The Path You Choose

Chapter One

Zara

Zara dipped her paintbrush into the stained glass full of water then swirled her paintbrush into the dark blue color well.

“Remember guys, just relax. Let your mind flow onto your painting. Use the music to guide you.” Mr. McGuire, Zara’s studio art teacher, said.

Mellow tunes of jazz music was heard throughout the classroom. Zara glazed her paintbrush on her paper focusing on the piano sound. She stroked the brush slowly, becoming one with her painting and the music. She smiled and nodded her head to the beat as big blue carnations appeared on her paper.

She heard the door creak open, interrupting her artistic flow.

“Yo mister! Sorry I’m late!” The boy exclaimed strolling in with a pink late pass in his hand.

“Just try to be here on time next time, mkay?” Mr. McGuire squinted at the late pass he was given. “Demetrius huh? Nice to meet you. Take a seat in the back next to Zara please.”

“Who?” Demetrius asked.

“The girl in the far right near the corner with the gray eyes.” Mr. McGuire responded.

“Iight, oh by the way. It’s DJ.”

Zara glanced at DJ shuffling his way to the back and then quickly shifted her eyes onto her paper. She began painting again as if the most gorgeous guy ever she’s ever seen didn’t take a seat next to her. DJ tapped Zara on the shoulder. Zara turned her head to him and her heart fluttered.

“Yo ma, what we doing?” He asked.

She stared at his lips while he talked with widened eyes. She instantly thought what it would be like to kiss those lips. DJ clapped in her face.

“Yo, what we doing?”

Zara wrinkled up her nose and pinched up her eyebrows.

“Excuse me?”

“My girl, I just asked you what we doing like ten million times, damn. Instead of admiring a nigga tell me what’s up.” DJ smirked.

Zara clinked her paintbrush back and forth in the glass of water to get rid of the blue on the brush. She rolled the brush in the green color well and started to paint stems on her carnations.

“So you just gonna igg my shit grey eyes? Alright then.” DJ positioned his elbow on his desk and rested his chin on the palm of his hand.

Zara blushed. DJ’s already been in the classroom for five minutes and she’s already managed to embarrass herself in front of her newly found crush. Zara always had a hard time talking to guys that she liked. Even if they didn’t flirt with her, she would instantly distance herself from them. She always thought that there was no way that a guy she liked would like her back. How could anyone like her? She was really quiet and didn’t talk much to people she didn’t know. People would always seen her as the standoffish rude black girl.

“Times up! Pass up your papers, empty your cups, and clean up your brushes. After that manage everything neatly on that table over there then you guys can move on to your next class. Enjoy the rest of your day!” Mr. McGuire said while he shut off the radio.

Zara passed her paper to Karina and then got up with her cup and palette in hand. She walked up to the sink that everyone was crowded around poured the water out of her cup. As she poured she noticed DJ on the other side of the sink pouring out water.

What the fuck? She thought. He didn’t even paint anything today.

“Thanks DJ, I appreciate you doing that for me.” Ivy said rubbing her hand up and down DJ’s forearm.