𝐆𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 [elmax story]

Chapter 14: Scholarship Art Content

  The paintings were all set on the school's panel on a row. All the students were watching them carefully, like if it was a museum. Some of the students had already voted while the other part still needed time to think. Max and Vic were coming across the panel, trying to find Jane's painting.
  "We don't even know her sign." - Vic exhaled.
  "She uses her last name with a font like it's a doctor writing."
  "Wow, you know every detail, I'm impressed."
Max slightly rolled her eyes.
While searching around, Victoria's eyes caught a painting which was: a redhead girl with a white dress, holding a fox on her left and having a pair of ram's horns on her head. The girl on the painting looked exactly like Max, which confused the latina girl.
  "Max?"
  "You found it?" - the girl ran to her friend and was shocked when she faced the painting.
  "Isn't this you?" - Vic pointed the the girl on the painting.
Max's eyes went wide. She found herself on a painting which seemed amazing. The horns on her head looked more like a symbol on that painting.
  "This is Jane's one." - Vic found the sign of her. - "Mierde! That's so fucking amazing! She painted you!"
  "I... Why... why would she paint me? I-I don't unders-s-stand..." - the redhead's mouth started mumbling. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw this fantastic art standing on the school's panel.
Some students were watching the painting and Max at the same time, murmuring that she looked exactly like it.
  "You got famous so fast." - Vic smirked at her friend.
Before Max could say something, more like stuttering, someone cleared their throat behind the girls. The two of them turned immediately and had a surprised look to see Jane standing there, having this shameful yet blushed face.
  "Um, hey."
  "Hey there, artist!" - Vic greeted happily. - "You did an amazing job! It's magnificent!"
  "Thanks." - Jane shyly smiled and looked at Max who wasn't knowing what kind of emotion to show: angriness as Jane had ignored her, sadness as they have been distant to each other for some time, or happiness Jane painted her in the most beautiful way ever.
  "Does the horns represent my zodiac sign?" - Max asked with a low tone.
  "Yes."
Vic understood her place wasn't there and decided to leave her two friends alone, saying she was going to see the other paintings.
  "So?" - the redhead shrugged.
  "I'd like to talk to you in a quiet place."

The two girls found an empty bench on the school's yard, away from the other students. Jane nervousness was at high level.
  "I'm listening." - Max tried to keep her serious face, even though she wanted to show how happy she was for the painting.
  "So, as it was obvious, I decided to get in the competition doing a painting for you. I did it as an apologizing way. I'm sorry for being a bad friend to you. You were always there for me, but I wasn't. I kept having a distance from you, I had some shit to own myself, doesn't matter."
  "So, you're basically saying you were dealing with something and that's why you were distant from me?"
Jane nodded in shyness.
  "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry. I'd never want to lose a friend like you."
  "Well, I can't stay mad anymore at you, not after the painting you did for me. And you're competing with it, I'm happy." - the redhead finally smiled.
Jane felt relieved now, like a weight left her chest. She pulled out her cigarette pack and offered one to her friend, who didn't hesitate to take one.
  "I haven't asked you, how's it with Eric?" - the brunette tried to force a small smile.
  "We broke up."
  "Oh... What happened?"
  "Well, um... we were not bonding. It wasn't meant to be together."
Jane nodded. A part of her was happy she broke up from him, but on the other side she felt sad for seeing her friend sad.
  "It hurts?"
  "Actually... not really. We could have been good friends, but not lovers. I hurried when I took that step, it was childish."
  "At least, you tried it."
  "Yeah, kind of had an experience." - Max ironically said which made Jane chuckle. - "When will the winner be announced?"
  "In two hours."
  "Are you excited?"
  "Not really. It's just a competition. I'm happy you liked my art."
  "Of course! It means a lot! And that fox on my arm was so cute, and the horns! Where did you get that kind of idea?"
  "Fox represents fire and just like fire you're passionate, independent and intelligente. As for the ram's horns, I just wanted to show everyone you're an incredible Aries."
Max felt her cheeks flushing by her friend's speech. It made her feel even better after those depressing days. Max was now, actually, feeling how much she missed Jane and was so happy they were talking again, like before.

  Two hours later, all the students were gathered around the paintings' panel, all standing on their feet, waiting who was going to be the winner. One of art's professors were making an introduce to all the students who were competing. This was the most boring part for Jane. She was rolling her eyes every two seconds and wanted to leave that place immediately, but Will didn't let her go. The professor started giving the three prizes. When it was the time to announce the winner, he made a small pause. Everyone was waiting for the name. Max had this good feeling, making her stomach tingle, her heart telling Jane was going to win. The brunette seemed quiet bored from all of this, but her friends seemed very excited.
  "The student who wins the Scholarship Art Content is..." - the professor made another pause, making all the students sigh in annoyance. - "Jane Hopper!"
The crowd started applauding and cheering. Jane's eyes widened and her body froze. She didn't know what just happened but she felt all her friends jump on her happily, yelling in excitement. The brunette, after processing all what happened, started laughing and hugged tightly her brother.
  "What the fuck just happened?"
  "I'm so proud of you!" - Will kissed her cheek and hugged his sister once again tightly.
After breaking the hug, Jane shyly went next to the professor and took her certificate before looking at the crowd and nervously waving at her friends.
  "Would you like to say something?" - the professor whispered on Jane, feeling the girl was nervous.
  "No, thanks." - the brunette whispered back and smiled before shaking hands with the professor.

Jane's paint was the only one set on the school's panel, taking a lot of attention. The brunette would never believe she would win this competition while using Max as a reference. Now they had to celebrate. All the friends were already getting drunk in the party, enjoying the loud music and dancing along with its rhythm. Vic and Lucas decided to join the crowd, celebrating their friend's win.
  "I'm gonna head to the toilet." - Max stood for the chair slowly, feeling dizzy because of the alcohol.
  "I'm coming with you." - Jane did the same and followed her friend to the bathroom.

The toilet was a place to relax ears. It was an aesthetic toilet which had a small corridor with mirrors on every wall's corner after a bathroom door and a long woody bench in opposite. Both friends sat on the bench, looked at each other and suddenly started laughing randomly.
  "I'm so happy you won it. You deserved it, anyway." - Max put her hand on Jane's thigh.
The brunette couldn't respond now, she was busy having goosebumps around her body. On Jane's face a smirk started showing, slowly licking her lips. Thinking she wasn't being seen, Max, actually, could see that smirk by the mirror in front of them, which made her tight the grip around the brunette's thigh. When Jane raised her eyes to meet Max's ones, the redhead was already smirking in the same way.
  "You know what," - Max started saying. - "Fuck it." - she confidently grabbed her friend's cheeks, kissing her right on the lips.
Jane's confusion didn't last as she gave herself into the kiss, softly kissing the beautiful girl next to her. Her hand ended up on Max's thigh, squeezing and rubbing it in a sensual way.
Vic entered the hallway dizzily and had a big gasp when noticing her two friends kissing.
  "Dios mío! Gotcha!"
Jane quickly broke the kiss and looked embarrassedly at Vic.
  "Um... fuck!" - the brunette stood up in a rush and entered the bathroom in opposite, slamming and locking the door behind, leaving Max and Vic mouth-hanged.
  "What's up with her?"
  "You scared her!"
  "Whatever, I'm so happy for you, my friend!" - Vic hugged Max and gave her multiple kisses all around her face.
  "Okay, okay. Go take another drink now."
  "Another reason to get drunk!"
Max laughed with her friend's behavior and knocked on the door next to her.
  "Hey, you okay in there?"
  "Ah... yes!"
  "Can I get in? Vic is not here, it's just me." - Max reassured and heard the door get unlocked. She got inside and found Jane sitting on the WC, her elbows resting on her knees, head hung down. Max sat on her knees, on Jane's level and placed her hands on the brunette's knees.
  "Are you okay, for real?"
  "It was embarrassing."
  "Vic knew it since the first and she was so happy to see us like that. She likes playing around like that, especially when she's drunk as fuck."
  "Oh... Still embarrassing."
Max started laughing which made Jane feel less tensed.
  "You're cute when you're shy."
  "I'm just... willing to learn about relationships and these kind of things, whatever they're called. I'm all new to this."
  "It's okay, we can make it step by step. If you want to."
  "Yes, I do." - Jane slowly nodded.
Max grabbed her hands and made her stand up from where was sitting. Before going to open the door, Jane bend over to give Max a small kiss on the lips, which made the redhead smile even more.