Were's the Love?

Chapter 52: Imaginary Nibbles and My First Case of Vacation-itis

There! Perfect!

I smile as I look at the drawing, comparing it to the original sketch. The happy faces of two of my senior students smile back at me twice. It's perfect. The two pictures look almost identical and I'm pretty sure I'll be the only one who can tell which one is the original. Not that I think my students will care. I've been giving away these types of sketches for years and nobody has mentioned being upset that they got a copy instead of the original drawing.

Then again, that's probably because I make sure I always give them something I've drawn by hand.

I know what you're probably thinking. But Jason, why are you wasting your time redrawing everything when you could use a copier to do it? And that makes sense, but I've never liked that idea. I don't redraw every image in my sketchbook. Just the ones with more than one person in them so I can give one to each of the people I drew. It wouldn't be fair if some people got something that was hand-drawn while others got photocopies. Plus, a photocopy can't duplicate the feeling that I was trying to capture as well as I can.

Thankfully, I don't have too many pieces I need to copy this year. I don't have too many that I'll be handing out to my students either. About half of the pages in my sketchbook this year are filled with images of the same person and I don't think I need to tell you who that is.

Actually, this will be the first year she'll get any of my sketches.

It's not that I didn't draw her before this year. I did. I drew her almost every day we bumped into each other. I just didn't give her the drawings at the end of the year like I did everyone else.

I know I should have, but I couldn't. Every time I tried to approach her with her portraits, I got nervous and chickened out. I mean, what if she didn't like them? What was she going to think when she got a stack of portraits while everyone else got only one or two? Would she think I was creepy or stalking her? I didn't want that and I definitely didn't want to have to admit the truth. I couldn't.

I mean, how could I tell someone that, despite everything in our pasts and the present circumstances, I was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with her? How could I tell her that when, after a year together, I still haven't been able to tell her how I feel?

I know, I know. I said I was ready to profess my undying love to her and I was. I had it all planned out. After the concert, we were going to go back to the hotel, have some cake, she'd open her wolf necklace, and I'd tell her while I helped her put it on. After that, I was going to spend the whole night making love to her until she knew, without a doubt, how much she meant to me. It was going to be perfect!

Then her stupid ex showed up at the concert and ruined everything.

Sorry. I know I shouldn't call her ex-boyfriend stupid. I can't say that he's smart. I don't care how great the other woman was, you'd have to be an idiot to cheat on someone as beautiful, intelligent, and kind as Allison.

The problem is I think when he saw her again, he realized what a huge mistake he made. I could see it the moment he came over. The way he ignored his date and kept checking her out instead was frustrating. Poor Kelly deserved better. It took a lot of self-control to stop myself from growling every time his eyes lingered on Allison longer than they should have. And, man, did they linger.

I'm not sure Allison noticed, but after the concert started, Matt couldn't keep his eyes off her. I caught him staring at her almost every time I glanced his way. I know it was petty, but whenever I spotted him staring, I made sure to remind him who she was with and kissed her. Not that it seemed to deter him any. Sure, he'd turn away for a little while, but a few minutes later, he'd be staring again! I honestly couldn't wait until the concert was over so I could get Allison away from him. I thought that once we were alone again, everything would be back on track and we could have the romantic evening I had planned for us.