Intertwined

Corinne

Corinne

All I remembered as I sat in 3rd period American Lit. was my heart pounding through my whole body from the tunnels in my wrists to right under the pastel blue scarf I was wearing that day. I know it probably meant nothing and I shouldn't be so worried, I'm not going to get caught, I've never been caught before, plus they meant it as a compliment. They didn't mean it as anything more than a compliment when one of the seniors in Art II said "Corinne your style is really similar to the graffiti I've seen on some buildings around, sick," after stifling a laugh and forcing a thank you out of my mouth I went back to the sketch I was working on. I really should take any compliments I get, I'm a sophomore in an art class full of juniors and seniors, and I don't want to plant myself on their bad side.

First of all it's not graffiti, it's portraits, and still life's, done on buildings. There's a difference. Second of all I try to keep the style in my sketch books as far away from the style under the bridges, and on the bill boards, and hidden in parking garages. Third of all who the fuck is some senior to talk to me a dumb, not super skinny, sophomore who got transferred to their art class by the third day of school because of the favoritism of an eccentric teacher called Blakely who claims I have talent, which is something new for me to hear, I draw or whatever when I'm angry and that's about it.

This class and my next couple whirred past until it was lunch, thank God for that. Lunch is my favorite part of day because I'm one of the lowerclassmen who some would think has the unfortunatecy eating with the upperclassmen because of my class schedule. That's not the case at all because Jude, my incredible boyfriend, who's a junior has lunch with me and besides that I only see him during the school day whilst he's driving me to and from school. I ran to him as soon as I saw him and ran my fingers through his hair as I gave him a quick kiss, then just as we were about to leave to go out for lunch a group of my friends walk up to me. "We should go to the beach tonight," Dylan suggested and I shrugged, I'm indifferent about it, I can take the bus there and theres no harm in spending my Wednesday night at the beach getting drunk with my fellow burnouts.

Jude tightened his grip around my waist, "She's having dinner with me tonight," he said with a slightly protective tone in his voice. He hates my friends, hates them.

"Well maybe like we could skip the rest of the day?" Jessie chimed in.

"We're getting this huge assignment in AP Social Studies today sorry," I lied and they all scoffed at me for being in an AP class. To be honest, I love it, but as far as they know I'm only taking it because my mom's making me. Oh how far from the truth that is, my mom couldn't give less of a damn about what classes I'm in, or me, my only use to her is assisting in saving money and helping with my brothers.

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"I don't understand why you hang around those people," Jude said, as he tightens his grip on the steering wheel and places his hand on mine on the console, with clear irritation in his voice regarding the earlier proposals of my friends.

"They're my friends," I said defensively and he rolled his eyes.

"But why?" he said like we haven't been over this.

"Why not?" I said.

"Corinne," he said with a tone so serious I knew not to interrupt him, "you're not like them, you're smart and have potential and don't just say fuck it to everything. You can act like you don't care, but I know you do because I know you and I love you. I just don't love what you're doing to yourself because of them."

The rest of the car ride we're silent until he pulls into my driveway and tells me that he'll pick me up in an hour to go to his family's for dinner. As soon as I got inside I made a snack for John, my 9 year old brother, and Josh, my 12 year old brother and set in on the table along with a note saying I won't be back until late. Our mom is working and I'll probably be gone by the time they get back from their after school programs.

Once I'm in my room I flop onto my creaky, twin size mattress and take my hair out of the bun I sloppily threw it into this morning, then I took off my oversized sweatpants and changed into jeans. I really don't care about how I look at school, I like to be comfortable, however I do care how I look when I'm around Jude's family. I don't want them to hate me.

Before my phone started buzzing from Jude calling me to tell me he was outside I finished my math and reading assignments for the night.

"Hey, I'm sorry about getting mad about your friends earlier I just know you're better than them," Jude said after I slid into the passenger seat of his car.

"It's fine don't worry about it," I muttered back and he held my hand like he genuinely felt bad. I felt somewhat guilty, he's probably right. He usually knows what's best for me. I love him.

As Jude's mom and I set the table his sister, Kinley walks in and takes my place as the helper, however before she does that she makes sure to look me down and say in what has to be her most fake sweet voice "Oh. My. Gosh! It's so great to see you again Corinne," (keep in mind she pronounced my name wrong, its core-in not cur-ene) "how's your first week of school going? You're a sophomore right?" I know that word feels like slime on her tongue. One of the more popular senior's brother is dating a lowerclassman? As if!

After we ate, Jude and I went for a walk, or you could call it walk to the park and make out behind the playgrounds slide, whichever is preferable. Until I check my phone and realize its 9:15 and tell him I need to go home.

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At my house I tucked my brothers in for sleep and talked to them about their days while Jude waited in my room for about half an hour until they were sleeping. Mom still wasn't home by then, which is understandable considering bills and rent are due soon and she'll take as much over time as she can.

I looked at him for a moment, I looked at him standing there examining a picture and just smiled. I smiled at the way his brows furrowed together and his eyes focused and I smiled because of him, and because I love him.

"Don't you ever think about him?" he asked, running his thumb over the photo which corners had become rounded from wear on it. I stood behind him and looked for a moment, in perfect silence at a baby me being cradled by a man who I have almost no memory of except on paper.

"I never knew him," I said and my throat tightens because of the truth in it.

"But I mean Cor, he's your dad, you can't just never think about him." After Jude said that I buried myself into his chest and stood on his toes and kissed him slowly. I wondered if he was thinking about his mom, the real one. He barely knew her but he did. I wonder if it hurts him that I don't really care about the guy who got my mom knocked up with me.

After that we lied for about forty minutes in my backyard looking at the stars, but it felt like rather than that we were looking at each other, just pretending to be in awe of the millions of little lights in the sky instead of all the light in one another as we sat there.

He left at about 11, idiot. If he gets in trouble for breaking his dad's 10:30 curfew I won't be blamed for it.

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At about 12:45 I was standing on a fire escape of a building that was widely seen by transmuters and people everyday dressed in all black with 4 bottles of spray paint in my backpack. Within 20 minutes there was a new twist on the building that I hope all would admire as much as I did. His eyes.

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a/n

Hey guys it's Olivia (or Liv if you'd like) and I'll be writing for the perspective of Corinne! I'm really really excited to be part of this collab and it is such a great honor to me to be working with these incredible writers. If you have any questions, comments, or criticisms about this chapter just comment and I will take them happily. I'm sorry this chapter was quite short my next one will be longer. Also I'm normally posting on Tuesdays, last Tuesday was supposed to be my day but then I was out of town, so I believe I'll be posting again either next Tuesday or the one after! Thank you for reading and if you liked it make sure to vote :)