Willa & Charlie & Hydrangeas

Chapter 2

"All, everything that I understand, I only understand because I love."-Leo Tolstoy

All night after my date-was it a date?-,I had been painting and perfecting. She wasn't just a girl. She was a muse.
My breathtaking muse.
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Willa stood outside the doors of her next class, she was dressed in a leotard and tights. At her side was a bag, tutu hanging off the side and a pair of pointe shoes peaking out the top. She had both hands up trying to redo her bun. I watched her from my bench, should I go and talk to her. Yes. I began to stand when a girl in a matching leotard came up to her and began whispering something in her ear. Willa let go of her bun and listened closely. When the girl stopped talking, she let out a loud 'yes', both hands flying into the air. She hugged her friend tightly, surprising the girl into a giant grin.
She said something to her, then the friends eyes locked on me. After the hug was done, a few other words were exchanged and she pointed in my direction. Oh snap.
Willa turned slightly, a frown tilting her lips down and crinkling her forehead. She looked around for only a second then burst into a full fledged beam. She whispered something to the girl beside her, who giggled.
I looked away, trying to keep from embarrassing myself anymore than I probably had. The sidewalk had suddenly become interesting with all its little cracks and loose gravel. A spider skittered along as a pair of worn ballet flats stepped into view. The outline of a bandaid peaked out from beneath pale tights. I looked up slowly. Eyes taking in the two figures standing in front of me. Willa smiled and her friend sat down on the now discarded bench.
"Hi Charlie. I see you've found interest in me again." She nodded to the sketchpad with her chin. I had been drawing her as she stood outside the classroom. It hadn't been on purpose, I had looked over and saw her then began drawing not even realizing that my hand started sketching her smile and sunset hair. The girl on the bench began pinning jet black hair up into a bun. Her accent was heavy, maybe russian,"Is he a stalker or something?"
Willa glared at her friend then brought her attention back to me."Don't mind Angelina, she doesn't have a filter. So what classes do you have today?" I fidgeted a little under Angelina's pointed glare. "Life drawing." Willa nodded and glanced at her watch, a old thing that had a skinny brown leather band and rose gold flowers around the clock.
"I have to get to class, but if you want we can hang out after." My heart crashed into my ribs, as she began to walk away a wisp of hair flew from her tight bun and I itched to push it behind her ear.
"Okay, Ill see you later." Angelina stood and ran to catch up with her lively friend, she sent a glare over her shoulder and began saying something to her friend, to which Willa only rolled her eyes. Over the past week, I had seen Willa many times. If she saw me, she would immediately stop what she was doing and launch into a conversation or wave merrily. After we first met, she was all I could think about. If I was outside when the sun was laying down to rest, I would picture her hair skittering along the breeze. If I saw any kind of flower, my mind would slide back to the drawing of her and the hydrangeas in the park. The evergreen of her dark eyes lit with happiness and never anything else.
I had it bad.
Life drawing was a bore, the guitar music Professor Thomason plays had lulled the 80 year old model, James to sleep before even thirty minutes had passed. I watched the clock in between pencil strokes, thirty minutes left. Then twenty. Ten. Five. Four. Three. Two. The professor nudged James and threw a robe at him. The old man let out a snort, shooting up into a sitting position and slowly shrugging into the robe. After he was done, the doors were opened and we were free to go.
As soon as I stepped out of the room, a pair of small hands wrapped around my arm. They pulled me into the sun and under a sign. A pair of glistening green eyes smiled up at me, Willa slowly let go of my arm. There was a bounce in her step and grin plastered to her face. The way she looked at me was enough to knock the breath out of me. "Hi," I breathed.
"Hello," she stopped before continuing. "I have an idea, and I was too excited to wait." I felt my lips tilt up into a matching grin and nodded her on. "Let's go on an adventure!" An adventure? I slowly nodded my head. Willa smiled even wider then thrust a helmet at me, "Then you're going to need this." Oh sweet lord, what are we going to do? Willa grabbed onto my hand and pulled me with her, she had changed from her leotard into a pair of jeans and a blouse covered in roses. She looked so beautiful with her hair free and smiling, I couldn't help but follow her.