Like A Masterpiece [Completed]

Chapter 3

I don't think I've ever attended a more awkward dinner than tonight's dinner. My parents and Marc's parents are happily talking, but you can feel the tension in the air. Neither Marc nor myself want to be here and neither of us plan on trying to be social.

"So, Alexa, your mom told me you're an artist," Rebecca says to me.

"I am," I tell her.

"That's great! What kind of art do you make?"

"Mostly just drawing, sometimes some painting."

"I see. Do you have anything you could show us? I'm kind of curious."

"Uhh, sure. Can I go get my sketchbook?" I ask mom and she nods. I get up and make my way upstairs. I know exactly where my sketchbook is, but I stay upstairs a little longer just to have a moment to myself. Is this what it's gonna be like the next months? Will this tension be there all the time?

"Can you find it?" mom calls from downstairs.

"Yeah, I have it!' I reply before making my way back downstairs. I sit back down and open my sketchbook. I look for one of my nicer sketches before handing the book to Rebecca.

"This is so good! Can I look through it?" she asks me. I hesitate for a second before nodding my head. It feels weird to let other people see my drawings as the only ones who ever sees it are my parents or Mrs. Johnson.

"You are really talented," Rebecca tells me, making me blush slightly.

"Thank you," I say as I smile at her.

"You should do something with this."

"I don't know."

"You should! Shouldn't she?" Rebecca says, looking at Thomas and Marc as she shows them one of my drawings.

"Yeah, you should," Thomas agrees and Marc just nods slightly.

"See!" Rebecca tells me, making me smile at her enthusiasm. When I look around the table, I notice everyone looking at me, waiting for me to say something.

"I'll try," I promise her, though I say it more to make her happy than actually meaning it.

"Great!" Rebecca says as she hands me back my sketchbook.

"Who wants dessert?" mom asks, looking around the table. I nod, thankful that she took the attention away from me.

"Sounds great!" dad tells me and my mom gets up to get the dessert. When my mom comes back with dessert, the conversations goes back to whatever the adult were talking about earlier. I zone out and quietly eat my dessert, but I feel someone staring at me. I look up and lock eyes with Marc. We stare at each other, neither of us wanting to look away first.

"Don't you like it?" mom asks me, forcing me to look away from Marc.

"Yeah, I do!" I tell her.

"Because you're not eating anything."

"I was just distracted, that's all," I say before putting a spoonful of dessert in my mouth. My mom just nods and focuses her attention back on the conversation between the adults. I continue to eat my dessert, not looking up again, just to be safe.

Oh how I love Saturday mornings. No school, sleeping in, parents yelling you awake. Wait, that's not how a Saturday morning is supposed to be. Why am I hearing a voice yelling out my name? I slowly open my eyes, but I don't see anyone standing in my room. 

"Alexa!" I hear someone call out again and now I realize the voice, which belongs to my mom, is coming from downstairs. 

"What?" I reply, though I'm sure she can't hear me as I didn't bother to yell.