"So this is where you guys spend your time when we're busting our asses on the field huh?" Zac asked amusingly. He seemed to have cooled down a little. He wasn't crying anymore, and the shaking was gone too.
"Yep, this is our artsy kingdom" I answered proudly.
"And Evan is undoubtedly the king" Ms. Parks joined in. "He's at the top of all art classes" I couldn't help but feel flattered and slightly proud. I loved what I did. Art was me in my full glory.
"He doesn't really look like the artistic type" Zac told Ms. Parks, who agreed.
I didn't remember how long we've been here, but at least 2 classes went by. I helped Ms. Parks with all the classes. Zac watched like it was the most fascinating thing ever, and I could've sworn that half the time he was watching me and not the actual art. He would have this passionate look in his eyes that made it feel like he's looking at me like I was the most precious thing in the world. Weirdly enough, I wasn't surprised. Because that's how I look at him too. If anything merely harmful was to go Zac's way, I was going to crush it. But before crushing things, I made sure that he was okay.
Zac//
It's unfair to say that Evan was good at art. He fucking owned it. He knew everything there is to know. What colors to mix, when to use this one, when to use that one, when to highlight and when to shade. He was brilliant. He looked at art supplies like they were the most beautiful things ever. That's how I looked at him.
I kept asking myself, how was I so lucky? What did I do to deserve his innocent soul? Sometimes I would feel like my mother sent him to me from above, she was always protective of me, and even though he was small, Evan was the same.
"You good?" he asked after he finished teaching some student something. I was a couple feet away marveling at the drawings and paintings hung on the walls of the class. Which was larger than regular classes by at least 3 times.
"I'm okay" I said. With him by my side, I was always going to be okay.
He held my head between his hands and lowered it just a bit, and kissed the top of my head like I always do. This was the first time he does this.
"Whenever you do this, I feel like everything is going to be okay. That you are always by my side and with me. It makes me feel safe, and I hope it works for you too" he explained.
"Awwwwwww" I forgot that Ms. Parks was here gushing over us.
They were lucky to have her. She was nothing like coach Cooper.
<><><><<>><><><>
Evan//
"Your class is the next one, so you better get ready. I can't take on them on my own" Ms. Parks told me. I was sitting on the floor with Zac's head resting on my crossed legs, and his body stretched on the floor.
I ruffled his hair, "Get up heavy ass".
He got up just as students started to flow in one by one. They looked tired which is predictable since it's the last class of the day.
The last one in was Raiden. He looked beat up too.
"Hey what's he doing here?" Zac whispered, pointing at Raiden.
"He's in our class. do you know him?" I wasn't sure why Zac was asking about him specifically. I really hoped that he wouldn't have any troublesome history because the guy seemed cool.
"How the fuck"
"Why what's wrong?"
"Ev he's on our team"
"So?"
Zac seemed like he was getting annoyed with me, and I still couldn't tell why.
"How can he be on the team and in Arts when they both happen at the same time?"
"Well I don't know"
"He was here last time too when I came after I got released from hospital. But I didn't think he was here the whole time"
"I have a magical idea. Let's go do this thing called 'Ask him'"
We went to his station; he was busy setting up his tools.
"Hey Aiden, what are you doing here?"
"I'm not Aiden" Raiden said.
"It's not Aiden" I said.
"Aiden is my twin, I'm Raiden" oh.
"Well that makes much more sense" Zac said.
"This is so cool!" I shrieked.
We started working on today's sketch. Zac stepped aside and was watching us from a distance. He looked genuinely interested in what we were doing. I never would've thought that Zac would show any interest in art. He just didn't look like someone who would be. Artists see art in everything, and Zac didn't have that vision. But he did see beauty, and that was close enough.
Whenever I glanced at Zac, he looked lost in his thoughts, and I didn't want that to happen. I needed to busy him with something so he doesn't slip away.
I left Raiden to work on the sketch of the fruit bowl by himself and turned to Zac.
"See that empty station right at the end?"
"Yeah what about it?"
"That's mine. I want you to paint me something"
"You sure you want me to use your paint? Aren't you like religious about them or something?"
"I am, and that's how you know how much I love you. Now go, and remember, art isn't like football. No aggression, No agility, and no challenging others. Just you, the brush, and the canvas. Now draw me like one of your French boys" I joked and it was really funny but he didn't laugh. He actually seemed nervous about doing it which I found amusing.
He started to walk there "There's a color chart don't forget to use it" he gave me a thumbs up and went ahead. I continued tutoring Raiden and left Zac to himself.
Time flew by when Ms. Parks was clapping that time was up. Unlike other classes, Art is the one class no one remembers to check the time. No one bothers to do it either way because everyone is expressing themselves, and when you do that, time seems endless.
I pat Raiden on his back. He did well for a beginner. I went to check up on Zac who was holding the big brush with red paint on it.
"Ta Da" Zac faked enthusiasm.
It was actually, "Not bad! Not bad at all!"
"Really? Do you like it?"
"it's really good I love it. You can actually tell it's me and that's good for a first timer." I appraised him "You have talent kiddo, you can be a great artist if you want to"
"Do you really think so?" Zac asked hopeful as hell.
"Listen to Evan, he's right" Ms. Parks chimed in, "I like the red signature, though try make it smaller next time"
"Are you guys okay?" Raiden, who I didn't see standing by us, asked. "I saw, well everyone saw what happened today, and I just wanted to make sure you are alright"
"I think as long as I have Evan by my side, I'll always be okay" Zac said in which I couldn't help but hug him from behind. My arms went around his waist, and my lips sneaked a kiss in his neck which he generously showed it for me.
<><><><><>
When we arrived home, Zac went straight up to his room, while I went straight to the kitchen. Mom left a note on the fridge saying that she came home early and left, but she didn't have time to cook. Though she fed Toe and that's good. I figured we should eat two of the microwave meals we had in the freezer. I took 2 of them out and set them on the counter to defrost. Meanwhile I went up to my room to get changed.
The weather today was really warm so I put on my pajama pants and a white t-shirt. I knocked on Zac's room but he didn't answer. My heart immediately shot up and I opened the door lightning fast.
I sighed heavily when I heard the bath water running. He was just taking a shower.
I went back downstairs to cook up the meals. It didn't take much time, and I was on my way up with our food, and two cans of coke.
I steadied the tray on my lifted knee for an instant and opened Zac's bedroom door. I figured we'd eat lunch in his room. He didn't hear me enter. He was sitting on the pavement on his window, in nothing but blue boxers that were a nice contrast to his pale body. His head was resting on the window pane, which was reflecting sunlight. Yes, actual sunlight in this ridiculously dim town.
I put the tray on the floor next to his bed and walked towards him.
"Scoot over" I ordered him in which he obliged robotically. "Still thinking about it?"
"A little" he replied with sadness in his voice.
"Baby, if you're worried about the kids at school, they can all suck it up. It's not their business"
"I'm more worried about the team. They will never look at me the same. They're not like your little supportive art crew.
"I see. Well if they do not support their own captain when he needs it the most, I don't see them as a team" he seemed like he was taking everything in slowly.
"Come on, I got us food, let's eat and we'll talk about it afterwards." He thankfully didn't argue.
We dug into our food and it was gone in minutes.
"You did a lot of painting today" He said after we put our tray and plates aside. I didn't quite understand.
"What do you mean? I didn't paint anything today actually"
"Yes, you did" he repeated, then took my hand and rested it on his heart. His skin was warm against my colder hand but he didn't flinch away. "You painted a lot of things here today, things that I'll never forget for as long as I live"
"Awe where were these corny stuff when we were eating" he finally laughed. I had a crazy idea.
"Can I, like paint on you?" I asked sheepishly. I really hoped he'd say yes.
"Paint on me? Like actually paint on my skin?"
"hmm"
Teaser for next chapter: #TheCindyThing
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