Better Than Onions

CHAPTER 6

I'm usually an easy going person. I get on well with a lot of people, as long as they are kind, caring, nice, selfless...

But Shrek is none of these things.

I glare at him as he walks in confidently, carrying a large black bag. As he unzips it, the top of a painting is revealed. My painting.

We're in the art room, where the competition is taking place. There's five us in total; me, Shrek, Sokka, Ben and Donkey. Each person has their own table with their name on a piece of paper and an easel. From what I can see, Sokka has painted an ugly picture of a rainbow, Ben has painted a dog that looks more like a dragon, and Donkey... I don't even know what it is that Donkey has drawn. It looks like Shrek is my only real competition. From the satisfied grin on his face, I think he has also realised that.

I resist the urge to match over and slap him again. At least there's a lovely purple bruise on his cheek from yesterday. His perfect nose also looks slightly dented.

The sight of his injuries that I caused sends pleasure rolling through me and I smile. Plus, Shrek might have my painting, but he doesn't know what I have in store for him.

"Julia... why are you smiling?" Dumbledore asks nervously. "What have you done?"

"Nothing! I just gave Shrek what he deserved" I say, grinning. "I had to bring in an old painting that I did of my dad but it wasn't finished, so I finished it today morning in the art room. And while I was there, I noticed Shrek's - sorry, I mean my - painting was there too so I made some changes"

Dumbledore grins. "What changes?"

I shrug. "I just thought it would look a lot better with some blue stripes and green smiley faces"

Dumbledore laughs gleefully. "I can't wait to see his face"

"Watch" I whisper excitedly.

We watch eagerly as Shrek lifts out his panting and puts it against his easel. I smirk as he steps away and then-

"WHAT!" I can't hold back my yell of shock. Because the painting Shrek just put on his easel isn't the painting I did of Katie - the painting I destroyed this morning - it's the old painting of my dad. The painting that is supposed to be in my bag.

Dumbledore frowns. "Isn't that-"

"Yes, my painting, I know" I snap. I open my bag. If Shrek has my dad painting, then which painting do I have in my bag?

I lift out the canvas and turn it around to look at it.

"Oh. No" I breathe. "No he didn't"

"He did" Dumbledore confirms.

The painting in my bag is my painting of Katie, covered in stripes and circles and faces. How did he...

"Is this your painting, Julia?" I turn to see the judge and I resist the urge to scream.

"No! I mean, yes it is but... you don't understand, someone..." I stop talking as Shrek appears behind her.

"Someone did what, Julia?" he echoes. "You mean someone vandalised it? Because you know this competition has very strict rules on vandalism"

I slowly realise that if I tell the judge that Shrek vandalised my painting, he could, and would, turn it around on me. I was the one who vandalised his artwork. What if he had a video of me doing it? He could get me disqualified and in lots of trouble...

I sigh. "No... no one vandalised it. This is my painting"

The judge raises her eyebrows as she examines it. "It's very... interesting"

I grit my teeth. Worst. Day. Ever.

Shrek smiles at me. He looks so innocent that it's hard to believe he could be so sneaky and cruel. As the judge moves away, he steps closer to me.

"You should know" he says, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm the master of pranks. You'll never be able to prank me"

I can practically feel the arrogance radiating off his body. I know he expects me to freeze up like I did back at my house yesterday.

Instead, I take a step closer to him and smile, crossing my arms.

"We'll see about that Shrek"