nefelibata (n.) | ✔️

nine.

"I can't think, ugh!" I groan which attracts the eyes of the curious students next to me. I let out another groan at the people watching me. "I'm so sick of this fucking school." I'm not exactly sure what lead to the outburst, but here it is, welcomed or not.

Carson pats my back twice for comfort before retracting it and giving me a caring look. I try my best not to provide him with the puppy dog eyes that always seem to pop out when someone shows me an inkling of affection.

"Maybe you've just had a long day. Everyone has off days. I know I have." He gives me a sympathetic smile, and I hate it. I hate when people feel bad for me.

"Don't do that, please," I say with all the dramatic glory that those words come with.

"Do what?" He asks, confusion lacing his features.

"Try and pretend to feel bad for me."

"I don't feel bad for you, and I don't pretend. I'm not a very good actor." He picks up the brush I'm holding in my hand and puts a bit of red paint on it, ignoring my protests for him to give it back. Without listening to me, he draws a big slash of red paint on my canvas and grabs my hand again, putting the brush back in place. "Now think, what can be created from the streak of red paint?"

My jaw hangs open as I stare at him with aggravation. I'm pissed he just ruined a perfectly good canvas.

"What the hell did you do that for? You just ruined a canvas for no reason!" I scowl at him and put my hands on my hips as I stare down the red line.

"I didn't ruin the canvas, Lena. It's up to you if it's ruined or not." He winks, and I look at him with a confused look.

"Carson, did you choke down a pound of weed before we came here or what?" He chuckles and shakes his head.

"No, Lena. What I'm saying is, maybe all you need to do to get your creativity back is to have something to start with. The red line."  The pieces fall into place in my mind as I look back and forth between him and the canvas.

"Oh," I say with realization. "Thanks then, I guess."

"No problem." He winked one final time and went back to his work, a smile permanently placed on his lips.

When the bell rang, I gave Mrs.C a wave goodbye and mumbled one to Carson too. I raced my way to my car, pushing through the swarms of students.

Before I knew it, I was pushing into another hard chest. If I run into one more fucking person, I swear to go- "Crap, I'm sorry."

I look up to see a boy only a couple inches taller than me glaring down at me. His blonde hair shaggily falls on his face as he offers me an apologetic smile. "You alright?" I ignore the students shoving me around us and keep my gaze on the boy that ran into me.

"Yeah, fine," I say bitterly. Sure, he's cute, but I've already made one exception this year. Besides, I've seen him around which means he's probably all up to date on all the rumors.

"I'm Parker, nice to meet you." He puts his hand out for me to shake and puts on a sincere smile.

"Lena." I keep my expression unreadable and shake his hand. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors, so can we skip the part where you ask me how many dead rodents I've found?" Bye sophomore year the rumors were even grosser. I didn't understand why she made them up in the first place, but middle school drama isn't for me.

"Maybe I've heard the rumors, but I'm not like the other brainless asshats in this school. Besides, rumors aren't for me." He shrugs and gives me a charming smile. His voice is husky, yet it has a certain appeal to it that isn't like the other boys in school.