You're Mine

8: A Final Introduction

The school day passed by quickly and I felt out of place with a rollercoaster of emotions. My Tuesday/Thursday schedule was slightly different from the Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule, so it felt like another first day of school except I was navigating a couple of classes by myself this time. I was grateful to be walking into my favorite class, Art History. It was calming because it was my first break of the day from Christian. I couldn't wrap my head around my feelings for him, I was comfortable around him despite everything in my body telling me to be on guard and I tolerated affection that I had never tolerated from anyone before. I think a lot of it was being surprised and caught off guard by how forward he was. No one had ever been so clear with me about how they felt, not even boyfriends, let alone men that I had only known a couple of days. And while I felt the attraction to him and enjoyed his touch and his presence, it drained me. So my first break from him in my favorite class was appreciated.

I actually didn't know anyone in the class except for Christian's sister, Sapphire, and I barely knew her. The teacher, Miss. Bell seemed informative, but also very laid back. The only overwhelming part was that we chose our own seats and, not knowing anyone, I never wanted to sit in the wrong place. Sapphire was sitting alone at the only open table sketching in her sketchbook, so I approached her.

"Hey, I'm not sure if you remember me, but I'm Rose. Is it okay if I sit with you?" I asked her sweetly.

"Oh, of course. I'm so sorry," she said, removing her book bag from the open seat beside her so that I could sit down.

"Don't worry about it. Thanks for letting me sit here. It's Sapphire, right? Christian's sister?" I asked her.

"Yes, that's right, Rose," she said with a smile. Her beauty further reminded me of her relationship to Christian. Their family that I had met so far was all so beautiful. Sapphire seemed to be very physically strong, like Christian, her muscles were visible in her thin frame. Her eyes were captivating, it was hard to look away once eye contact was made.

"Were you named Sapphire because of your eyes?" It was too much of a coincidence not to ask.

"That's what my parents tell me," she responded with a soft chuckle. She seemed so at peace with herself as she returned to her sketch of a gorgeous scene in the mountains. There was a larger mountain at the focal point of the sketch and a large, powerful, and mythical looking wolf stood proudly on top with its whole body directed toward the moon while a more gentle looking creature, perhaps a woman stood down below resting against a tree and watching the wolf-like creature. I was astonished as I watched her work, creating the woman and the moon's reflection on her hair. The artwork was exquisite and fascinating while also comforting due to the familiar scenery and the wolf-like creature on the mountain. It looked identical to the ones in my dream.

"Wow that is fascinating," I told her as I glanced at her drawing.

"Really? It's fascinating that you would think so," she replied with her same soft chuckle. "Do you like art as well?" she asked.

"It's my favorite," I said as I pulled out my sketchbook from my bag. "I've used drawing to cope and express myself through so many different seasons," I told her as I quickly flipped through my book to show her the variety of different sketches. She gently placed her finger on the front of my book where I had slipped one of my favorite pieces into the cover sleeve and turned it to face her.

"A wolf..." she observed in awe.

"Yeah, similar to your drawing, isn't it?" I chuckled.

"Yes... strikingly similar to what I draw. It's uncanny actually," she said with a smile.

"I have a lot like this, they're just part of my imagination I guess," I said timidly.

"Fascinating imagination you have," she said with a smile. Then she proceeded to open her book to show me more of her drawings. Many of them were very meticulous and perfectly detailed sketches of different aspects of nature.