During my few weeks of lying low, I made a friend! He's shorter than me, oddly enough, seeing as how most of the men around here are at least two inches taller... So he looks a lot longer than he is, but he's sixteen, like me! He's got curly, dark-brown hair, and green eyes which he hides behind big circular glasses with wireframes. He's adorable. I only have an art class with him, though, which is a bummer.
Speaking of which, I'm walking into art right now!
"Hey, Miao!" I greet, waving to him. He peeks around his easel and grins at me.
"Hi, Lily! Come over, I saved you an easel!" Returns, sticking his paintbrush behind his ear. I'm so glad that's not dripping with paint. He did that yesterday and ruined his new shirt. He likes acrylics. I walk over and look at how his masterpiece is coming. It's a still life of a vase of flowers, very renaissance, but as you look, you find smaller pictures inside every detail, but you can't look for them outright or you won't find them. Like the faces in the tree branches or folds of cloth. Once you start to really train your eyes on them, they disappear. It's really freaky.
"So, are you going to Glen's party tonight?" Miao asks.
"No. I'm not a real people person," I reply, putting my canvas on the easel. It's just a floral. Some grass, a grasshopper, some flowers... Nothing too hard.
"You should really go! It's going to be awesome! She throws the best parties, and her house is one of the largest in town. Who am I kidding? The place is literally a mansion!" He rambles, paining cautiously. I have no idea how he paints so perfectly without concentrating solely on it.
"A mansion? How did a small town like this get a mansion?" I question, getting ready to begin painting.
"Three- No, five. Five mansions, four are owned by the gangs and the fifth by Glen. Though, really, it's hers. SHe stays there while her parents go away for regular stuff. That place is their summer home. I don't even want to know what their usual home is. Probably a fairytale castle. What do you think it's like in a fairytale castle? How would you live in it? Where would you buy one?"
"Miao, Miao, hello?" I snap as he begins to drift, and he shakes his head before fixing his glasses.
"Sorry, I was rambling again, wasn't I?" He apologizes awkwardly.
"No, it's okay, it's just that you almost got paint on our clothes again." I point out, but, yeah, he was rambling again.
"Sorry, but really, you should totally go! It'll help you get the hang of dealing with this town." Miao encourages, and I sigh.
"Okay, I'll go. What kind of party is it?" I resign. There's just no saying no to this kid. He's too damn cute.
"A high school party. Wear something colorful, and... Not too formal? But make sure to dress up at least a little." He furrows his eyebrows, trying to figure out how to explain this.
"I think I got it." I assure, and he lightens up instantly, going back to painting as we chat. Looks like I'm going to a party. Yay.