Drawing Lessons

A Happy Accident

Head down. Walking quickly. Books held in front of him, shielding him from the torrent of people shoving through the hallways. Nonetheless, he got knocked around. That's just how it was for someone as small and frail as Steve, and he was used to it. He turned a corner, only to crash full-on into someone much larger than him. Steve's books went sprawling around him, his sketchbook fluttering in the air, his treasured set of art pencils coming open with a crack, sending the expensive pencils scattering.

"Ugh..." Steve groaned, picking himself up and beginning to collect his things. He didn't even look up, since there was no doubt in his mind that whatever jerk had knocked him over this time had long since walked away laughing.

"Hey, this yours?" A male voice asked from his left, closer than expected. Steve looked up to see a brunette holding his sketchbook open and flipping through it, awe clearly written on his face. Steve finished gathering his worn out pencils and put them back in their case in order of h9 to b6.

"Yeah." Steve replied defensively, knowing that he was talking to Bucky Barnes, the biggest track star and ladies' man of his entire grade. He wanted to escape, but this jock was holding his sketchbook, and he wanted it back.

"They're really good." Bucky told him, carefully closing the sketchbook and standing up, reaching a hand down for the smaller boy.

"Not really..." Steve trailed off, ignoring Bucky's hand and pushing himself up. Bucky retracted his empty hand, recovering quickly and instead giving Steve his sketchbook.

"Well, they're better than anything I've done." Bucky spoke with a friendly smile as Steve quickly snatched the sketchbook from his hand.

"You draw?" Steve looked up, momentarily caught off guard.

"Well, I try to, anyway. I'm not very good." Bucky said, looking intently at the tile floor.

"Well, just keep trying. You'll get it, I feel sure." Steve wasn't usually one to give encouragement to others, especially those of a higher social status than him, which was basically everyone, so he wasn't exactly used to doing so. But, Bucky had actually helped him pick up his stuff and been generally kind to him, so he felt inclined to be kind back.

"I doubt it." Bucky said. "I'll never be any good at that. Especially compared to you." Bucky gestured at the sketchbook in Steve's hand.

"I could... I could teach you sometime... If-if you want..." Steve offered, already kicking himself for saying something so stupid. Bucky Barnes, of all people, would not be wanting to take art classes from a little runt like Steve.

"I'd love that." Bucky said, smiling his ever-charming grin.

"Really?" Steve was astonished. That had worked?

"Yeah. I can use all the help I can get. You free after school?" Bucky asked, fully aware that the hallways were almost deserted at this point, and they were both definitely going to be late for whatever classes they were headed to.

"Wait, you mean today?" Steve asked, still surprised and unsure of what to do in such a situation.

"Unless you're busy?" Bucky added with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not." Steve responded a little too quickly. He had no life, but he didn't exactly need someone like Bucky to know that.

"Great. My house sound good?" Bucky continued.

"Sure, sounds fine." Steve replied slowly, still struggling to grasp the fact that Bucky Barnes was talking to him. The more they spoke, the less real it seemed.

"Wonderful. It's not far, I usually walk. Meet me at the flagpole after school and we'll go together?"

"Alright." Steve said. Bucky smiled. Steve didn't smile back immediately, rather just stared off into the space between him and Bucky's bicep, completely zoned out. A little bit concerned, Bucky put his hand on Steve's shoulder and shook it gently. Jumping a little, Steve snapped back to reality. He wasn't used to friendly gestures like that, as he didn't exactly have many friends. He looked up at Bucky and smiled uncertainly. He wasn't entirely sure what he was supposed to do. The bell rang, signalling the start of class.