Art of love [gxg]

Chapter 2 - Caitlyn

| January 25th | Wednesday |

"Okay class, settle down." Mrs. Perry says when she starts art class, which is my last class today. "As you know from last week, you're going to start your partner project today. This is going to be one of your last grades for this school year." She adds.

Everyone has been going wild last week when Mrs. Perry first announced our partner projects. We're supposed to make a sculpture together. Split in half, so each side is one of us. It sounds like a really fun project. But my problem is my project partner. Last week Mrs. Perry told us who our partners are going to be and mine is Alexandra Gomez. It's not like I have anything against her but we just don't have anything in common and are so different. And the fact that we used to bully her just makes things more awkward.

My freshman year wasn't my proudest time. Gina, Isobel and I used to be friends with some seniors, who made us bully Alexandra and other students. We were too scared to speak up about it, too worried that we'd be their next target. Most of the time we had to bully Alexandra because apparently she looked gay and like a big nerd. Now that I'm thinking about it again, she kind of looked cute. Turns out that most of the people who made us bully her are gay now too and probably just had a lot of internalized homophobia in them.

I mean..look at me for example. I wasn't really sure about what I did back then but turns out I'm gay too. It still hurts that I used to bully someone for the same thing I am now. I haven't told anyone yet though. I only realized a few months ago and I'm not planning on coming out to anyone soon. I just feel so bad about it and I don't know if I can just act like nothing happened. But school isn't the right place to talk about that.

"In those two periods now you can start to plan your sculpture and get some material. The rest you'll have to do at home. So make sure you don't forget the tools! And now, everyone get into your pairs!" Mrs. Perry tells us, clapping her hands together. Everyone starts to get up and sit together in their pairs. I take a deep breath and then get up as well, walking over to where Alexandra is sitting.

"Hi." I speak up shyly, which makes her lift her head up immediately. She's always sitting alone. Doesn't that bother her? "Uh..hey, wanna sit?" Alexandra replies while pulling the chair next to her back. "Thanks." I smile awkwardly and then sit down next to her. "So..we don't really have to get any material, since my dad has a whole workshop in our basement. But we can start to plan everything?" Alexandra explains and I raise my eyebrow at that. "Your dad does sculptures? That's awesome." I reply and a small smile appears on her face. "Yeah, it's really cool."

The rest of the class went by pretty quickly. We finished planning out everything and agreed on me coming over to her place at least twice a week. That way we should be done pretty quickly, I guess.
I'm currently on my way to meet Gina and Isobel at the parking lot. Since planning committee is only starting in an hour we're going to grab something to eat at Taco Bell. When I arrive at the parking lot I find them both already waiting at Gina's car. "Hey, how was art class?" Gina asks curiously, wiggling her eyebrows at me. They both know that Alexandra is my project partner and have been teasing me about it none stop. I'm not sure why though. I shrug as we get into her car. She starts to drive. I'm sitting in the back, in the middle, while Isobel is on the passenger seat.

"It was fine, I guess. Her dad has a workshop in their basement where we can work, which is cool. But I'm kinda nervous about going to her place on Friday." I mutter shyly and Gina looks at me through her mirror for a second. "And why's that?" I can hear her smirk. I roll my eyes. "I know you think that we would get along so well if we'd get to know each other and stuff but we literally have nothing in common. And we don't know each other, so how would you know?!" I groan. "To be honest, I don't think Alexandra wants anything to do with me." I tell her in a groan and Gina hits my leg at that. "Hey!" I whine annoyed, but she and Isobel just laugh at me.

"Look- I've spent a week with Alexandra in Spain and it was really fun. She's actually super cool and nice and I think if you'd just give her a chance you two would actually be good friends." Gina tells me and then pats my knee before pulling away again. I sigh. "I just don't think she'd give me a chance."