Canvas Hearts (now published so sample only)

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I saw Serena's face fall the moment her team lost. Feeling bad for her, I raised my sign 'better luck next time', and let out a whistle. Gabe's head swung in my direction because he knew my whistle.

He walked over to Serena and tapped her on the shoulder. Gabe pointed to me so she'd face me. Her look of defeat didn't change until she glanced at me. The sign I made had a picture of every art class we'd attended from the non existent fruit to the shadowless angled bowl from the other day.

She made her way over to me with a rueful smile. I had hoped to cheer her up but I wasn't sure if it had worked.

"You're an awesome friend." She exclaimed in the moment before she hugged me.

I hadn't expected that and neither had the audience who paused to watch us. As awkward as the moment was, it also felt poignant.

"You know I made one for Gabe too, just in case he lost." I told her as she released me with a gasp.

"He'll never lose as long as you're in the audience, I should've known that."

"What?" I couldn't hide my surprise.

"Maybe next time I'll have to kidnap you. Then I'll get my win." Serena rubbed her hands together and a cheeky smile appeared on her face.

"I'm going to ignore the kidnapping comment, and go with, what the heck are you talking about?"

"I think your mum's right."

"If you don't start making sense I may have to shake you." I warned her.

"Gabe's confidence comes from you. He stood up there, looked straight at you and the words poured from his mouth. If you weren't there, I'm pretty sure no words at all would've left him. Everything with Gabe comes from your presence." She finished and looked at me kind of awed.

"I'm sure it's not that." I floundered to answer anything she'd told me.

"You need to see the world that's outside that arty head of yours. Trust me, I'm right."

Serena hugged me one last time as Gabe approached me with a beaming grin. Even as I congratulated him on his win, I kept hearing Serena's words echoing in my head. I recalled the very few times that I hadn't attended his debates. I'd either been sick or away. Every time, he'd stayed with me or he hadn't gone at all. I'd always thought that it was sweet of him to stay with me but maybe it went much deeper than that. What if I was the reason he won his debates?

"You okay over there, Bear?" Gabe asked.

"I'm fine." I knew I sounded vague but I was a tad struck down with amazement right now.

"Celebration ice cream here we come!" Gabe cheered.

"Nope! We are going home so I can wash this stuff off me and then we have shopping. After that you can have celebration ice cream." I told him just to throw him off guard.

It worked perfectly. He paused, stared at me, opened his mouth to say something and then stared a bit more. This funny grunting noise escaped him and I had the strangest feeling that he wanted to kiss me.

"Do I have too?" he whined.

"You suggested it, so yes, you have to come with me."

"Are you guys going shopping? I'll join you if Gabe doesn't want to go." Serena said happily.

"As much as I'd love to say, yes, Gabe owes me this shopping time. We can definitely go shopping together another day." I told Serena.

"And she hates shopping as much as I do." Gabe pointed out.