jasper | part one (completed)

Chapter Seventeen

Soon after Mum and Jasper had left and I had admitted to Tanner that I, in fact, was too much of a pussy to sneak into Mum and Jaspers room to scab paint, he was called in for work. But not before he had promised me a movie/pizza night at his house.

Ugh, I was so unsure about Tanner. Yeah, he was hot as fuck and had the personality of an angel but something felt... Off. Maybe it was the fact that I was a total bitch whilst he was not, we were basically opposites. But opposites attract, right?

Sure I was attracted to him, but did I find myself falling in love with him anytime soon? Probably not.

The next day I had brought my sketch of Tanner to my art class. I had already finished the assignment and something itched inside me to finish it. I wouldn't be able to paint all of it without him there of course, but I could definitely try and start on the basics. 

"So a little birdy told me you met up with Tanner," Juliana raised a brow in amusement. 

"Oh really?" I mumbled, my attention focused solely on the sketch of Tanner. I threw on an old apron, placed an array of paints on my palette and set the sketch on an easel. 

"Yea- wait is that a drawing of him?" She asked hurriedly, a tone of disbelief in her voice.

I turned to her, my eyes wide with joy "You could tell?". I was hoping I had captured his beauty properly.

She groaned, "Only you Lauren, literally you're the only person I know that prefer to paint the man over sleeping with the delicious hunk."

"Sometimes I can't control my urges," I shrugged my shoulders and began to paint a light peach colour onto the canvas. Tanner was tan, funny I know, but I'd have to build the colour up over time.

"It looks great," Juliana scratched her chin, "but I reckon it would look more soulful and all that cheesy crap in black and white."

"You think so?" I muttered in thought.

"Yeah, and if you stuff it up it's easier to hide," she said.

I nodded my head, she was right. Painting in monochrome would make it much easier to hide all the mistakes I was more likely to than not make. Knowing me it would be riddled with little imperfections here and there, one would call them unique but I call them pains in my ass. 

"But do whatever you want, he'll look hot either way," She shrugged before moving onto her write up. With each painting we were assigned, we were to write a write up discussing why we chose to paint what we painted, what it means to us, how it relates to the topic and how we painted it (materials, techniques etc.).  It wasn't hard, just tedious. 

I buzzed with excitement as I began to paint light shades of grey on the sketch of Tanner, this way I wouldn't have to actually look at him to paint it. That didn't mean I wouldn't ask of his presence, though.... He was nice to look at. 

I was heavily immersed in painting when Mr Finley called for attention. I looked down, my apron and hands were splotched in different shades of grey. I was a mess. I wiped my dirty hands on my equally as dirty apron and focused my attention on Mr Finley who stood proudly at the front of the class. 

I guess I could understand why Jules had a crush on him, yeah he was older than us by a few years but he was a fit, handsome man. He had a nice angled jaw and a matching, strong greek nose to suit. I wasn't one to go for older men, but he wasn't bad. 

"Before you begin to pack up, remember that tomorrow we are helping set up the hall for next week. If you have any pieces you want in the exhibition make sure to get them finished before tomorrow," He said, adjusting the glasses on his nose, "I expect you'll all be attending next week as it is compulsory, please let me know if you can't make it. Also once you have completed your write ups please hand them into me, they were due in today but as we know more than half of you are slack and probably partied all weekend. I need them in before next week, I cannot stress this enough." 

I turned to Juliana, "What's happening next week?" 

"You didn't know?" She played with her nails, seeming uninterested, "when we finish a topic the school always holds a big art exhibition to brag about their talented students."

"That's so cool!" I burst with excitement, "so will all the students be there?" 

"Yup," she yawned, "all the snobby little arseholes, don't be excited they think they're better than us. Our class always gets shoved to the back of the hall where it's like dead silent." 

My shoulders slumped, "Oh." 

"Stop being such a downer, Julie!" Joanna pranced over to our table, a bright smile on her face, "it's actually a lot of fun, she's just being dramatic!" 

She bounded over to my side and nudged my shoulder, "How was Tanner?"

She sent me a creepy wink before a knowing smile played on her lips. 

"He was fine... I guess" I mumbled nonchalantly, it wasn't like we did anything too exciting. 

"How big?" 

"What?" I spluttered. 

She leant closer and whispered in my ear, "his dick." 

"I don't know, " I groaned, yet I had seen it... among other things... I was too out of it to actually remember anything mathematical, "just leave me alone." 

Ugh, there I was once again frolicking around the other gender. First Kevin and now bloody Tanner. I didn't even mean to 'get in' with Tanner, I didn't want to. It didn't help that Juliana and Joanna both were rooting for me to get into his pants asap. Sure, I wouldn't mind doing the deed with him, he was hot as fuck but I didn't exactly want a relationship with him, whilst he seemed adamant on the matter.  

An innocent blush coated her cheeks as she pouted and mumbled a 'fine'. 

It pissed me off, they didn't get it. I had told them plenty of times that I wasn't 'ready' for a relationship, that I was taking a 'cooling off' period. Yet, they were resolute and determined to hook me up with Tanner. I get it, they were young and they probably hadn't experienced half of what I had so they were bound to be clueless and immature every now and then... right? 

I also understood that Tanner was hella attractive and could make any girl swoon, but that didn't mean I should've felt obligated to date him. I'm sure if Tanner was ugly as all fuck and stayed over Julianna's house after that party she would have tried to dispose of him asap, and would not have called me if he asked about me... right? Because that's what friends are for, keeping you away from the ugly fuckers, yet most hot people I knew were assholes so what did that mean? 

Was I only attracted to Tanner's appearance? 

What if Tanner was hideous? Where would he be now? Definitely probably not pining for me to call him, he probably wouldn't have even had the chance to talk to me at the party. Was I that shallow? 

Maybe. 

I shook the consuming thoughts away and packed up my mess. 

A/N: Heyo! I thought I wouldn't make it, but I did! Literally earlier today I only had just half of the chapter written... Sorry if half of the chapter seems like a messy tangent, I was in a bit of a rush to finish it. 

Now I have to study... not before the chapter questions though! 

CHAPTER QUESTIONS: 

Is Lauren shallow? What do you think? 

Lautan or Jasren? (Tanner or Jasper, for those of you who didn't get it lol) 

You excited for this book to finish... soon? 

For those of you like, 'what, it's finishing already!?' - you excited for the second book? Yes, there will, hopefully, be a second book aha.