Sketch

Chapter 7 - Meadow

I awake that morning due to the bright sunlight pouring in through my unnecessarily large window. I open my eyes and am briefly startled by my unfamiliar surroundings before remembering again why I was here. Rubbing my eyes tiredly, I push myself up into a sitting position. A few strands of my hair are stuck in my mouth and I hastily swipe them away. Dragging my feet out of bed, I make my way into the bathroom opposite my bedroom. I find a brush in a drawer under the sink and proceed to hack at my brown mess of hair until almost all of the knots are gone. I'm amused to also conveniently find some hair ties in the same drawer—which I then use to wrap my hair into a messy bun on top of my head. Ian wouldn't use these hair ties.. so why are they here?

I curiously rummage through the other two drawers and find them filled with other "women necessities". I find an assortment of makeup, a hair straightener, some beauty products and... oh my god. I gape at the all too familiar coloured wrapped packages in the drawer and quickly shut it. My head is spinning with confusion. Why on earth would Ian have all this stuff? As far as I knew, he was the only one living here. Unless.. oh. The thought pops into my head. What if Ian knew I was going to stay here and then accommodated to the things I needed? Did he.. draw all these things? I pause for a moment, thinking that over. Suddenly, I can't help myself, as a giggle escapes my mouth. I clap a hand over my mouth to try and stop myself but the image of Ian having to draw pads fills my mind and I just burst into hysterics, doubling over in side splitting laughter.

* * *

I finally get over my laughing fit and I tread downstairs, entering the kitchen. I'm surprised to find the room empty. Ian must still be asleep then, since the clock on the wall says it's only 6am. Oops.. well he'd probably be awake now considering my loud obnoxious laughter. I then decide to take a rummage through the kitchen for something to eat. Opening up a double door pantry cupboard, I find that it's filled to the brim with food. God, how much does Ian eat? It then suddenly occurs to me that most of this food was probably drawn as well. Was it even safe to eat something that was drawn from a sketch book? I remember Ian in my room and the cupcake drawing that he had taken a bite of. Well, it was either I try to eat something or starve. I scan my eyes across the variety of cereals and decide on some Crunchy Nut. As I take out the box and inspect it closer, I notice that the fine print and some other details were just tiny incoherent squiggles. I then go on the hunt for a bowl and some milk and am soon sitting cross-legged on the couch with the bowl of cereal in my lap. I raise the bowl to my nose and take a sniff. It smells like normal cereal. I eye it suspiciously but it just looks like a plain bowl of Crunchy Nut. Hesitantly, I raise a spoonful of the cereal to my mouth and taste. I frown as I chew. What surprises me the most, isn't that it doesn't taste bad. It's the fact that it actually tastes better than a regular bowl of Crunchy Nut cereal. I swallow and instantly take another bite, and another. Wow, this stuff is good. As I'm busy digging into my breakfast I suddenly hear the door to the log cabin creak open. I feel my body freeze up in fear and I turn my head towards the door. My nerves are on edge as the door pushes open.

My body relaxes instantly when I see that it's Ian, casually walking in and dumping the bag he was carrying onto the carpeted floor. I then freeze once again and my eyes widen when I see Ian is covered in sweat—making his black shirt stick to the undeniable defined lines of his chest and back. His blonde hair is damp and limp, hanging off of his forehead. Ian's face is glistening from the sweat and flushed red from exertion. My heartbeat involuntarily speeds up at the sight of him. Ian spots me sitting on the couch, turns and flashes me a big, toothy grin.

"Morning, sunshine. Sleep well?"

I then realise that my spoon is still held halfway to my mouth, which is hanging open. I blush profusely and curse myself silently for my blatant staring. I'm just as bad as those swooning girls at my school. I think of something witty to say to try and cover up my awkward silence.