SETTLE DOWN, matty healy

Chapter 11: Somebody Else

Song Selection: There's a Honey by The Pale Waves

Anna and I exchanged photos on the way to our 5th periods, seeing her enthusiasm at the dress I bought. "You buying this without me is quite the surprise, seems you did learn something from me after all."

I chuckled and shrugged my shoulders. "Who knew your shopping sprees would prove to be so useful." She went her separate way from me and Ryder as the two of us now walked into class to see Ms. Frangipane bringing out multiple easels. Once class began, she instructed us to paint whatever we felt in our hearts to paint and to use whatever colors we felt necessary. Ryder turned over to me expecting much more of a natural tone from me, while I instead used multitudes of pastel pinks and lavenders to cause her to chuckle. "Ah, love really is in the air."

"Love is when winged seraphs from up above grow-"

"Please don't quote Poe while painting with pastel pink, it just doesn't feel right," She interrupted me to say, causing for the both of us to chuckle. The two of us looked ahead to Ms. Frangipane's painting that seemed to prove as a juxtaposition to her bright aura. The painting was mostly using darker tones, bringing into the figure of a specific person. "The focus she is having right now is-"

I then noticed the specific array of curls on the faceless figure and stopped myself.

"Outstanding? I know. I'm never able to grasp how she can set herself into that mindset," Ryder finished for me as I now felt as if my heart were sinking into a deep pit. "Em? You okay?"

I turned to her suddenly, trying to compose herself. "Yeah. Yeah, sorry, I lost myself daydreaming for a second there I think," I lied, continuing on with my own painting. Such events didn't exactly help me go to the Poetry Club meeting with a clear head, seeing Mr. Healy greet me walking into the door with a wide grin.

It was all in my head.

Arthur, Liz, and the fellow members instructed for me to sit with them in order to start the meeting on the use of meters and such in poetry. Liz was leading the discussion today, leaving me to look over at Mr. Healy's desk, feeling as if I was betrayed in something I was not even apart of. That my own fantasies were, in fact, clouding my reality.

"Emma? You're more familiar on the use of internal rhymes and slant rhymes, care to explain how you utilize them the most?" Arthur motioned for me to speak, him and Liz looking to me expectantly along with the other members.

I tried to compose myself and nodded. "To be honest, they're the simplest to use. I'm more of a fan of free verse as it's easier to express my own emotions with, but when I do feel I need to utilize a rhyme scheme, slant rhymes always are the easiest to manipulate."

Others nodded and I felt relieved at my own quick response, being thankful the meeting ending only a half hour after that. "So, I shall see you at Homecoming tomorrow with your unexpected date, Ms. Carson," Arthur said playfully.

I chuckled and nodded, waving goodbye to him and Liz as I gathered the rest of my things. Mr. Healy was still sitting by his desk, standing up suddenly when he noticed I was leaving. "I'll see you tomorrow too then, Emma," He said to me, almost causing for me to roll my eyes.

"You're chaperoning the dance?"

He raised a brow to me confused. "Yes? Being faculty I do have to chaperone a dance every now and then." I shook my head and slung my backpack over my shoulder. "Heard you're going with a date, that's-"

Mr. Healy paused and I noticed him try to find the right words to say. "Sweet." I scoffed at this and checked my phone to see my dad was on his way to pick me up.

"You know, Ms. Frangipane painted a figure today that seemed to look just like you. People in class are now certain you two are in item," I told him, shutting my phone in annoyance and crossing my arms.

He raised a brow to me and chuckled, stepping forward. "Her and I are very close friends, sure. However, considering she has a boyfriend, I don't think anyone should be worrying about either of us seeing each other," He explained, now only standing a few steps away from me.

My heart started to race and I blushed in embarrassment. "Well, I had just heard after I had her class and all," I explained, seeing him still raise a brow to me as if he knew my true intentions, "Mr. Healy-"

My phone started ringing and I cursed under my breath, excusing myself from the room. "Wait-" I stopped myself and turned back to him, seeing the regret in calling me back from his own expression. "I- I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." I nodded and said goodbye before meeting my dad in the car, my heart still racing even after I got home.

As I lay in bed, I twirled my pen in my hands and looked at the blank pages of my journal. I shut the small book instead and looked ahead to my small sketchbook, picking it up to finding own sketches of him in the margins. My mom came in quite suddenly as I daydreamed, causing for me to shut the book quite suddenly. "You should head to bed already, hun. You'll be up late tomorrow night after all."

I chuckled and nodded, taking the pills she handed to me and watched her leave the room after giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. Looking down at the anti-depressants in my head, I twirled them for a few more moments in deep thought to then hide them my drawer by my bedside and simply head to bed soon after.