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Chapter 26 - Modern Art

Chapter 26 - Modern Art

Anthony didn't talk to me for a while after the Dan incident.

He avoided me at breakfast the next morning, and we walked to school together in silence, headphone crammed into Anthony's ears, booming out music. He didn't text me in the day, which was very unlike him, and on the way back, it was the same silent treatment.

It was really starting to get to me by the end of the day. Had I done something wrong? It was almost like he was pushing me away, and it hurt.

It hurt so bad, so much so that it was keeping me up, not that that was anything new.

Instead, I was painting, although I had lost my usual enthusiasm in art, which never happened.....

Art was my escape route usually, so why couldn't I use it today?

I put down my brush, angry tears rolling down my cheeks. The one time I really needed to zone out, I couldn't.

My thoughts were interrupted by the door opening softly, and Louis creeping in, before closing the door behind him and walking over to my bed. He took one look at me, and seemed to get what I was thinking immediately.

"Budge up!" He said, smiling softly at me before jumping under my duvet next to me, and putting his cold feet on me, causing me to let out a little squeal of objection.

Then he pulled me into one of his magical hugs and whispered, "Now, what's the problem?"

I didn't even stop to think about what I was telling him, I trusted him instantly.

"I think I've done something wrong, although I'm not sure what, and I'm getting the impression that Anthony is pushing me away," I mumbled into his chest. "And it's making me feel terrible, I want him as a friend, if I can't have him as anything more.... Louis, you've known him for longer than I have.... Have I done something wrong?"

Louis paused for a second to wipe away my tears before starting slowly.

"He's just a teenage boy, and trust me, we get things quite wrong sometimes, and because of our man pride, we don't back down."

I laughed softly at the idea of Louis having man pride.

"Hey! It's not such a foreign idea!" He objected, sticking his tongue out at me, only proving my point, therefore making me laugh more.

"Anyway," he continued, "the point is, I don't think you've done anything wrong, just give him some space, ok?" I sighed slowly, before looking over at my art book.

"I couldn't even paint tonight," I mumbled to him. "And that never happens."

Louis carefully picked up my book and began flicking through the pages slowly, looking at the art work I'd produced.

As the pages turned, his eyes became wider and wider, and his smile bigger and bigger.

"You never fail to amaze me," he whispered, looking at the last picture before passing me back my book. I took it slowly before pulling it to my chest. Even though Louis was a close friend, I felt a little defensive over my art.

"I know what will distract you!" Louis said, clapping his hand like a little boy.

"Do a drawing of me, and I'll do a drawing of you!!!" His face lit up with pride at his idea.

Suppressing a giggle, I tore a blank page out of my book and chucked it over to Louis with a pencil as he shuffled to face me. Grabbing the pencil, he squinted at me eagerly before starting to madly draw.