Chapter Two - The Girl Who Lived

A Chapter by Taylor Ann

Skylar

My notebook laid across my lap as I sketched out lines. I would occasionally glance up at him, and when our eyes met I would quickly look down.

For my caricature I brought out his broadest features. His freckles covered his nose and cheeks while his hair swept across his forehead in gentle waves. I couldn’t help but smile as I outlined each aspect of him.

I looked up to find his baby blue eyes gazing back at me. “I can’t seem to get it right,” he sighed, ripping the paper out of the binds. He threw it on the ground beside him into the growing pile of crumpled up papers.

I set my notebook down on my stool as I got off my chair. He watched me as I reached down, picking up the piece of paper and unfolding it. I felt my mouth slightly drop as I looked down at the sketch. It was me on paper. My hair and skin looked smooth as my eyes were detailed in every way, each eyelash curling up perfectly. I looked up at him, “I think it’s perfect.”

Grayson shook his head, “It’s not perfect. Every draft I create never looks right.”

I stood up, our eyes leveled. “Why not?” I asked quietly.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “No matter how hard I try, my drawings never end up looking as beautiful as you are. They don’t capture everything that I see.”

I blushed deeply, looking at the ground, trying to hide it. I smiled covering my cheeks, “That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me,” I whispered.

“It’s true, though,” he said.

I gazed up into his swirling irises. “Thank you, Grayson.”

He smirked.

Sitting back in my chair I started adding details to his face, darkening the lines around his eyes and expanding his smile. He truly looked like a cartoon. I laughed evaluating my work. Grayson looked up from his notebook, “I look pretty hot in your journal, don’t I?” He joked.

I laughed nodding my head, “Oh, yes, very.”

Mr. Calahan’s voice rose. “Next week projects are due. I need the drafts done by Monday and the painted version by next week Wednesday. If you miss the due dates, it’s an incomplete until you turn them in.”

Grayson’s gaze caught mine. “If I’m ever going to get this right I think I should get to know you more. You know, for academic purposes.”

I giggled. “Oh, really?”

He grinned. “Are you doing anything tomorrow night?” He asked.

I thought about my schedule. “No,” I said, “I don’t think so.”

“Cool,” he set down his pencil as the bell rang, “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Meet me at the park around seven.”

He stood up closing his notebook as I followed him to the shelf. “Seven?” I smiled, “Why so late?”

Grayson turned, the tips of his shoes touching mine. “That’s when the fireflies come out,” he whispered. “That’s the best time of night,” he grinned, “See you then.”

prev chapter