The rise of the White Widow

Art class

As the morning sun streams through my window, I slowly wake up and groggily start preparing for school. Despite my efforts, the remaining effects of last night's nightmare still weigh heavily on my mind, casting a shadow over the day ahead. Descending the staircase, I try to shake off the uneasy feeling that lingers, but it proves difficult.

"Alex!" I hear my name called, a familiar voice that jolts me out of my dark thoughts.

I turn around to see Hayden standing in the doorway, a compassionate look in his eyes. He obviously senses something isn't right with me today.

"Here," he says, extending his hand to pass me my headphones. "I thought today might be a headphones kind of day." He offers a small, empathetic smile as he hands them over.

Grateful for his understanding, I nod in appreciation and murmur a quiet "Thank you" before placing the headphones over my ears and beginning my walk to school.

The music streaming through fills my ears, serves as a comforting distraction from the turmoil in my mind. Each step feels lighter than before as I gradually regain a sense of calm by the time I reach the school gates.

I pull out my timetable, scanning it quickly and notice that art class is scheduled first thing in the morning, easily my favorite subject. A tiny spark of excitement flares within me at the thought. Eager to get started on today's project, I decide to head straight there despite having twenty minutes to spare before classes officially begin.

As I walk through the unfamiliar halls towards the art room, I silently hope that immersing myself in creativity might just be what I need to push past the lingering shadows of my nightmare and have a better day at school.

As I step into the art room, I notice two teachers sitting at a table, engaged in conversation and enjoying their breakfast.

Surprised, I quickly apologize, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't think there would be anyone here." I remove my headphones as they turn to face me.

"No, it's okay," one of the teachers says warmly, flashing a kind smile. "I don't think we've met before?"

"I'm new here. My name's Alex," I respond with a friendly grin.

"Nice to meet you, Alex! I'm Mrs. Smith and this is also Mrs. Smith, my wife," she introduces themselves.

"Nice to meet you both," I say, happy to make some new acquaintances.

The teachers return the smile and continue their conversation as I ask permission to draw in the corner of the room. "I'm just going to draw over there if it's okay with you two?"

"Of course!" Mrs. Smith replies enthusiastically.

I walk over to a small desk tucked away in the corner near the large windows, offering plenty of natural light, perfect for drawing. As I sit down and begin sketching out my ideas onto paper, more and more students begin filing into the room. The once quiet space gradually fills with hushed conversations and the sounds of art supplies being moved around as everyone prepares for class.

After spending some time working on my drawing, I notice Mrs. Smith walking towards me. She stops at my desk and smiles warmly as she says, "That's a great drawing, Alex!"

I feel my cheeks getting red, but I manage to smile back at her compliment. "Thanks! It's a drawing of my brother, Hayden," I explain.

"Aw, that's so cute!" she gushes. With another kind smile, she leaves me to continue working on my artwork.

Once the art class is over, I gather my things and make my way to the next class: History. As I enter the room, I'm greeted by the sight of my classmates already seated and in lively conversation with one another. They're all talking and laughing together, seemingly at ease in each other's company.

I can't help but feel a little awkward as I walk in, I haven't been able to make any new friends yet. Trying not to let it bother me too much, I focus on finding an empty seat and preparing myself for the upcoming lesson, there's still plenty of time to make friends later on.

During lunchtime, I find myself sitting alone at a table, surrounded by my art supplies. Mrs. Smith, has given us an interesting assignment. Each student has been asked to create a portrait of the person seated next to them in class. My partner for this project is a girl named Jessica. She seems to be a reserved yet friendly individual.

Before beginning, we took each other's photographs as reference points for our artwork. I delve into the drawing process and become absorbed in capturing Jessica's likeness on paper. The first step involves sketching out the general outline of her face and features followed by her hair and shoulders.

Once I am satisfied with the preliminary sketch, I start adding depth through shading and intricate details. I pay close attention to every aspect of her face; from the curve of her cheekbones to the subtle smile playing on her lips. Gradually, her distinct facial characteristics come alive on my canvas.

Unfortunately, half-way through my masterpiece, the bell rings signaling the end of the lunch break. As my last class is a free period, I am allowed to head home early for the day. Reluctantly gathering up my art supplies and unfinished portrait of Jessica, I make my way out of school, eager to complete it in the comfort of my home at a later time.