I turned in my art project. Mr. Way said I did a great job and he kind of held my gaze for a while. I'm not really sure what happened, but I made a point of packing up slowly so I would be the last one left in the classroom in case anything were to happen. I was starting to head to the door when Gerard said, 'hey Frank, come here for a sec. I'll write you a pass for your next class, don't worry.' There was a little jolt in my stomach, which I tried to ignore. I walked over to Gerard's desk and stood silently, waiting for him to speak. Finally, he did. 'You know, Frank, you're one of the most talented people I've ever seen. Granted, this is only my second year teaching, but I'm still astounded. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't let that skill go to waste. Ever. You hear me?' The whole time, we both had been staring at my project, but we looked up and met each other's gaze. Gerard smiled, and it was infectious. I smiled too, and I noticed Mr. Way lean in, but I didn't say anything. He stared intently at me. 'I think our next project should be drawing eyes.' he whispered, sending chills down my spine. 'I like that,' I said. He wrote me the pass, and led me out the door, his hand on my back. It lingered there for a while. I noticed.
