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Jack
People say that high school really changes the person you are. Do I believe that? To some extent, yes. For example, my friends haven't changed at all. They're still their fun, amusing, sometimes annoying and irritating selves. At least, I think. I'm not really sure how they've been doing for the past couple of weeks (okay, more like two and a half months). We haven't really hung out that much. Why? Well, even though they may not have changed at all, I've definitely have.
Okay, maybe that sounded a little too dramatic, but believe me.
It had all started last month when I was packing up my stuff from Art to head to my next class. Right as I was heading out the door, Ms. Merriweather stopped me.
"Mr. Jackson Frost? May I talk to you?"
I gulped. Uh oh. This wasn't going to be good. Nobody calls me 'Mr.' or my full name unless I'm in trouble. I racked my brain for any trouble I might have done in this class. Well, there was that one time I squeezed paint all over Rapunzel's hair. But it was an accident! And besides, her hair looked pretty cool with blue. And there was also that other time when I almost dropped Ms. Merriweather's vase she got from an antique art store. It must have been pretty expensive because she nearly had a heart attack from that. And then there was the time I-
"Jack?" Ms. Merriweather looked at me in concern. "Are you alright? You seem to be troubled."
"Oh it's nothing!" I laughed nervously. Stop spacing out, Frost. I scolded myself. Yeesh, I was acting like Anna. "So, what's up, Ms. Merriweather?"
Let me tell you guys something. Ms. Merriweather is awesome. She lets us do almost anything in art. We can listen to our music while drawing, we can actually talk in class, and she doesn't get mad when you say stuff like, 'Yo, Ms. Merriweather, you need somethin'?' She's like, those really cool grandmas you see in commercials or something. That's why I let her call me by my full first name. She's probably the only one I let (a huge honor, if you ask me).
Ms. Merriweather smiled at me. "Jackson, dear, ever since you came to my art class, you've been nothing but a sweet child."
I grinned. "Aw thanks, Ms. Merriweather, that means a lot to me. Is that all you wanted to tell me? Because I should probably head to my next class now-"
"No, wait!" she said. "There's still more to what I have to say."
"Oh okay," I said. Was this a trap? I thought to myself. Is she going to say all these nice things to me and then hand me a detention slip when I least expect it?
"Your artwork in here has been nothing but stupendous," Ms. Merriweather continued. "And that's why I'm inviting you to this big art show we're having." she handed a piece of paper that read Arendelle High School Annual Art Show.
"You can read the rules later when you have some spare time," Ms. Merriweather said. "The art teachers from each high school had to pick only one student from all of their classes. And I chose you, Jackson."
I was stunned. "But, why me? You could have picked somebody else from your other five periods! Maybe even Rapunzel! She's a way better artist than me!"
Ms. Merriweather chuckled. "Yes, that Rapunzel child is a talented one, but I chose you Jack because I see that you have great potential in art. And entering in something like this will unlock that potential."
I looked back at the piece of paper. I've never entered any type of school-related thing. Unlike Elsa, who had entered in all the essay contests and science fairs, this was a whole different world to me. A world that I was kind of scared of, to be honest.
Ms. Merriweather must have noticed my unease because she said, "This is only an option, Jackson. You don't have to if you don't want to."
"I- I'll think about it," I stammered. "But thanks for telling me about this, Ms. Merriweather." I gave her a weak smile before heading out. When I shut the door behind me, I let out a big whoosh of air I didn't know I was holding.
After school was over and I went back to my dorm, I pulled out that piece of paper and stared at it. Yeah, I had to admit, that I started liking art. It was cool seeing how other people interpreted things in their own way. And plus, the paper said that they were offering cash prizes for the winners, so maybe this entering an art show won't be such a bad thing.
I sighed. Well, here goes nothing.
The next day, I told Ms. Merriweather that I would enter the art show. She was super excited. She told me that I could draw whatever I wanted (as long as it was appropriate). She also told me that besides giving me advice and tips on my project, she and anybody else couldn't help me. And lastly, the deadline for turning in my entry was the week before spring break.
"If you just need a place to work quietly, my room's always open, Jackson," she smiled at me.
"Thanks, Ms. Merriweather," I said. "Well, I've got to brainstorm some ideas while in my next class. See ya!"
Coming up with what I was going to do was easy. I decided to paint a snow scene in watercolors. The hard part? Well, I guess Elsa might have rubbed some of her overachiever spirit because silly me, I decided to paint it on a paper the size of a pool table. That paper is a monster. And it's already hard enough that the medium I'm using is watercolors. Getting those fine details is backbreaking work (but me only painting on the floor and my too-small desk might be one of the reasons why my back hurts). So far, I haven't even finished one corner of the picture.
As I was working on my project today, I heard footsteps coming towards our dorm. I tensed. I gently put the paper under the bed (if it wasn't so important I would have shoved it) and took out my phone, as if I was deeply engrossed in a game of Flappy Bird (I swear, if that painting isn't the death of me, then this game will be).
Kristoff came in. "Hey, Jack! What's up? You're here kind of early today."
I smiled nervously. "Felt kind of tired today so I headed back here as soon as school let out."
He nodded. "Yeah, get that feeling sometimes too. Hey, Anna invited us to hang out with her and her sister tonight. Wanna come?"
"Sure," I said. "By invite, it means 'hang out with us or you're gonna get it' in Anna talk.
Kristoff laughed. "Yep. That sounds like something Anna would say."
"You go ahead alreay," I said. "I'll catch up. I just need to get ready."
"You sure?" Kristoff asked.
"Yeah I'm sure," I waved him off. I closed the door as soon as Kristoff left and locked it. I then got my art project from under my bed and went back to working on it.
You're probably wondering: Why did I act so weirdly when I heard someone coming to our dorm?
Well, here's the thing: I haven't exactly told anyone about this project.
AN: So fun to write in Jack's point of view. And this chapter was art related so yay! Anyways, thanks for reading and see you in the next part!