Art Boy

1.

Lila ran cold water over her sore thumb in hopes of the cold numbing the pain. "You alright" Mia ask from inside one of the stalls. Lila twist the knob on the sink, turning the cold water off and grab a brown paper towel to dry her hands.

"Yea no worries. Its all good" Lila says when she exits the bathroom. She made her way down the school hallway to her last period class. Breath, she whispers to herself before knocking on the door.

It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It's going to b-

Mr. Joan opens the door and she looks him in the eyes as she says her final words. "I can't do this. The boy is crazy I tell you" Lila whispers under her breath looking towards the back of the classroom where the boy sat. His dark brown hair fell over his face and his body was hunched over the table as if he was defending something.

"Crazy" Lila says to herself but also to the teacher.

"He's not crazy" Mr. Joan says shaking his head "just different".

"So basically he's crazy"

"Lila" Mr. Joan says sternly and Lila knew her time of speaking was over and it was now time to listen to what he had to say. Even thought she was going to disagree with everything that would come out his mouth.

"No one else in the class wants to work with him" he says desperately like this was going to change everything.

"Maybe because he's crazy"

"Lila"

"Sorry"

"Your one of my best students" he says and Lila rolls her eyes at this, because of course she was. Art was her favorite class and probably the only class she was passing. She took art school on Saturdays and had classes over the summer. "I know. I know what your thinking " he says running a hand over his shirt and regaining his teacher like posture "but Lila this isn't a choice for you to make".

"What do you mean it's not my choice? He stabbed my thumb with a pencil for crying out loud! And have you seen his eyes? He's crazy! I asked him what he was drawing and he stabbed me!" Lila says begging for mercy but judging by the look in Mr. Joan eyes he was done arguing.

"You'll only have to sit next to him for this semester but for now go back to your seat and resume drawing the- well whatever you was drawing" he says walking away towards his desk and brushing the conversation off with a hand wave. Lila glared at his back in anger and stomps off to the back of the classroom.

I can do this. I can do this.

The boy glance up at Lila and turn back to his drawing.

Nope, I can't do this.

She turn to Mr. Joans desk and it was as if he could read what Lila was thinking. He made a gesture towards her seat and she sighs as she pulls out her chair and sits.

"Okay" she breaths "let's try this one more time"

Lila rubs at her thumb where he had stabbed her.

"I'm Lila" she says picking up her pencil and turning her white construction paper over for a fresh start. She began to draw what she had pictured in her head. A park with the sun directly hitting it. Simple but creative enough for Mr. Joan to give her a good grade.

"I can't believe you stabbed me" Lila say moving her hand across the paper in a swift motion. She stops and giggles, and repeats herself "you actually stabbed me", because saying it once wasn't enough.

"I just wanted to see what you was drawing" Lila says glancing over at his paper but like before his body was hunched over the desk defending his drawing. She looked back at her paper, her drawing almost complete.