Paint Stain <Lashton>

VII

I see myself and many artists like me as the torchbearers through these dark ages. ~John Zorn

Luke's POV

I got out of my black car and walked towards the school, classes had already started but I was not entirely sure I wanted to venture to where I might find some art kids. After all, last night was a little awkward for me. It seemed time to return to my people.

The business majors. 

I walked in the business classroom and the teacher was thrilled to meet me. I introduced myself to the class and sat near a group of number-crunching drones just like me. They all claimed they would definately apply for an internship. I said I would keep an eye out for them, and that they looked like fine people. 

But something was off, they were talking of the best way to sell a product, like it was not a scheme. They were talking about the best target audiences for certain items. They were talking about the best way to distribute funds. They were regular monopoly-type people. Building their empires on the crushed artists, musicians, dancers and actors whom were shooed a long time ago. 

When a single period of that ended, I walked outside and leaned on my car. Taking a cigarette out of my pocket and lighting it. Very rarely did I smoke, and I always did it out of shot from anyone with a camera. 

So much for that though. 

"Luke?" I immediately dropped the cigarette and crushed it beneath my feet. I turned my head to see Kodi walking around with camera. There were a lot of people now coming out of the building but I tried to ignore it. "Were you just smoking?"

"What of it?" I scoffed.

"It's a bad habit." Kodi shrugged. "Why any paparazzi could just come buy and take a quick snapshot of you." Kodi took a picture out from behind her back and I was clearly smoking in it. 

"G-Give me that!" I snapped as I reached for it. She pulled it away from me. "Kodi!" 

"Sh! You're going to disturb the dance majors Tai Chi!" Kodi hissed. I looked over into the grassy area and could see them doing..Well something. 

"What does Tai Chi have to do with dancing?" I rolled my eyes.

"It works on balance and it had been known to help a lot with remaining calm. Dancing requires a lot of patience.  They also become better at ballet!" Kodi smiled. "I'm just following them and taking photos for this year's catalog to send to new students." 

"Well what does my picture have to do with the catalog?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Is it true you're going to get people involved with fine arts majors an internship?" Kodi asked, holding the photo behind her back.

"That's the idea." I scoffed.

"Well maybe I wanted to portray the man responsible for this bright future." Kodi said.

"You have to do it with me smoking?" I hissed.

"That way I could also put it up to show how big corporate people don't care about the environment as they crush their cigarette butts into the ground. You know those aren't biodegradable? Don't you?" Kodi asked. 

"If I pick it up will you give me the photo?" I asked.

"Maybe." Kodi said. I picked it up and threw it into a nearby trashcan. "But than again it is great blackmail." 

"Gr..Kodi!" I hissed. "Give it here!" 

"Will you pretend to be a student and do a photo shoot for me?" Kodi asked. "I want to portray the life of students but so far only my brightly hair colored friends have volunteered. That's not particularly what I want to show on my project." 

"So.. I just have to look like a student?" I asked. 

"Well yes, but not wearing that. Do you own street clothes?" Kodi asked. 

"Duh." I rolled my eyes. "I just wear my suits when I go out. Do you have anyone else to do this with?" 

"Of course I do. Ashton is doing it, and my friends Kara and James." Kodi smiled. "But Ashton and Kara do not really get along." 

"Why not?" I asked.

"Kara is studying to be a lawyer." Kodi explained. "Ashton's not a big fan of law, business, economics, or any other major like those." 

"You think I want to hang out around a lawyer and an artist and someone named James?" I asked, Kodi nodded. "Alright whatever. When do you want to do it." 

"I would love to do it today, I mean the weather is gorgeous but I understand if you can't - " 

"Four to seven, I'm all yours. Just swing by my apartment when you and your friends are ready." I said as I began to write down my address. "What kind of major is this James kid?" 

"Well he's in nursing school right now." Kodi said. "He wants to be a nurse at a children's hospital." 

"Why children?" 

"Because when he was a kid he had cancer," Kodi began. "He said the nurses were always really nice to him and did a lot to make him feel as great as possible. He feels that he would never have gotten better without them. It means something to him." 

"That's so sick, I'm going to vomit." I laughed lightly. "It's actually a beautiful story." 

"Do you like literature, Luke?" Kodi asked.

"I used to write a lot of poetry, believe it or not." I said. "On warm days I would sit out in the grass, on cold days I would sit by the fire. I always tried to do it when no one was around. I didn't like people seeing me write it." Kodi was smiling at me, as if she enjoyed learning this. "Why are you looking at me like that?" 

"I swear you were born to be a liberal arts major." Kodi smiled. "You might have really liked being an author." 

"Yeah well, I'm in too deep now." I shrugged. "Plus, my job is pretty good." 

"Is it?" Kodi asked. "You don't act like you enjoy it very much." 

"I don't, but at least I have a decent job." I said. "Anyways." I handed Kodi the slip of paper. "See you later with your weird array of friendships." 

"Thank you Luke." Kodi smiled. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small pink bag. Placing it in my hand. "As a token of my appreciation." She walked off as I stood there looking down at the bag. Upon opening it I could see individually wrapped chocolate-covered strawberries.

"I wish I understood art majors.." I sighed as I climbed in my car and drove off. 

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION; Ariana

I ate chocolate covered strawberries. They were pretty damn good. Anyways, I like this book and Ashton reminds me Rapunzel for some reason. I have no idea why.

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX