Acceptance

chapter 11

LENA -

It has been over a month since the incident at my work with Wiliam. He has not shown his face around me or any of our friends. I feel bad for him after the accident. He just is not the same. I have today off because after school we are driving about an hour outside of town to go to a haunted house. I love Halloween but I do not handle haunted houses too well.

I remember 2 years ago we all went to one together and the actors could grab on you and I got my hair pulled and a clown jumped out in front of me so I punched him out of fear. I felt terrible afterward but everyone else thought it was funny.

Since I don't have work today after school I go home and start to work on the painting I have been working on. It is a portrait of my father and I have spent the last few months trying to make it perfect. The only ones who see my work are my mom and Freddie because he is often the one to help me when I get stuck. This piece has a lot of meaning to me. It is one of the few photos I still have of my father. I set a timer on my phone to let me know when it got close to them getting out of classes and it started to ring loudly.

I get up and pick up all my paint stuff and look at the picture I have been working hard on until it is finally done. I put it on the easel to dry so it won't get touched or anything spilled on it. I change into a pair of black ripped jeans and a burnt orange sweater that has a ghost on it that says stay spooky. I slip on my shoes and as I am my door opens and all my friends walk in.

I jumped up "What the hell guys do you not know how to knock what if I was naked !!" I yell and they all laugh.

"Girl we all know you wouldn't change with the door unlocked plus your mom said it was cool to come up." I roll my eyes and they all spot the painting and walk over to it I feel my heart race nervously.

"Okay fine let's go then," I say trying to get out of there quickly but they do not move.

" Wait, did you paint this," Theo asks? I look down and sigh and shake my head yes.

" yeah I did now can we go please..." they all stare at the painting and then look back at me.

" Why do you hide your work? It is eye-catching Lena. It is amazing you are so talented." I looked down, nervous, not knowing what to say because I had not let them see my work at first. I was super embarrassed about how I painted. Hearing that they love it makes me feel like I have a knot in my stomach.

" Thanks, guys, now let's go. We have a long drive ahead of us."

We all head out to the car Griffin is driving Jamie in the passenger seat and I am between Theo and Kriag. I look over at Kraig and he is staring at his phone grinning I nudge Theo and make him look and he smirks.

"What are you smiling at Kraig," I ask and he jumps and shakes his head.

" Huh nothing, don't worry about it guys." he says I grin.

"Come on Kraig we are your best friends you can tell us anything.'' he lets out a long dramatic sigh but then smiles.

" Fine, I met someone and I wasn't going to tell you guys because it is still new!" I jumped up and punched him in the arm.

"How could you not tell us what her name is and when can we meet her!!!" he whines and rubs his arm.

" That is why I did not tell you guys yet and you will meet her when I'm ready for you guys to meet her, sorry but yall can be intense." he jokes and I roll my eyes and rest my head on Theo's shoulder.

We finally get to the haunted house when we get out. Theo groans and stretches and I smile. " Perks of being on short car rides don't suck!" he laughs and rolls his eyes at me.

"Well at least I can see the top self of things!" I gasp and pretend to be offended he just smiles at me.

" don't worry just because you can't see the top self does not make you any less cute.." he says with a grin I turn bright red as we walk up and pay I look around nervous at everyone in the costumes and we haven't even entered the actual attraction yet. I can feel my heart rate speeding up and the knot in the pit of my stomach. I feel like i might be sick.