Moments of Collapse

Chapter 1 - A drawing

I watched as she moved the pencil quickly, but gracefully. I couldn't see what she was drawing-or writing-but I could see that she was into it. I leaned into the isle, the chair creaking a bit, for the desk was old and worn out. I could only see part of what she was sketching. She was flicking the pencil as if she was drawing fur. I leaned a little more, the desk creaking on only two legs. She moved her hand to cover the drawing, her dark hair whipped around and before I could catch myself. The desk tipped over, sending me to the floor. "Fuck." I could feel everyone's eyes on me. I could feel her eyes.

"Are you alright Elizabeth?" The concerned teacher asked from the front of the room. "Yeah," I cleared my throat climbing to my feet. My cheeks burned as people around me tried to stifle their laughter. Everyone but her. She was laughing quietly to herself, as if she didn't care if I heard.

"Quiet down class," Mrs. Benson hushed everyone, but the girl continued to laugh. "Marina, is there a problem?"
Marina looked up from her drawing, "No, of course not. Carry on." Her voice quiet, but loud enough for everyone to hear.

She waited for the woman to turn her back to the class, so she could turn to face me. "Are you okay?" Her voice hardly a whisper. With every silent second I sat there, admiring her beauty, the corner of her lips rose slowly. She tilted her head slightly to the right, signaling for me to answer her.

"Marina, turn around." Mrs. Benson barked. Everyone's heads turned, facing our direction. Although it wasn't me being called out my face still burned. Marina didn't listen. She continued her genuine stare. "Marina." Mrs. Benson's voice more demanding as she said Marina's name through clenched teeth.

I don't know why I couldn't speak, I've spoken to this girl many times. I've held eye contact with her before but never like this. Never have I seen so much of her like this. She looked at me as if she was reading me, dissecting me. Analyzing all that I was just by a tilt of her head and the curl of her lips.

When I finally found the words to say, and the strength to speak them, her dark hair whipped back around, the faint smell of vanilla filled my nose. Why did she pay so much attention to me? Why did she care if I was okay? She laughed harder than anyone in the room.

"Get your journals out and start free writing, I'd like to see what you come up with." Marina leans to the left to pull her journal from her backpack and that's when I finally saw what I was looking for. It was an eye. She was drawing a particularly large eye.