Under these Stars

Chapter 6: Sculpted.

"Didn't get enough sleep?" Franny frowns. "Did you pull an all-nighter?

"No, I just couldn't sleep." I shrug. "Nightmares." She was the only one I trusted to know everything. I knew she would always have my back. It would be the same for me.

"You want to talk about it?" She asks me.

"I shall tell you later." I try to laugh. My eyes continue to droop in class.

"Miss Delany?" My AP Studio Art teacher, Mrs. Oleander, calls out.

"Yes?" I snap up out of my daze.

"I would appreciate if you paid attention to my lecture. I know it's not that interesting today, but please bear with me. Art history is equally as important." She kindly instructs.

"Sorry ma'am." I apologize. This is my favorite class but I'm just so tired. I didn't get any sleep whatsoever. I'm sure my brain isn't going to remember any of today.

"Remind me why I signed up for this class?" Franny whispers accusingly.

"Because you love me." I murmur in response.

"I'm doubting it right now," she smirks.

"I appreciate it anyways for signing up for this class too," I smile affectionately. Franny wanted to be a fashion designer. Ms. Oleander was kind enough to let her focus on fashion designs and sketches for most of her projects. Of course, Franny had to do the basic requirements needed for the class. I loved how relaxed the teacher was normally. She would usually let us run free and be creative the way we wanted.

"Okay," Ms. Oleander claps her hands suddenly. "Let's begin sketching. Today I want all of you to draw a friend, relative, or someone you know based off of memory alone. You are free to use any medium you like." She nods for us to begin.

"I don't have perfect memory!" Franny whines.

"Ah, but that is the challenge!" Ms. Oleander beams. "I'm going to do it too! If I can do it, you can do it. Try your best!" She gets so excited and enthusiastic when she teaches. I think that may be why I love this class. She loves what she does and I can obviously see it.

"Oh!" I feel her presence behind me. "That's wonderful! Simply amazing!"

I glance at my painting. I immediately hide the painting with my body, standing up abruptly. I must have been too occupied with my thoughts for I did not mean to paint that person.

"He looks so familiar," she ponders over my subject. "Let me think." I hope she doesn't guess him.

"That's right! Mason right?" I see the lightbulb flash in her eyes. "The likeness is on point. Wow, truly remarkable." She tries to look around me.

"Now why would you cover it with your body? What are you trying to hide?" She frowns. "It's alright. Art is meant to be seen."

"I'm..." I take my canvas off. "I didn't mean to draw him." I am more flustered if anything. Wow, if people found out I was daydreaming and painting the bad boy of our school, rumors would be flying out of everywhere.

"It's fine dear." Ms. Oleander says as she sees how embarrassed I am becoming. She pats me and leaves but not before commenting, "I still believe that you did remarkably well based off of your memory."

"Thanks," I sigh and get up to put the canvas away in the corner of the room. I start to sketch Allen instead. It's not good to be thinking about Mason.

"Oh my god, is that Mason?" Franny gasps loudly. I cringe at the echo of her voice. Her normal talking voice borders on the loud side.

"Yes!" I shush her, but it's too late. Everyone turns their heads at me and glances at the paint in my hand. I automatically flip it around so it's facing me but everyone already saw it. They all rush towards me to see the work.

"Wow!"

"Dang!"
"Can I see?"

They all start to crowd around and admire my painting.

"Thanks." I say in a clipped tone but keep it turned away from them. " Don't touch it."I don't want their grimy hands on my painting. What, people have bacteria and chemicals in their hands which damage the colors. Plus, they should know that nobody should touch the paint with their bare hands anyways. They have no appreciation for art.

I've already accepted the fact that Mason will somehow hear of this. And then his girlfriends will somehow think I have the hots for him. And then the whole entire world will begins to believe that I'm after him.

Ring!

The bell finally rings.

"Sorry Dela!" Franny apologizes.

"It's fine," I shrug tiredly. Right now I'm just not in the mood anyways.

"Let's just go eat lunch. I think that may make me feel better." I let out a small smile.

"Can we sit with the twins?" She grins wickedly.

"Don't tell me you have a crush on then still?" I laugh.

"Of course not, I have a crush on all of them." She rolls her eyes as if I said something stupid.

"You can sit with them. I really want to be alone right now actually." I try to say it as kindly as I can.

"Oh, okay." Franny still looks hurt. I feel guilty instantly.

I give her an apologetic glance before going outside to look for a quiet place to sit.

I spot a nice empty patch of grass near the football fields. For once, there is nobody practicing so I can have some peacefulness.

I sit down on the bleachers and take out my sketchbook and supplies. I continue adding details to the drawing of SpiderMan I had been working on.

"I heard you sculpted me." Mason pops out of nowhere, shocking the crap out of me. I fall off the bleachers and into the grass. It still hurts.

"How did you hear that already?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"Well, can I see it?"

"I'm not some sculptor."

"Aren't you in ceramics or something?"

"AP Studio Art." I say impatiently. I want to draw. "I draw. I don't sculpt."

"Oh, you're a nerd?" He looks taken aback as if I had no brains like the girls he dated.

"What the hell do you want?" I turn and face him. "Are you trying to be an ass, or are you just an ass on a normal basis?"

"Ouch, I just wanted to know about that godly sculpture I've been hearing about."

"Well, keep hearing about it because I'm not going to show you."

I get up and leave him standing there awkwardly.

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A/N

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