Blank Canvas

●Chapter 26●

I was turning the pages of my favorite book in quick succession because I've memorized almost every word of it.

With a tub of cookie dough ice-cream placed on my lap and blankets sprawled all around my body messily, I continued reading 'His Second Love', the only novel I've ever read.

Tears were threatening to spill down my eyes but I blinked them back. I was doing everything to concentrate but the words were getting blurry. Though, no matter what, I still kept going. Snot was running down my nose and I wiped it with the sleeve of my t-shirt. To say that I might be looking like an ugly mess would be an understatement of all time.

I don't know why I was even crying. I was the one to initiate the kiss. Well, almost. He might've had no choice but to kiss me back, right?

However, the most nagging thoughts going through my mind right now were 'who's that girl in the picture? Is she by any chance Jenna Hawkins? And if she is Jenna, then why isn't she coming out of whatever cover she is hiding under?' 

They must be together because no one would keep a picture of someone they are not together with or would they?

He would have been feeling really disgusted towards me. I fanned my face to try to calm myself down even when it was blistering cold outside.

"None of your business", was what he'd said when I'd asked him about Jenna.

The pages began rustling as soon as the gust of wind blew inside through my open window. I just stared at them moving back and forth without any intentions to stop them. 

Annoyingly for some reason, it had to turn to the one that I didn't want to see right now. The one page that I've always overlooked or even better I have tried to overlook. The dread I was feeling before I had started reading this book came back to me at full force.

'For the special person - Atlas Carter, with love.'

And I could vividly remember him singing an unheard song once at Paradise. He was so much in love. It was as if he was... bewitched. His voice was so soft and soothing like a feather. He was oozing real emotions like the person he was dedicating it to was right there, right in front of his eyes.

I sighed and put the book back on my study desk, still feeling bitter about everything. It was close to midnight but sleep wasn't coming easy to me tonight. I had forgotten all about Jenna but after looking at that photo in Atlas's house today, I couldn't seem to get her out of my mind.

'Jenna. Jenna. Jenna. Jenna.' It was the last thought I had before sleep finally consumed me in its comfort.

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I leaned against the huge trunk of my favorite tree in front of the beautiful lake in Paradise. Clutching the straps of my backpack, I busied myself by looking solemnly at my wiggling feet. I have always had this weird fetish of wiggling my feet for no apparent reason.

"Urgh, how much I wish to just sing here at such a vibe-y place but bleh, God ended up giving me a whatever voice," I grumbled to myself. 

After a few minutes of staring at everything around me with my usual marvel, I removed 'His Second Love' from my backpack and continued from where I had stopped yesterday.

I was so engrossed into reading it that I didn't even notice someone's presence looming over me until they nudged my shoulder. "Whatcha reading?" I quickly glanced to my left with wide eyes. I was startled and almost had a mini heart attack. I banged my fist on my chest lightly to get it back under control.

"You scared me." I gasped. 

Atlas grinned widely and took a seat beside me. He gently flipped my book to catch its name.