Trouble In Paradise

17. The Art Of Messing Art Up.

"Damn it, not again!" I looked at the ruined canvas in front of me angrily and started cursing in a manner no parent would want their child to.

Okay, so, I am good at many things. Hell, better than good at most. I have a pretty good voice, according to how the crowd responds every time I sing in school plays or other programs (yes, I'm just the littlest bit overconfident). I can play the guitar pretty well. I can dance (for most of the part). I'm awesome at reading for hours and ignoring the existence of the outside world. I'm acing all of my subjects in school, except...Art.

You want to know all the elements in the periodic table?
Sure, ask me!

You want help with physics?
I'm your girl!

You want someone to win you a quiz on Harry Potter?
I'm your best friend!

But, you want to make a birthday card for your six-year-old sibling who has no artistic taste, experience and skill, and would be happy with a plain drawing of a teddy bear?
I am not your girl!

To sum it all up, I suck at Art. The only reason I've even passed in this subject in the previous years is that our 50-something-year-old teacher, Mrs Willis, let me partner up with Mason for our projects. Mason would mostly do all the work.

But, this year is different. Mason isn't in my class this year. Rhea is.

I look at Rhea to see her busy giggling with her gorgeous girlfriend, Brittany Alden. Brittany had returned to Paradise a few days back from her trip to Greece.

Well, looks like someone already has a partner.

I looked around, pouting. I knew most of the people in this class, but, seeing how everyone sat in twos, indicated that they'd already formed a pair. Looked like everyone had a partner, even Torry- wait! He's in this class?

I looked at the empty seat next to him. It seemed that he didn't have a partner.

No wonder, I thought as he glared at a boy, who was trying to sneak a peek at his painting. The boy changed seats to the opposite side of the classroom immediately.

He really knew how to make friends, didn't he?

Then he started painting again. Almost attacking the canvas with his paintbrush as if it were a sword. No, not attacking, I realised. Sparring. As if the canvas were his friend and he was checking if it could take the force of his paintbrush.

I got up and headed in his direction, curious to see what he was painting in such a violent manner. I almost stopped breathing when I saw the painting.

It was a beautiful, beautiful sea with violent shades of blue. The sea only seemed to turn more beautiful as Torryn painted on. I would've huffed out of envy at how good he was at this if I weren't so mesmerized.

I decided to not disturb him till he was done, instead opting to quietly go and stand beside him. So, naturally, I completely failed at that, as I knocked over the blank canvas next to him, in an attempt to have a closer look at the beautiful piece of art.

Thud.

I winced as everyone looked at me. "Sorry, " I laughed nervously.

Everyone got back to their work as if this wasn't something new. And really, it wasn't. They were quite used to me being the walking, talking clumsy disaster that I was.

After picking up the canvas, I smiled sheepishly at Torryn. He raised an eyebrow, almost looking like he wanted to smirk. His eyes held a great deal of amusement. I almost grumbled, knowing that that was at my expense.