Paper Thin

• 62: A Start •

Melody

I left the cafeteria after finding out about Cora, as I just couldn't stand to be in a room where I knew everyone was spreading lies about me. I walked down the empty corridor, towards the art room, passing Diesel on the way. He winked at me as I passed by, but I simply gave him a polite smile and kept walking.

I slipped into the art room and Ms. Foster smiled as she saw me.

"You doing okay?" She asked, my automatic response a head nod, as I sat down. I pulled out my history textbook and started to read the pages that Mrs. Dunn had assigned for tomorrow. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure you know everything that's going on... teenagers are like this. I'm used to it," I replied quietly. The door opened and Carson came into the room, stopping whatever Ms. Foster had to say next.

"Hey," he said, closing the door behind him. "How are you?" he asked me.

"Fine," I mumbled staring down at my textbook. He sat down next to me and pulled out his lunch. The smell of chicken and rice wafted towards my nose and I began taking notes once I got to the end of the page.

"Harvey texted me...it was Cora?"

"Yeah, but I'm not surprised." I continued writing, not watching for the likely sad reaction from Carson, or Ms. Foster if she was listening. I heard a container open up and I glanced towards the table to see fruit in a small, plastic bowl.

"I brought fruit today," Carson said quietly, pushing the bowl towards me.

"No, thanks," I mumbled.

"Please?" Carson asked.

"I'm not hungry." My voice sounded thicker than I meant it to, and I swallowed hard. It was met with a soft sigh, but Carson didn't say anything else, allowing relief to wash over me.

***

After school, Carson and I sat in the car outside of my house. I fiddled with my fingers as I played the question, I wanted to ask in my mind.

"You okay?" Carson asked as he watched me.

"Would you... would you come with me to this Christmas banquet Margot's book club is having? It's totally stupid and I get if you don't want –"

A kiss on my lips cut me short.

"Are you going to do that every time I ramble? Because I could totally ramble much more often..."

Carson laughed in response and took my hand in one of his. "Of course, I will come with you... just tell me a date, time and place." He squeezed my hand gently and smiled.

"Thank you," I replied. "It's a hundred percent going to suck, but at least you'll be there to make it bearable."

"The best kind of compliment," Carson teased. I laughed and kissed his cheek.

"I'll talk to you later?"

He nodded and waved as I stepped out of the car and into the cold, towards an even colder house.

***

"Alright class, winter is upon us! It's Wednesday... we're tired," Ms. Foster said. "I want you to paint a Christmas or holiday scene... whatever you think it needs to look like. It could be abstract like Picasso, or realistic, or impressionistic... whatever you want. Take it easy. It's the second last week. I'm sure you have a lot of assignments in other classes, so this will be a fun one."

I got up to get a canvas once Ms. Foster signalled us to move. She turned to put music on while everyone setup their workspaces. I leaned over to pick up a medium sized one and heard, "nice" from behind me. I turned around and saw Diesel smiling at me. I smiled back uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond, before I grabbed my canvas and quickly went over to an easel beside Emma.

"You okay?" she asked as she straightened her canvas on an easel.

"Yes." I nodded and put my canvas up. I looked at it the blank material and thought genuinely thought about the holidays. Everyone else was excited for them. I could see Emma beginning the outline of a Christmas tree. Even Jennette's canvas looked like it was headed the happy Christmas root. I wrinkled my nose and picked up a pencil, not quite sure where I was going with it. I just knew that a holly jolly Christmas was overrated and was never going to happen in my family.

***

My phone buzzed in my jacket pocket, as I rode home with Carson after school. I turned down the radio slightly and answered it immediately.

"Hey Gavin!" I said.

"Melody! How are you?" he replied cheerily.

"Good, I'm on my way home."

"Are you driving?" Gavin asked slowly.

"No," I replied. My heart was racing, and I wasn't sure if I was going to be getting good or bad news.

"Good because Scarlett Noir wants you to be in their next ad campaign!"

"Wait, seriously?" My eyebrows seemed to want nothing to do with my eyes as they shot up on my forehead in surprise.

"Yes, we shoot next week Thursday and I'll send you your call time and other details tonight." Gavin hung up and left me grinning from ear to ear with a totally clueless Carson next to me.

"What? What? What?" Carson probed.

"I'm going to be in a magazine!" I said excitedly.

"Wow! Mellie that's incredible!" Carson replied, making a right turn.

"I wasn't even sure how it'd go. I just wore this incredible black dress and walked a bit and now I'm going to be in an ad campaign!" I grinned. "It's a small fashion company based in New York, but they'll probably put my pictures in a magazine or online!"

"It's a start! An amazing start! You should be proud of yourself... I am." Carson pulled onto my street, and I hoped that my family would finally be proud of me too.

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Author's Note: 31,000 reads!! You're all amazing! Thank you so much! :) Special shout out to TheMadHatter106 for all your votes and comments! A short chapter... kind of filler but things will start happening soon! Let me know what you think might happen! Keep voting and commenting! I love reading your thoughts!