It was finally the last class, and Daisy could not be more relieved the day was almost over. She stepped into the art class and smiled at her aunt. She had been a tinge concerned it would be awkward, but she was too tired to care.

Miriam nodded a greeting, a frown momentarily lodging between her brows at the defeated slouch of her niece. Daisy slipped into a vacant seat behind one of the several easels scattered randomly, deliberately choosing one at the back of the class, and closed her eyes.

She listened as more students entered, and the chatting and shuffling of feet and chairs eventually faded to a low murmur. A comforting hand squeezed her shoulder, and Daisy opened her eyes to look up at her aunt.

"Greetings Class, welcome to your final year of Art," Miriam announced, moving between the easels.
"As you are all aware this year Shelly Cove is celebrating its 200th Birthday with an Arts and Drama Extravaganza. For this event, we have chosen two themes, Self-Expression, and Shelly Cove."

Miriam stopped at her table and reached for a pile of slim, plastic folders.
"Inside you will find all the details and the requirements to complete each project. Please, remember that these projects will count towards your final year grade. So, take it seriously." She handed the folders to a student at the front of the class, who handed them out to the other students.

"Mrs. Shaw? The use of any media for self-expression does this include photography?"

Daisy shifted to peek around her easel at the voice who had asked the question, to find Shawn seated directly in front of her. Her eyes darted to the smirking student positioned several easels to her right and she grimaced.

Dang it!

She had forgotten her aunt had mentioned Shawn was an art student and wondered whether it was conveniently omitted that Luke was also one.

"Any media classified as art can be used, you can even invent a new one," Miriam answered, "take the folders home, and next week we can discuss any questions. But, for today, let's get the creative juices flowing by painting a self-portrait. This is a practice run, it does not have to be a Rembrandt."

"Might be a Picasso though," Luke chuckled.

Daisy shook her head and dived back behind her easel. Luke had been the last person she had expected in Art Class, but, honestly, was she surprised? Drama, Art, and Sport? Was there anything he didn't do?

She rummaged through the paint tubes in the box on the little table beside her and withdrew three tubes, black, blue, and red.

Today was just like yesterday. She had minimum contact with either of the boys, even Stacy had been elusive. The conversation over lunch had been about drama and Shawn had been quiet, listening rather than engaging.

Daisy dipped her brush into the paint she had squeezed onto the plastic palette tray. With bold deliberate strokes, she painted an outline of a face on the canvas paper attached to her easel. For almost the whole hour she was completely engrossed with what she was doing, she had not noticed that the students on either side of her had switched.

Daisy cocked her head and sat back in her chair, disgusted at her efforts.

"You look like a red-haired Smurf, Bloom."

Her head snapped to the right. Luke was seated, cross-armed, next to her studying her painting intently.

"What are you doing here?"

"Admiring your-uh-work," he grinned.

"At least it looks better than yours," Shawn chimed in from the left, and Daisy swirled around.

"Picasso," Luke shrugged satisfactorily at his painted blocky face with spiked yellow hair.

"I meant- "Daisy groaned, turning back to Luke, "why are you here, next to me? You were sitting- "

"To apologize," Shawn interrupted.

"What?"

"To apologize, Bloom, for letting the issue between us affect you. It was unintentional, but since we are all going to school together and have to do stuff together- "

"We thought we would be more friendly towards each other," Shawn said.

"Yeah, friendly, not friends, but friendly at least," Luke nodded.

"Oh," Daisy blinked, uncertain how to respond and thankfully the bell rang.

The day was finally over.

*

Daisy pulled on her bottom lip as she walked over the schoolyard towards Shawn's truck. She was a few feet ahead of Shawn, and Luke who was, annoyingly, heading in the same direction. Neither of them had said a word since they had left class.

Friendly? Oh boy.

"Guys! Guys! Wait up!" Stacy came sprinting towards them, her school bag wobbling dangerously from side to side, unbalancing her a few times.

"What the hell do you have in that bag, Stace?" Luke's hands shot out to steady her when she reached them.

"Whew," Stacy breathed, "so glad I caught you." She inhaled deeply, dropping her bag to the ground.
"Are you guys going to Dale's party?"

"No," was the simultaneous response from the boys.

"Why not? It's our last year, you idiots! Are you seriously going to miss out?"

"Are you going, Stacy?" Daisy asked.

"Yes, absolutely!"

"Can I go with you?"

"What?" Shawn frowned, surprised, "I thought you didn't like parties."

"I only said I'm not very sociable, but as Stacy said, it's our last year of school. Anne had said the whole class was going. I know I'm new and hardly know anyone, but- "

"We should all go," Luke suggested, tucking his hands into his school jacket's pocket. "I can't take back what happened last year, Shawn, but it shouldn't ruin this year."

Shawn opened his mouth to refuse but then reconsidered.
"Okay, let's all go."

*

Daisy studied her reflection in the mirror.

What had she been thinking? The regret about her decision to attend the party had bitten her the moment Shawn had pulled into Miriam's driveway. Despite the flutter of excited messages from Stacy on her phone, her anxiety had spiked the closer it got to the party time.

She tugged on the emerald, green tunic dress, doubting her choice. Perhaps she should rather just have put on some jeans and a T-shirt. She grimaced. She had taken Stacy's advice that being comfortable was key.

Her gaze went to her hair that was hanging loose, curling over her shoulders with a white headband to keep the strands from her face.

This was stupid. She can't do this. Going to school was one thing, but socializing outside the safety of a controlled environment with a large group of people was a risk. Regardless of whether Miriam had relented after learning she would not be alone. Her aunt's concern was not unwarranted.

Daisy inhaled a breath.

Shawn will be here.

She exhaled.

And so will Luke.

Her heart jumped at the familiar sound of Shawn's truck pulling into the driveway. She quickly slipped on her favorite white sandals and grabbed the white shoulder bag from her bed. She checked that the bag had her phone and house keys, before rushing from the room.

You can do this, Daisy.

*

It was a tight fit in the truck, with both Daisy and Stacy squeezed in the front next to Shawn. Stacy had been picked up first, so she was seated in the middle, or rather stuck. The fifteen-minute drive to the outskirts of Shelly Cove to their classmate Dale's family estate had been uncomfortable and riddled with groans from both girls.

And the disembarkation upon their arrival had been anything but smooth, with Daisy having to help Stacy out, since Stacy's choice of miniskirt had left nothing to the imagination as she slid out, rear-end first.

"Oh fuck, I mean, fudge nuggets. You seriously need another car, Shawn" Stacy moaned, pulling her skirt back into position and making sure everything else was still securely covered.

Shawn just rolled his eyes as he locked the truck. "You should have worn something else."

"You should have worn something else," Stacy mimicked.

"Daisy?" Shawn ignored Stacy and came to stand next to Daisy, who was staring at the large, luxurious house at the end of a manicured garden.

"Dale's house?" Daisy asked, and he nodded to confirm making the knot in her stomach twist painfully.

"Yep, Dale's family is one the founders of Shelly Cove."

"Oh, like Anne's?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Shawn asked, surprised.

"My aunt may have mentioned it the other day when I hurt my hand."

"You mean the day Anne tripped you?" Stacy corrected. "And speaking of the witch."

The trio watched as a sleek, black limousine pulled up and stopped.

Anne exited the car, along with several other girls from school and Daisy instinctively ducked behind Shawn. She was half-annoyed at the intimidation Anne had caused just by her presence. Her wrist tingled and she absentmindedly rubbed it.

She turned her head, and her eyes found Luke's. The smirk on the corners of his lips was unmistakable and she could almost hear him whisper.
"Breathe, Bloom."

*