Startled awake by loud music from my alarm I crawl out from my mat. Mom was at the computer, completely zeroed in on what ever she was working on and dad wasn't down here.
"Where's dad?"
"Oh, you're awake, he's upstairs making coffee and breakfast. The coast is clear." My mom answered startled a bit by the sudden interruption.
"Okay." I say grabbing the blanket heading up stairs. It was pretty cold in here. Walking into the kitchen I take the toaster strudel and coffee he made and take a seat at the bar.
"That was some fun last night wasn't it?" My dad chuckled.
"Yeah, sure if that's what your idea of fun looks like."
It seems my life has gotten very interesting since I turned 21. And that's a generous term.
Eating my strudel and drinking my
coffee quietly. Usually I'd take Sammy on a morning jog, but I'm running late. And considering last night I was feeling a bit hesitant.
However, I did sleep pretty okay, deep enough
to sleep through my first two alarms. I must have been really tired, and I have always felt safe with my parents, maybe sleeping next to them helped.
It's been awhile since Sammy slept next to me too, he's an old man and likes his own bed by my rounded window. My room was the coolest in the house, I had seating that sat on top of a single layer of book shelving. In the shape of a half circle, the windows were carved with designs that gave my room rainbows in the right light. Sammy had a bed on the floor space in front of the books.
After finishing my breakfast I rush up
the stairs to get ready for class.
I wash my face and brush my teeth,
applying only mascara and lip gloss, I comb my hair and pick out an outfit. Deciding on a light blue pair of jeans and light pink hoodie that had a cute bunny with a bloody knife on the front. I grab a pair of matching light pink
vans. Grabbing my keys and rushing out the door.
"Dad, I love you, please take Sammy out, I don't have the time for our jog."
"I know, you're late, go." My dad said waving his hand at me.
I get in my car and drive to school.
Last night was so weird. The nightmare, the creeps, the sleep I got with my parents. I text Josie and Brooke in our group chat to let them know what happened.
My first class was sculpting and today we'd be taking home our statues.
I've always had this fascination with butterflies, Greek and Roman art, and angels.
So I sculpted a face and put paper machete and satin butterfly wings as ears protruding from it's head, to give it two different mediums. The wings were a silver and black color but the head was the same color of the white sculpting clay.
The eyes looked away, giving the appearance of staring off into the distance. I don't really know what inspired me to make it, but to sound vain for only a moment, I really liked this piece and was okay with people seeing it and knowing it's mine. This piece didn't
have my soul, it had my future. I don't know how to put it into words exactly. But it's like a transformation, that's the best way I can describe it.
When the professor brought it over to me, everyone stared at it. I didn't work on it in class much and when I did I was always way in the back. Mrs. Blackstone knew I didn't like it when people saw me work, but also knew what I was capable of, I never allowed her to
disclose who made most of my sculptures that she had displayed.
But this one, it turned heads. It stole the breath from onlookers. Everyone's mouth dropped when they saw I had made it.
People hummed with surprise when they
looked from me to it.
"That's a really incredible piece."
"I can't believe this is what your art looks like. It reminds me of a tiktoker I watch."
"It's amazing, are you planning to sell it."
"Would you consider doing commissions?"
I was bombarded with attention and questions, it was overwhelming for me. I couldn't think, let alone answer all their questions.
"Um, thanks, I don't usually let people see my art, but I just felt like this one I could share, it sounds totally weird, but it was like it wanted to be seen. I don't know, crazy idea, huh?" I said awkwardly laughing and rubbing the back of my head.
"No I get it. It's like it has something it needs to show the world." A student said walking up.
Moving to the side some, I could see Jared, Brooke's boyfriend walking in. We've been in the same class as him since grade school every year, he'd always had a thing from Brooke, before finally giving him a chance. Since then she seems pretty happy about it. And they look good together.
"Hey Jared, what are you doing here?" I
raised my eyebrow curiously at him.
"I'm switching classes." He answers.
"This late into the year?" That's odd.
"Yeah my professor quit so they needed
to find me another class, this was the only one with an open seat, so I took it." Jared said walking up.
Guess that adds up.
Everyone started returning to their seats after they realized I was done answering questions.
"You really made that? That's incredible." He said looking at it intensely. He seemed really shocked I was capable of this.
"You've always been into art, I guess that something that never changes." Jared smiled a familiar smile.
"Yeah, I actually make a lot of things I just never show them to people and I tend to give them away randomly to people I see."
"That's pretty neat, why did you start doing that?" He asked genuinely curious.
"Because my pieces started to pile up. Then one day I saw someone watching a tv in the window, it was of some wolves in the snow and something said to give her the painting I made of a rainstorm in our woods. So I did, I asked her, her name and asked her to meet
me back at the store in one hour, that I had something I wanted to give her. I went back and fetched the painting and gave it to her. She asked my name but I didn't give it her my name. I want to remain anonymous."
"Why?" He asked. Lots of questions today, huh Jared.
Before I could answer the professor announces to the class that she's giving us an extension by one day for our mid semester exam.
Which is cool, I guess. I didn't need it though.
I leave Jared, carrying the head in my hands.
"I've got some free time before my next class so I'm heading to the courtyard with seating near the outside heaters."
"Oh my class is that way, I'll walk with you." Jared said.
I smiled and said "Okay."
Feeling really happy about how liked my work was I didn't notice at first the two men approaching. When I did I stopped dead in my tracks with my mouth hanging loosely open.
A bit of anger rose inside me.
It's the guy from the bar! What the hell? Is he stalking me?
No, maybe not, by the look on his face he looks just as surprised as me.
The dean noticing our stare down asks "Do you know each other?"
When I say "No" he says "Yes." At the same time.
I scoff rolling my eyes at his response. He's just some rude guy with anger issues that talked shit to me at a bar. I would classify that as knowing me.
The dean looked confused but decided to
introduce me, anyways.
"Mr. Ashborne, this is our star student artist, she won't let us present her with her work, but her work is remarkable and I wish she would." He was gleaming with pride when he spoke of me, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt.
"Is that so? How interesting." Teased Mr. Ashborne.
I guess that's his name.
"Yep, now if you'll excuse me I have class." I trying walk around them but he grabs my hand, pulling me back.
Almost tripping backwards I stumble going straight for the ground, but at the lat second, he catches me, wrapping his arm around me.
It made my heart flutter in a way I've never experienced. My breath got caught in my throat and words caught in my mouth. He was so stunningly beautiful, there was no looking away, gazing into his dark silver eyes, he gave me a seductive smile making it so I was almost lowering my guard.
Almost.
"Could we talk later?" His words snapping me out of my daze.
Pushing away from him.
"Who are you talking to' cause I know
it's not me?" I snapped at him "and don't touch me."
He treats my like crap one second and then he asks to talk to me the next? What's his deal? Is he bipolar?
His face darkened and his seductive smile dropped instantly turning into a frown.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Jared approaching he had a look of anger on his face. One I've never seen him with an angry face, not a day in my life. But he looked terrifying.
The two of them stared at each hard for a moment.
"I will come and find you." He said in a low growl before turning and leaving. Steam practically boiled from his shoulders as he walked away. Murderous intent was radiating off him.