Caught In The Way You Got Me (Book One)

With A Little Bit More Character For Show

(Decided to do a double update today! Hope you enjoy!)

I rush into life drawing and scramble to get my easel set up. I tie my hair up in a ponytail and head to my art cabinet to grab some paper, charcoals, and a few other things I like to use. I set up quickly and clumsily, dropping a couple of things along the way but I'm able to do so in time for our warm up drawings.

"Are you finally done? Can you shut up now?" 

I roll my eyes at the dark haired girl with chronic bitch face that never fails to make a snide remark towards me. I thought bullying ended in high school. Instead of saying anything back I make as much noise as possible as I shuffle my art supplies around. She tries to say something else but I cut her off when I put my ear buds in and start playing the sweet sounds of Fall Out Boy to help me pick up my energy and forget about Kim the cunt.

The model steps out of their dressing room and drops their robe, something I've gotten used to by now. I start to scribble away as he bends and stretches, trying to make sure that my arm is loose for our longer drawings.

As class passes I'm lost in recreating muscle textures and sculpting shoulders with just charcoal and paper. It allows me to think about what to do with myself and with Brendon. I can't become attached too quickly. I know nothing about him other than today and interviews that I've seen. I'm excited for our dinner date but I have a weird feeling in my gut. I can't place my finger on it. And I wonder what it was that he smiled about when Dallon whispered over to him. And I can't help but feel like he was toying around with me a little bit.

I've decided it's best to close myself off a little bit when it comes to him. I still need to talk to Davey about everything and my next class suddenly can't come soon enough.

Just as that thought crosses my mind the model is up and back in his robe. I pack up my things back into my art cabinet and slip my bag over my shoulders. I feel a nudge and I'm not surprised to see that it's Kim.

"If you weren't so fat I'd be able to fit through without touching you," she says as she walks out of class. I stop where I am and can't help but try to hide my stomach. I don't understand her constant need to bring up my fuller figure when it doesn't affect her at all...I used to be very heavy but...I'm much smaller now...it shouldn't bother me anymore...

I head out of the class room and I'm incredibly happy to see Davey waiting for me outside. I slump over to him and rest my head on his shoulder.

"What did bitch face do?" He asks as he pats my head.

"My weight," I sigh and he pets my hair.

"She just wants your luscious curves. Let her hate on the goddess." He kisses the top of my head and I laugh. Davey's been my best friend and helping me with things like this since fourth grade.

I was walking out if the restroom during break one day and kids tried making me eat trash. Davey got in a fight with all of them and ended up suspended for a few days and when he came back we were friends. He was my only friend.

Back then he was just this short kid with scruffy hair and as we grew up he ended up being six feet tall and I never grew past five foot one. He learned to slick his scruffy hair back and everyone always used to laugh at how different we are and kept talking about how opposites attract. He's the definition of clean cut and well dressed and I got my first tattoo when I was fifteen in a garage.

"What the hell are you reminiscing about Asteria? We have to get to art history." I laugh and nod and we take off side by side. "How was your fake job?"

I feel a grin spread across my face as I remember the many gifts that my internship has brought me.

"I met Brendon Urie," I say and I can feel myself turning fifty shades of crimson.

"Shut up! The guy you've been in love with since you were what, thirteen?"

"You shut up! Yes! I'm designing the art for their new single!!!" I get overly excited and allow it to all hit me. Davey's jaw hits the floor and he grabs me by the shoulders and lifts me to his height with ease.

"Asteria!!! Are you serious?!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!!! Davey put me down!!!" He literally drops me and grabs his head.

"Congratulations munchkin!!!" He pulls me into a huge hug and I hug him back and ignore his favorite nickname for me. He opens the door to our classroom and we step inside.

"That's not it I have to tell you the rest!" We sit next to each other and get out our notebooks.

"There's more?!"

"Yes!"

Before I get to go into detail our instructor has loaded up her lecture slides and instructed us to quiet down.

We go over the Greeks and their influence on art and it goes by much more slowly than I would have wanted. It's too hard to focus after all of today's excitement. Once it ends Davey yanks me from my seat and helps me pack my things.

"Let's go. We deserve celebratory milkshakes and you need to tell me everything." He practically shoves me through the halls and to his car and we take off to the nearest diner that serves malts.

----------------

I happily start sipping away at my strawberry and chocolate fudge malt while Davey impatiently taps his fingers on the table and munches on fries.

"Can you hurry up, little girl?!"

I stop sipping and feel my stomach tighten.

"Well. After the meeting for the single art, I went to lunch with him."

"With Brendon?"

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"Like a date?"

"That's...what he called it."

"Asteria, did he kiss you?" My red face answers for him and he sits in disbelief. "So what happened??? What? What happens? Is that it?"

I tell him about our lunch and his behavior, leaving out Dallons unknown comment and he listens carefully.

"Asteria...be careful."

"I know."

"I used to be like that Asteria and we didn't get along when I was like that," he says. Images of him using girls and throwing them aside flash through my memory and I get nervous.

"I'm not saying he's like that. I just want you to be careful...especially since...well...you know..."

I nod uncomfortably and sip the rest of my shake. I hadn't even thought about my secret. Will I ever need to tell him? Will I have that many opportunities to know Brendon Urie?