Painting The Bad Girl's Portrait

Chapter 8

Diana had not gone to the art room the following Thursday after school. She had said nothing yet to Mr Jones about her refusal to paint Alex. She was still building up the courage to tell him; there was also the small fear that he would simply force her to paint Alex, regardless of what she said to him. And for one, Diana knew she couldn't bear doing so anymore.

During first period, she'd see Alex in math class, seated in her usual position at the other side of the room. At first Alex tried to catch her eye but Diana was adamant about ignoring her and every gesture that she made in her direction. She was done.

It was the day of the first game of the season and that was all the buzz throughout school. As usual, Diana kept her head down and went about her business. It was any other day for her as she cared as little about school sports as she did about the school itself. She was glad when the school day was over; the weeks just seemed to get longer and longer. All Diana wanted to do was head straight home and get some rest before her shift that night at Tracey's, but her plans were instantly cut short when she got a text from her mother telling her she had a meeting at work that had come up and needed her to pick Tyler up from school.

So rather sluggishly, Diana got onto the bus heading in the direction of Tyler's school.

"Why are you here?" Tyler asked the moment he caught sight of Diana standing awkwardly by the elementary school gate.

Diana knew that he had not asked out of spite. He was genuinely curious, seeing as it was usually their mom that picked him from school. Yet, Diana couldn't help but feel there was a tinge of disappointment in his voice.

"Hey Ty," Diana said, pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind as she smiled at her brother, "mom had a meeting at work so she sent me to pick you instead."

"Oh okay," Tyler replied. The disappointment was clear in his voice this time.

"Is there a problem?" Diana asked, cocking her head slightly to the side as she looked at her brother dressed in his school uniform below her.

"No, It's just that I don't want to take the bus."

Diana wasn't sure how to respond to this. The few times that she was the one to pick Tyler from school, they had to take the bus home, seeing as she didn't have a car of her own. Hell, she didn't even have her license. But her parents' refusal to get her a car was on them, not her. Diana couldn't help feeling that Tyler was being a little unfair.

"Come on, let's go home," Diana said quietly as she turned to leave the school.

"TY-LER!"

Diana turned immediately, recognizing the little girl running towards her brother. Truth was, she would probably recognize that face anywhere. After all, it was nothing but a younger version of Julia's.

"Stacey," Diana said, smiling genuinely, "how have you been?"

Julia's younger sister, Stacey looked up. Her face was slightly red from the running she had just been doing, and her breath came out in small puffs. "Hello Diana, I just came to say bye to Tyler before he left."

Diana nodded her head and watched for a few seconds as the eight-year-olds conversed between themselves on whatever it was that eight-year-olds talked about. She felt a calm rush over her as she watched them. They both seemed at peace, so innocent, oblivious to everything. That was, until Stacey looked up, running her fingers absentmindedly through her pigtails.

"How come you don't come around anymore? You used to come home with Julia every day."

Diana swallowed quickly as she stared into Stacey's large blue eyes.