Part 8

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

I tried really hard to get this chapter out today and I'm falling asleep as I'm writing this now so this might be a mess! I hope it's not though ;) Enjoy!

8. Arya

I am in class and whilst everyone is settling down, I remember the last week. It had passed in a blissful blur. Whenever I wasn't in class, preparing for class or doing extra work to soothe my anxiety about failing, I was with Seth. On Monday he was allowed back on the soccer field as he had recovered fully from his slight head injury. Afterwards I had been waiting for him in his room and we celebrated his recovery in his shower.

It is true, what they say, the more often you sleep with each other, the better it gets. The insecurities that were deeply engraved in my mind started to fade, although I was still concious about his touch whenever he would hold my hips or trail loving kisses down my belly.

I'm still not fully convinced that that will ever go away. For years I have trained my brain to hate my body, hate myself. It's going to take more than Seth caressing every inch of my body, licking and sucking at my neck, kissing that sensitive spot right above my belly-button sending chills down my spine and making me crave all of him...

"Listen, everyone!" Mrs Fuentes, the Spanish mother-like art professor, shouts, clapping her hands.

As I look around the room, I notice that all easels, chairs and supplies have been pushed to the walls, leaving a large open space. For the first time I get a good look at all the other students, taking this class. Until now I hadn't really cared about the others. Surprisingly there's an equal amount of women and men.

"It has been a month since we met so now it is time to get serious." Mrs Fuentes announces, a bright smile on her face. "All of you have been hand picked by us, the professors, and our sponsors so we expect you to grow to your fullest potential. Now for this semester we have chosen a group project for you to work on."

I'm fighting the urge to grunt in annoyance. This never goes well!

"I know what you're thinking! But you're wrong. This is going to be fun! I want you to form groups of four: two men and two women in each group. This is important because we want equal gender representation, alright?"

Everyone nods, looking around until one guy raises his hand.

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" He asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"That's the fun part! It is up to you... Well, not wholly but mostly. Your work will be inspired by an influential artist. When you have formed your groups, it is up to you who you will base your work on. You may choose whomever you want and you can create whatever you want individually as long as your works are cohesive! Also I will need you to write an essay about why you chose the artist, why you decided to create your piece and of course how you created it. I would like you all to start now, work on the project in your free-time and make this your best work so far. This will make up fifty percent of your grade. Now, get to know each other and form your groups. I want to know the artist you choose by the end of the week."

Overwhelmed and anxious, I look around the room as everyone starts walking towards each other and introducing themselves. Wrapping my arms around my body, I automatically move back a little, disconnecting from the group.

What are you doing? Go! Introduce yourself! I tell myself but my body is frozen on the spot and I have all of a sudden forgotten how to move, speak or think all together!

"Hey!" Someone says and I jump slightly. "Oops, didn't mean to scare you. I'm Erich and you seem just as uncomfortable about introducing yourself as me, so I thought - her! Her I will go speak to."

I manage to smile and reach out my hand to Erich.

"I'm Arya. Thanks for making this a little less awkward."

"That's what I'm here for!"

Erich grins, his whole face lighting up. He's about as tall as me and definitely dressed to impress. Navy skinny jeans, a crème coloured long sleeved shirt, a matching bow-tie and converse sneakers make him look like he jumped right out of an H&M catalogue.

"So do you think you could bare spending time with me? Because if you already think I'm irritating, wait until I start talking about art." He lifts his eyebrows at me, putting his hands on his waist.

"I think I can manage as long as you can take me being picky and very type A about things."

"Yes! Perfect!" Erich grabs my hand and turns around. "Let's scout two more. Hmmm let's see..."

We stand in the centre of the room, searching for someone who would fit our eclectic group. I spot a guy animatedly talking to a tall girl and point at them, getting Erich's attention.

"What about them?" I ask.

"Not sure... let's go say hi." Before I know it he has dragged me towards the two and happily introduces us. "I'm Erich and this is Arya, we are prepared to become best friends for the course of this semester and we would like you to join us."

'Uncomfortable about introducing himself'? Yeah right! This guy is the most confident person I have ever met!

The tall girl giggles, tucking her hair behind her ear. She has a short blonde bob and is actually extremely gorgeous up close. What's with these college girls being superiorly beautiful. How is anyone supposed to live up to those standards?

"I'm Collin and this is Emma." The guy steps in, wildly moving his hands as he speaks. "Emma is deaf so please look at her whilst you speak so she can read your lips."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Erich calls, turning towards Emma. She smiles politely and shrugs, clearly used to it.

Collin, also quite tall with sand coloured hair and brown eyes, faces Emma, mouthing first Erich's name and then mine whilst clearly spelling it with his hands. Emma then turns to me, her expression changing slightly. She starts signing to Collin, still looking at me and he starts to translate.

"She wants to know if you really want us to join your group." He says.

"Of course. I would really like that. Why would you ask that?" I try to enunciate properly, facing Emma.

Once again Emma starts signing and I start getting uncomfortable again. Did she not want to be in a group with me? Why would she ask that? Maybe she had seen my art and hated it.

"Emma really admires you and she didn't think you wanted to be in a group with us as we are both merely beginners." Collin translates. "But I think that she's being modest. We're both really good at what we do so I'm not surprised you chose us."

A bit taken aback by Emma's compliment and Collin's confidence, I giggle.

"Well, the wonder child is ours now!" Erich chimes in. "I think we have found our group. Now all we have to do is get all our egos in check and decide on an artist."

This should be fun.

A few hours later, I am exhausted but nonetheless sitting outside at one of the picnic tables with Seth's laptop, researching the artist we have decided to base our work on. The sun is just settling, when I save another article to the bookmarks, my eyes glued to the screen.

I feel someone sitting next to me and look up.

"I missed you." Seth turns to face me and reaches out his hand to touch my face. I lay my face in his hand, enjoying his skin against mine. Taking his other hand, I place a kiss in his palm.

"I missed you, too." I was so busy I didn't notice until now how much I actually wanted to see him. "A lot." Seth leans in to me, softly pressing his lips to mine. I will never get enough of his kisses.

"So, how was your day?" He asks, pulling away, a brilliant smile on his face. The last rays of sunlight illuminating his face. God, he is beautiful.

"It was... really good actually!" I start playing with his fingers. "I met some really awesome people today, Seth. We're doing a group project for our art class and we're basing it on an artist that influences us! It's going to be great. I'm in a group with Erich and Emma and Collin. Honestly at first I thought I couldn't do it. I couldn't talk to anyone let alone introduce myself but everything went better than I thought!"

"Wow, two guys and two girls? Your professor trying to play match maker?" I know Seth is trying to hide an expression from me but I see right through him. No matter how playfully he tries to say it, I know me being in a group with two men makes him uncomfortable.

"So we chose Banksy. You know, that street artist from the UK?" I ramble, ignoring Seth's jealousy and trying to divert his attention. "Collin wanted to do Monet and Erich wanted to do Niki de Saint Phalle which I thought was awesome but a little cliché. So when I suggested Banksy, they were all on board! Isn't that great?"

He smiles. "I'm proud of you. Just this past week you have come so for."

I know he's not trying to hurt my feelings and he's probably just as tired as I am but I expected a little bit more enthusiasm.

"What's wrong?" I ask, wanting to get whatever is bothering him out of the way.

"No, it's nothing." He mutters under his breath whilst trying to create more space between us. He's hiding from me and I hate that. He doesn't want me to see this side of him. The emotional side.

"Please tell me. Whatever it is, I want you to feel like you can talk to me about anything." I assure him, taking both his hands and pulling him back to me again.

Seth sighs, looking down to avoid facing me.

"Please..." I almost beg. "It would make me feel a lot better."

"I'm just... Why do you have to be in a group with two guys?"

So he really is jealous!

"Don't worry it's not like you think. I'm pretty sure Erich is not interested and Collin is probably with Emma although I didn't ask. Frankly you have nothing to worry about!" I scoot closer to him and swing my leg across the bench, so now I am straddling it.

I cuddle up to Seth's side, wrapping my arms around him, my lips against his shoulder.

"You are the only man I want." I mumble against his shoulder. He chuckles, relaxing at my touch.

"Sorry? I didn't quite get that." He teases.

"I said, you are the only man I want!" I say more clearly now.

"Nope, still didn't get that. There must be something wrong with..." I shut him up by crashing my lips against his. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pull him closer to me, sensually moving my lips against his. In a sudden burst of confidence, I catch his bottom lip between my teeth, gently biting it, causing a deep grunt to escape from Seth's mouth.

He quickly pulls back, his eyes on fire. He jumps off the bench, grabs his laptop and then my hand, pulling me up.

"Get it now?" I ask, laughing as he drags me after him. I know where we're going. His room.

Seth doesn't say anything, instead he stops short, glancing down at himself and I burst out laughing at the bulge in his pants.

"You clearly get it!" I say in between fits of laughter.

"Are you laughing at me?!" Seth calls as he pulls me into the dorm building.

"No!" I protest, still laughing.

"Oh you will regret that." He threatens and my whole body starts tingling with excitement.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" I challenge back, running my thumb up and down the back of his hand.

"That is a promise and you better believe it, Missy."

***********

I think we all know what's happening next chapter, huh? Clearly you're all into the smut so I'm going to incorporate it into the story more :)

Please don't forget to vote and comment as it makes me super happy!

ALSO I'm not one of those writers who gets super pissed/annoyed when spelling or grammar errors get pointed out so feel free to do that as I usually don't edit *cringe*

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net