-3-
"Well, isn't it lovely, Luna? It's raining again. What should I wear?" I ask out loud walking up to my wardrobe. Luna meows back at me before turning on herself and become a ball of fur on my bed, her tail wrapped around her. "Yes, I understand fashion is not of your concern, but you should help me out or I'll end up wearing the same as usual."
I put my hands on my hips and watch what I have. It's all wrinkled and looks so old fashioned. If I wear anything of what I have here, I'm sure someone will push me off the stairs for being a criminal. Some beauty student would run to the E block and say she or he was just doing it for the world, and I would agree.
I should ask Mum to go shopping because I urgently need new clothes, but she won't listen and considering our situation I don't think it's sensible to ask for such a petty thing. I can survive with my clothes.
"I guess the same, then," I mutter closing the doors and just sighing. "I'll see you later, Luna. Sleep well!" I bid her, giving her a kiss on the top of her head before running down stairs. "Bye, Mum. Have a good day," I shout crossing the door without receiving a reply; Not that I wait for one.
I take my time on my way, not minding the rain. I've never been an umbrella type of gal. I find them more troublesome than helpful and it's like all that they protect is your hair and shoulders -barely because the rest of your body gets soaked wet anyways so I don't see a point for them.
Even if I take longer than usual, I'm still the first to arrive to Ceramics and I distract myself watching everything around me. The room starts filling without me noticing it. I turn around and find an amusing scene that has me smiling.
"It seems I'm not the only one being ignored," I mumble folding my arms as I watch how Roxi and Adeline keep talking to James, in a contest to find out which one will get his attention first.
That's not the best part, though, far from it. Seeing the best friends competing for one guy isn't the really amusing part, it's that James is ignoring them just like he was ignoring me, not even reacting to the girls asking him question after question. It has to be worse than me nagging him yesterday, because now it's twice as annoying.
I chuckle because I can see how the girls are getting annoyed, as well. Frustrated that James is not reacting, he keeps checking his notebook. Is he pasting his briefs? I think so. Hm, so he was given the briefs already. Good luck, my friend, you have loads to catch up with.
"We can help you with that," Roxi says at some point, putting her finger on top of one of the briefs. "I bet you feel overwhelmed with all the workload, but it's okay. I'm really good and I have no problem sparing time to help you catch up."
I take my index to my mouth and make gagging sounds. It's not just her word choice what is lame, it's her tone that gives me the creeps.
James just flips the page and Roxi has to remove her finger. He does not reply, he keeps working and I see Roxi gasping whilst Adeline giggles. Roxi glares daggers at her best friend and I think we are five seconds to witness a cat fight. Then Lauren, our Ceramic teacher, arrives for the lesson and I go to my usual spot and so do Roxi and Adeline.
My spot this time is next to James but I decide not to nag him this time with questions. It's clear he won't reply and I think he's had enough with Roxi and Adeline. I feel sorry for him that he has the two hottest girls in our class fighting to get his attention. I don't even think they are seeing him properly, I think they just see their fantasies in him and ignore the real picture.
As everyone starts working on their current projects, I watch James. He works silently, not making eye contact with anyone, not even Lauren when she approaches him asking if he needs help with anything. He just shakes his head and mumbles, "I've got this." And that's it.
I wonder if he's shy and that's why he doesn't talk to anyone. No, I don't think that's it because the way he ignores the people that talk to him isn't the sort of someone that's shy, it's kind of rude. Did he have friends wherever he lived before or was he this asocial there, too? Luna is my only friend but I wish I could have someone, why does he reject everyone that tries to approach him? In my case, people don't want to befriend me, but I know everyone in this group is quite curious about him and wouldn't mind talking to him.
Oh! Maybe the rumours are true and he has some tragic backstory, like his best friend died in an accident that was his fault so he feels remorseful and he is scared to make new friends because he is dangerous so he is just trying to protect us all.
"I cracked the code!" I shout, slamming my fists against the desk, making everything on it jump with a loud thud and everyone leaps. Gasps and cries of surprise escape their lips and everyone looks in my direction. "Oops, sorry," I say, sticking my tongue out and getting smaller.
No one says anything and they get back to their works, but I see Roxi shivering and then whispering something to Adeline but she just shushes her.
I look at James and he doesn't seem affected by what I did, but I put my elbow on the table, facing him as I cup my left cheek. "I did, you know?" I tell him but of course he ignores me. He's so good at that. "I know why you ignore us all." Nothing, still nothing. "You got your friend killed, didn't you? But it wasn't your fault, James. You can't be afraid of making new friends. Maybe not Roxi and Adeline, but there are other very nice people in this group." He keeps working and I sigh. "Whatever. I'm not asking you to be my friend, I'm just saying that you don't need to be scared of making friends. Be thankful that people actually want to be your friends."
After that I look away and don't watch him anymore.
After Sculpture we have the rest of the morning free so everyone goes to catch up on work and get some snacks. I notice James dashing out first, wondering what's up with him, then I notice how Roxi and Adeline were on their way to him.
Ah, that makes sense.
"It seems not everyone likes you," I mumble walking past them with a smirk of my face.
It's still raining when I leave the C block so I just go to the library to wait until our next class: Photography, which is my favourite, with Rick who is also my favourite teacher. I don't know why I go to the library, I normally can go anywhere to wait for the following class, but well, the rec is just in front so it seems like a logical option. Only when I'm inside do I notice James is there, exactly where he was the day before.
"Oh, what the hell, I'm bored," I mumble and then walk up where he is. All the other tables are available but I sit across from him next to the radiator. He doesn't react to my proximity. "Don't worry, I won't annoy you today. But I'm quite bored and when I'm bored I speak even more." Nothing.
Ugh, this guy is insufferable.
I decide to watch the rain pouring and ignore him like he is ignoring me but then, from the corner of my eye, I catch part of what he is drawing. It's the same monster of yesterday, but now he's adding more details and background. A forest, a dark creepy forest and the moon is shining full in the sky. The drawing is wicked, I don't have another way to describe it. Well, wicked and creepy. I doubt that's part of any brief, this has to be a personal project or something.
I don't realise how I shift until I'm dedicating my full attention to his work, seeing how it comes alive and for a moment I think it will come to attack me and kill me. What gets my attention the most are the eyes. They have no colour but for some reason I swear they are yellow. I don't know why but that's like the feeling I get and they seem so alive that I even pull back a bit, putting distance between the wolf and I. I know it can't harm me, but still. It's like a reflex.
"You have some talent there, son," I say still watching him drawing. "I wish I could draw with such detail, especially from my mind. I can, you know, draw something that I'm watching so it's like copying, but when I try to draw directly from what I see in my mind it turns out worse than an amoeba. It's a sad story, I know," I muse.
I'm like hypnotised with the way his hands flies all over the page and what is more impressive is that he manages to draw without getting his hand dirty, without touching the paper with ink. He keeps it suspended and that must hurt a lot later from all the effort he is putting.
"I like photography. I think I'm good at that. Then again, I can't be sure. I do know I enjoy that very much."
I don't know why I'm even telling him that, it's not like he's going to reply or anything. It's clear he doesn't want to talk to anyone.
Then he flips the page, carefully, fanning it a bit and puts another piece of drying paper and starts drawing in the next page, making a square, like a vignette. And then he starts drawing inside, a different setting, a young girl, against a very dark, dark background. I think.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you making her as big as the monster? Is it because she is a girl? Why so misogynist?" I demand but he doesn't reply, he does nothing and I get angry. "That's discrimination. A girl is as important as your monster from before."
Angry, I stand up and leave. It's not like I want to be his friend anyways so I don't care.
I leave the library and it has stopped raining so I head to the E block and decide to scare people because I'm that bored. When I'm walking by the lockers I just slam the doors shut and then run before someone makes me pay for what I've done. People scream and jump and it's quite fun, but I don't hurt anyone. I could be mean and push them against the lockers or something, but I don't.
See? Good person over here.
Then the class arrives and I know everyone finds the lectures boring, but I don't. Everything is fascinating for me no matter how many times I listen to the same thing. I enjoy all the little details so I don't even notice what the others are doing, I just listen to Rick go on and on.
When the class is over I hear everyone groaning and even some shaking others to wake them up. I shake my head because they don't know what they are missing. I shrug and turn around to leave and I'm face to face with James, I almost bump into him. The surprise makes me gasp and take a step backwards. He doesn't blink, doesn't do anything. I calm down a bit and then wave my hand in front of him, but he doesn't blink. I think he is watching me, though, but when I'm about to poke his eyes, he puts the hoodie on and leaves.
"Weirdo," I mumble and follow him. "I'm also a weirdo," I add following him to our next classroom where we have textiles.
I can't ask him anything or annoy him, because Adeline is all over him. Apparently she's more clever than Roxi because she left first instead of staying back to stop him and have a private moment.
James groans and tries to dodge her, but she is quite a dense girl and doesn't get the hint that James doesn't want to talk to her.
Oh... I'm being the same, aren't I? Nagging him and not getting the hint that he doesn't want to talk to me.
Well, this really is a low blow.
I go to my seat and decide to leave James alone, I won't be like Adeline and Roxi. Plus, I feel sorry for him. I'm not hitting on the poor new guy, I'm just bored and trying to figure him out, but still, I'm not respecting his personal space and if I know something, it's that sometimes all what we want is to be left alone.
So that's what I do. I leave him alone but by the end of the class I realise I should apologise to him for bothering him this time. I want to also tell him I had no ill intention. It's the least I can do, right?
But does James Black -oh yeah, I learnt that is his surname and apparently the reason why everyone is assuming he is really some sort of bad boy and not just some asocial twat, which of course is idiotic because a surname means nothing but oh well, they are bored-let me apologise? Of course not. He leaves, almost running and I have to run after him. Really, why do I even bother? I don't know if he ignores me or maybe he is auditory challenged or something.
And it's raining again, so now he is running even faster.
"You're not making things easy, James. I just wanna apologise!" I shout from the door, deciding it isn't worth it anymore. "Fine! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to annoy you that much. Gosh! I'll never talk to you again!"
I stomp my foot and fold my arms, but then I remember that I also have to go home; I can't stay here so I just step forward and leave. What do I care about that guy? I'll just go home and forget he is even in the same group. It's not like it's going to be a challenge or anything. I don't care about him. I won't speak to him ever again. That is settled.
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Sorry I didn't post on Saturday, I was in Lollapalooza (IT WAS AMAZING!) so I didn't have time to update.
Shout out to the best comment on the previous chapter: @juneforyou
Bel, xx
PS: you can follow me on twitter @BelWatson
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