The Big Bang Baby [The Big Bang Theory]

Chapter 18

Every time I step into art class, a smile automatically appears on my face. The smell of paint and glue fills the room as I make my way inside. I take in the surroundings to find eight easels arranged in a semicircle facing the front of the room. There is one other student here so far, unpacking his art supplies. I greet him with a smile and a nod of my head which he returns.

I take a seat in the back of the room, next to the window. As I unpack my supplies, I notice Angie walking through the classroom door. I forgot she transferred to this class a few weeks back. Back then, I would welcome her and invite her to sit next to me so that we could talk like friends, but now that she and Gregg are a thing, I am not in the mood to talk to her.

I don't know if she could sense that I was staring in her direction or if she wanted to talk to me, but she said goodbye to her friends and walked in my direction. Taking her place next to me at the easel, Angie nods her head with a greeting, just as I did when I entered. She glances in my direction a few times while unpacking her paint and sketchbook.

I don't know what her problem is. She decided to interfere with Gregg and my relationship. It is as if she feels sorry for me. I can't take any more pity, so I stand up and make my way to where the canvases are located at the back of the class. I don't know if she could sense that I was staring in her direction or if she wanted to talk to me, but she said goodbye to her friends and walked in my direction.

The teacher enters the room and takes her place at the front of the class. She begins to talk about today's assignment, which is to create a landscape using only acrylic paint. She goes over some basic concepts with us before we get started. I grab the first Canvas I see and make my way back to my easel.

I don't have a plan for this image. I start to brush on some orange, yellow, and red onto the canvas. Angie watches me for a few minutes from where she is sitting, but she doesn't say anything. I get lost in the painting, and I don't hear her come up to me until she's right next to me.

"Hey," she says quietly. "I know I'm the last person you want to talk to right now, but I wanted to know if we can talk after class?"

"Why? So you can tell me how everything is sunshine and roses with your relationship with Gregg?" I ask in a sarcastic voice, not in the mood to talk to her about her relationship.

"No," she says, sighing, and I can practically hear her thinking as I continue painting, adding some blue underneath the sunset I have created.

"Listen, have you spoken to Gregg recently?" she asks. I stop painting and place my paintbrush down on the little table next to me. I turn to face her and see the seriousness on her face.

"No. Why would I?" I ask.

"Because," she starts, sighing heavily this time as if annoyed to reveal the next part of her sentence, "Gregg and I are not a thing. It never was and never will be. I know you might not believe me, and I understand if you don't, but I think you need to talk to him,"

I am lost for words. Did she say..

I need to process this. I sit in silence for a few moments, trying to take everything in that Angie just said.

"Thanks," is all I can say as I pick up my paintbrush. She gives me a tight-lipped smile, returns to her easel, and continues her work.

All I can think about for the rest of the class is what Angie just told me. My mind is in a whirlwind and very confused.

I look over at the clock on the wall before us and realize that the class is almost finished. I stand back and admire my work and what I have created—a sunset scene with two people on the beach looking out over the ocean at sunset.