(a/n: i'm gonna start doing pov switches,like i did in the last chapter so make sure ur looking out for when the pov changes<3)
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AALIYAH
ART.
/ärt/
noun
the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
growing up,art was never my thing.
i never had a spiritual awakening to it or a talent that was passed down by a family member.
i had nothing.
nobody in my family ever did art,i never cared about art,and the thought of just me having to draw a stick figure in art class made my stomach turn.
i got into art on accident.
i never understood the logic behind 'a blessing in disguise' until i was at a low point in my life and the blessing came out of nowhere.
my interest in art came when i was eleven.
for most people with my artistic abilities,eleven is far too young to start getting noticed.
but i guess i got lucky or something.
when i was eleven,my dad got custody of me and miles,after they took us away from my mom.
i was happy.
i felt free and able to do what i wanted and live the life i wanted to.
until i met him of course.
she wasn't ok.
she needed help and her children weren't the main thing on her messed up brain.
she was crazy.
i don't know where she is now or what she's doing.
and i don't want to know.
after they took us away,my dad had to figure out a way to adjust to having kids once a week to full time.
with him working all day and all night,a lot of basic needs were forgotten about,because he couldn't commit.
whenever he first got us,he was working a shift that wasn't compatible for two kids.
so until his job allowed him to get a new shift,we were stuck at school after hours a lot.
so we got put in an after school program that allowed kids to be watched until their parents could come get them.
at the time,i wasn't exactly in the position to be making any friends.
or pursuing any hobbies.
until i met ms.bass.
she was the art teacher at my school and she taught me everything i know.
even though at the time,i knew about art were stuck figures and crayons,she's molded me into the great artist i've become.
she told me that a gift like mine isn't necessarily something that can be taught,but that it god given.
she said that the ability to create such astonishing work wasn't something that was taught to me overnight,but something that i already had inside of me.
it just needed to be dug out.
and she did just that.
i'll forever me grateful for her and her lessons.
she taught me that talent and numbers don't make a good artist,but that passion and raw affection for the activity do.
she's probably what i miss most about my old school.
even after i got out of the program,i spent all of my time with her,even getting her enrolled in her art class when i got older.
although ms.bass can never be touched,ms.clark is definitely a second best.
she was a short,soft spoken,wise woman.
who dressed in light colored sweaters and skirts,and had a pure heart.
she was no older than thirty five,or saw she looked.and she wore cream colored glasses on the top of her nose.
she was definitely the picture that i wanted to paint for a perfect art teacher.
she was like a breath of fresh air.
she moved in silence and had a free spirit.
she was who i aspired to be at that age.
ms.clark was the ap art teacher here at richland.
"so,how's it going?"
she slid into a chair next me.
i sighed in an exhausted state.
"it's...going."
she chucked.
"slow."
every three weeks in her ap art class,we would start a new lesson.
whether it was something as simple as shading or as intricate as details,we would read about it and practice it.
after we were done learning about it,we would have two weeks to do do the assignment.
this week,our assignment was 'abstract misery concealed by a physical satisfaction in the form of a clay sculpture'
we had to showcase how people can be depressed and unhappy on the inside,but showcase that they are completely stable on the outside.
a lot of people in our class did self portrait sculptures where they showcased the assignment half and half.
but of course,me being the creative artist that i am,decided to do a sculpture where a happy woman was showcased,until you turned the sculpture around,where her in a depressed state was revealed.
this meant that i had to do twice the work because i was going two faces,instead of one.
having a creative mindset can have its cons.
i'm constantly thinking of ways to put myself out there more and make my art work different than everybody else.
they tell you to think outside the box but they don't tell you exactly how big the box is.
sometimes,administrators want less instead of more or vise verse.
sometimes they want you to give them nothing.
you never know until they tell you.
but by then,it's far too late.
which is why i have to move quick.
"you know,everytime i give this class an assignment,you overdue it but you have such a beautiful way of showcasing it.i think that's what makes you different."
her eyes run over my half finished sculpture that i had yet to finish,the assignment was due in two days.
"do you think you're gonna finish in time?"
i nodded,no doubt in my mind that i wouldn't work as hard as i could for the next two days to get it done.
"you're so much different than all of my other students brown."
she smiled,i laughed at her words.
"you say that every week,how am i so different?"
she sighed answering,
"you just have such a raw mindset but your ability to create and express your work physically is so experienced and advanced."
her hand rested on my shoulder as she turned her stool to face me.
"most people in this class always overthink 'how can i be different?' which makes them go overboard.and even though you do the same,somehow you hit it just right every single time.not too much not too little."
her words dug deep into my mind as she explained how much range i had,even as a highschool student.
i was the last person in the studio today.
like most days,i had spent a few extra hours in the studio to finish my work.
she took a look around the large studio,she says "you should head home now,you've been here for almost two hours.i'll clean up."
i accept her suggestion to go home and get some rest as i packed up my stuff and put my sculpture away to finished later.
my feet led me down the long hallways and silent building as i headed in the direction of the gym.
miles should have been done with basketball by now so i peeked my head in politely asking for his presence.
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AARON
sweat dripped down my forehead and bare torso as i pulled the towel on my neck,trying to calm down my breathing.
"alright,practice was mediocre today.we're doing drills and conditioning tomorrow,bring your running shoes.you're dismissed!"
coach walked back into his office as we all sat on the floor,starting up conversations.
not exactly ready to leave just yet.
chris sat down on the court next to me,using his towel to wipe the sweat dripping off of him.
"so,what are you doing after school tomorrow,you wanna come over? i've got drinks."
i shook my head,breathing uneven.
"i can't.my parents want me home immediately after school tomorrow."
his eyebrows knitted together as he shook his head,upset that we couldn't hang out.
"for what?"
i shrugged not even knowing myself.
"something about the house i don't even remember."
he rolled his eyes,he looked back towards the locker rooms.
looking out for somebody before continuing.
"so what do you think of the new guy?"
he questioned me.
i could already tell by the way that chris kept mean mugging him the whole practice the whole practice that he didn't like him.
his name was miles.
he was really good actually,not better than me though.
nobody could take that spot.
"he's okay.he can't stay here though."
i had had this talk with chris multiple times this week.
miles was damn good,no doubt,but we rarely ever took flats on our teams.
we tried our hardest to get them to quit.
but it seemed as though miles wasn't going anywhere any time soon.
and not many others on our team seemed to mind that either.
"you know exactly what happens whenever we let flats on our team.they come in here all cocky and then they-"
"and then they what,chris?"
anthony cut him off as him and miles walked out of the locker room,towels in hand.
chris rolled his eyes,standing up to his level as i did the same.
"stay out this ant,this don't have nothing to do with you."
"oh i think it does.you see Christopher,miles is my friend and i don't like people messing with my friends,which you are indeed doing there for is does have something to do with me."
he spoke in a firm tone,which we rarely ever heard him speak in.
"look if y'all got a problem with me being here,y'all can just man the fuck up and say it to my face.keep it at that."
chris chuckled moving his body so that it was just a few feet away from miles'
"oh we do have a problem."
he wiped him mouth.
"you see,we don't want no flat motherfuckers from the bottom coming up in here and stealing our spots"
"ain't that right fellas?"
chris' words stuck with a few players who were on his side as they mumbled in agreement,stepping up behind him.
miles had a few guys on his side as well,not as much as us but he also had junior.
juniors' not the type to pick sides but he also doesn't kiss anybody's ass,so i could tell he was just tryna be the peacemaker in this situation as always.
"well if it bother you and your fellas that much than y'all better get over here and do something about it.cause i'm not leaving."
the tension in the air was thick as the gym went silent and chris' s boys began to step up,as did miles.
"is miles here?"
a small voice rang throughout the tall ceilings as we all averted our attention at the double doors.
a small figure was peeking into the doors,asking for miles himself.
we all pointed at miles as chris kept his eyes on him.
"i'll be out in a second liyah,wait by the door!"
she nodded standing by the door,pulling out her phone.
she was the girl who was arguing with jessica at the party on friday.
after the incident has passed,jessica ranted to me about her.
"i'll deal with you later brown."
chris spoke as miles smirked backing up.
"sure you will christopher"
miles disappeared behind the locker room doors,i'm assuming to go get his stuff,as the rest of us broke out,going to mind our own again.
anthony,junior and a few other guys had ventured to the double doors,talking with miles sister.
"see this is exaggerated problem,there's too many of them here.they just keep popping up like roaches."
chris rolled his eyes heading in the direction of the girl as i followed behind him.
he pushed the shoulders of a few guys,trying to get in front of her as i did the same.
she was small.
petite.
but i knew that meant nothing.
her eyes darkened when she saw we had stepped up.
"sorry i don't know if anybody told you but you can't be in here."
"and i don't know if anybody told you,but i don't care and i didn't ask."
she told chris bluntly.
"ok i was tryna be nice"
chris laughed.
she rolled her eyes replying,"doubt it but ok"
he shook his head.
"you don't belong in here,you or your brother.nobody wants any flats in here so get to stepping."
junior tried to interfere as always.
"come on chris leave her alone."
he ignored him as other guys tried to interfere as well.
"he said go,you like death or something.move along."
i stepped up.
"i don't who the hell you think you are but this gym doesn't have your name engraved into it anywhere"
"i go where i want when i want to,and you're not stopping me.so why don't you and channing tatum keep it pushing and back up."
miles came around us with his bag on his shoulder,sporting a mean mug.
"you heard her,she said back the fuck up."
he pushed chris out the way before putting his hand on her shoulder,turning around he said,"i'll see y'all tomorrow."
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