The Makeover

3

Edited

"A mind wants to forget,

but the heart will always remember."

Anonymous

I entered my first class the next Monday and sat at the back, fitting comfortably into the familiar, plastic chair. Knowing that no one was going to sit beside me, I took it upon myself to give my bag a seat.

My hands ran over the newly, varnished wood of the classroom desk, gingerly. The light scent of lavender that the janitors used filled the air. It made my nose itch, almost as if I was lying face down in a field of flowers.

People filed in and continued chatting to their friends as the bell rang. The sound of their voices travelled, but their words were drowned out by a mixture of high-pitched squeals and boyish laughter.

To pass time, I opened my spiral notebook and started doodling on the backside of it. I had always loved art, but I had never thought of it as a realistic occupation. It didn't mean that I loved it any less, only that not as many people would know about my hobby. It was amazing how it could transport me to a completely different world without moving me from my seat. I could drown in the feeling all day.

I began to draw basic patterns and then expanded them, almost filling the page. Once I felt like I was done, I ran my hands over the rough paper. I could feel the grooves where the pen had dug too deeply, reminding me of when the land was ploughed over at my gran's farm. The black, cosmic swirls suited the paper, like meaningful tattoos etched into the skin.

"That looks beautiful."

I slammed my notebook shut instantly and looked up to be met by a hazel-eyed boy with an unreadable smirk being showcased on his lips. He wore a blue t-shirt and I couldn't help but love the colour.

"T-Thanks." I stuttered dumbly, mentally facepalming myself. You had one job, Katie. One job.

When my eyes met his, the smirk on his face turned into a calm smile, exposing his pearly white teeth for just a second before they were gone. I immediately felt at ease and sent him a smile of my own.

"Why did you cover that work of art in your book?" He asked while nodding, with a slight tilt to his head towards my notebook which was still shut.

"Sorry, I guess you just took me by surprise." I apologised with a nervous chuckle.

"I didn't mean to. Please continue." He protested with a genuine smile. He stood awkwardly for a second, looking as if he was contemplating something. "I'd love it if you'd let me sit next to you - if your bag doesn't mind, of course."

I couldn't help but notice the way the dimple in his cheek kept appearing, disappearing and reappearing.

"I don't think this guy has a choice in the matter, really." I said after a while, patting my bag and placing it on my side.

He chuckled to himself quietly before sitting down and taking out his own notebook. It was blue and had cars all over it. An involuntary smile tugged at my lips.

After my weird mini-inspection, I cast my eyes upwards and tried to catch a sneak peek of his face. When he had been standing over me, I hadn't really wanted to stare at him and scare him off but now seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Apparently, it wasn't.

As soon as I lifted my eyes, they met his since he'd probably had the exact same idea as I had.