Anything But Ordinary ☯ Josh Hutcherson [unedited]

Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Josh's POV

As she was opening the door I could feel her nerves and I realized that whatever she was about to show me, she normally didn't let other people see and I was genuinely flattered.

"Okay so... don't go thinking I'm a freak" she warned before pushing the wooden door open.

I walked inside and stopped dead on my tracks after the first two steps I had taken. I looked around the whole room where there were paintings  in different colors, shapes and themes.

"Wow" I whispered as I finally got out of shock and walked towards them to examine them one at a time.

"You painted these?" I asked in awe at such beauty that she was able to create with her own hands.

"Yes" I heard her say quietly.

"You're really talented" I stated.

"You seem surprised" she said and I could hear a smile in her voice, so I turned around to look at her.

"I am. You don't look like the artistic type" I answered truthfully.

"Appearances are deceiving... someone like you should know that" she said as she folded her arms in front of her chest.

"Yeah I do know the whole 'Don't judge a book by its cover' my mom it's a huge fan of that saying" I stated.

"Maybe you should be more like your mother" she said with a grin. I snorted.

"Whatever".

"Typical teenager behavior" she said and rolled her eyes at me.

"How old are you?" I asked suddenly. She looked like she was 15 or 16 (because she had a baby face) but she talks like if she were older.

"I'll be nineteen next month, why?" she answered. I just stared at her

"What?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing, you just look younger, but I'm just a year older than you" I replied and she nodded.

"I get that a lot... anyways, come here. This is my favorite one" she said nervously as she grabbed my arm to pull me closer to the painting she wanted to show me, which was next to the window.

I stood in front of it and just got lost in the detail. It was the face of a girl holding a rose close to her face and a tear rolling down her cheek. There was so much sadness in her eyes that it moved me, it was amazing that she could capture the feeling that way.

"Why is she so sad?" I asked quietly and when I looked beside me at Liz's face, she had the same sad expression as the girl in the painting and a far away look in her eyes.

"Her world is filled with all the bad stuff that she used to avoid. Love is a foreign concept to her since she lost her mother and now her life is empty" she whispered.

It was obvious she was talking about herself so I turned to face her and pulled her in for a hug. She stood there frozen as if she didn't know what to do in response but then wrapped her arms around my body and placed her head on my chest. Then just as quickly she pulled away and looked anywhere but me.

"You should go" she said slowly as if she was getting out of a haze.

"But why?" I asked concerned, someone that upset shouldn't be by themselves.

"I want to be left alone, leave" this time there was an edge to her voice, she was closing in her feelings, keeping them inside for no one to see and then I saw her eyes turn cold.

"Liz, don't do that" I pleaded.

"Go Josh. I don't need your pity or your sympathy" she stated in a tired voice.

"Do you need anything?" I asked.

"I.Need.You.To.Leave." she pronounced it slowly, pointing at the door.

"You know where to find me if there is something you need" I whispered before walking out.

Liz's POV

I didn't need him to feel sorry for me.

I really didn't need to have this urge of crying in his chest, with his arms around me, so I did what I do best since my mom died, closing myself to showing any kind of emotion.

As soon as he walked out the door I broke down in tears.

After five years of her death I still missed her like if it had been yesterday that she was brushing my hair and telling me I was the light in her life. My dad didn't give a shit about me then, and he doesn't give a shit about me now so I have no one, just myself. But who cares? All I need is me.

I'll go through life trusting only me, myself and I....