R e t u r n

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"Baby"

Penelope blinked out of her daze and looked to see her boyfriend standing by her desk.

"Hmm?"

"We're supposed to get our canvases." He said in an amused tone.

The brunette furrowed her brows and looked around to see her classmates sitting in pairs with an easel and canvas set up in front of them.

"Try not to fall asleep on me, yeah?"

Penelope blushed and got up from her seat to follow the taller boy.

She wasn't tired, in fact she was quite the opposite. Her mind was awake- her thoughts rampant and loud, it was almost starting to give her a headache.

There's a football game tonight. The team was coming back after their 3 day away tour and Penelope's nerves were a bit jumbled to say the least.

The timing of the team's absence was perfect really. She remembered the anxiety that consumed her when she had to go to school the day after her conversation with Phoenix.

The boy said that he wasn't angry at her, but she knew him. He bottles up his emotions and keeps to himself until finally, he explodes. And not in a menthols-meets-coke kind of way, but rather a violent storm that only sees red. It would appear suddenly but be devastating to everything in its path.

Penelope would much prefer if the Norwegian expressed himself using words instead of fists. But, since that wasn't the case, she would try her best to be the calming contrast that he needed- because anything could set him off.

Owen himself was a trigger. So Penelope was more than happy when she didn't see him when she went back to school. She was glad to hear that she wouldn't be seeing him for the next few days after that too.

"I-um, what are we supposed to be doing?"

Phoenix's lips tugged upwards in a small smile, before he redirected her to their seats once they got the supplies.

"Just sit and put your hand on the table."

She blushed and did as he said, watching curiously as he adjusted it so that the back of her hand was resting on the table and her fingers were facing upwards.

He furrowed his brows and tilted his head in thought, before reaching around his neck to remove his silver chain.

He placed it in her palm and adjusted it accordingly, taking his charcoal pencil afterwards to press against the canvas.

Penelope found herself surprised at how talented Phoenix was. This was the first class where they actually got to execute their art, after the first few months of studying history.

She watched his short, calculated strokes begin to transform into a beautiful image, and she was mesmerized. He paused when he had drawn part of her forearm to the tip of her thumb.

"You never told me you were so good at drawing Nix."

The girl's eyes were wide in awe and she leaned in to further examine the detailed shading and pencil strokes.

The boy merely shrugged and scratched at the back of his neck.

"I'm decent, I guess."

"No, baby you're like really talented."

The boy bit his lip at the use of the endearment, but he could feel his neck warm at the compliment.

Penelope examined the drawing for a few seconds longer before getting up from her seat to move towards him.

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