his brother

"Hey Allison, Rebecca." He greets us.

"Hey." Rebecca says way too cheerful.

"What do you want?" I look away from him.

"To help."

"With what?"

"You know what Allison."

"I don't want help, I had to forget about it, not to tell anyone so maybe he should too."

He sighs and stands up. "Okay then." He whispers.

I listen to him walk away then talk to someone, "You fucked up bro, I tried."

I stand up with my hand on my mouth like I do when I'm crying, as my eyes are filling up with tears. I leave my bag and books behind and run out of the cafeteria.