No Filter

Chapter VI (6)

Liam's POV

"Alright," Sophia says. "I'll see you next period." She leans in and pecks me on the lips.

"I'll see you," I reply. She loosens our locked hands and walks inside the classroom.

I turn around and make a right at a corner. Suddenly, the bell rings, and I rush down the hall until I enter the room on the left, at the end of the hallway. I acknowledge the desks have been removed from the art room. The stand and canvas occupy that space. In the back, I see Ally adjusting the position of her canvas.

I slide through and make my way to the stool next to hers. I set my backpack down and sit on the stool. Ally looks at me and smiles. "Hi," she greets.

"Hey," I greet.

Her eyes shift to the blank canvas, her smile fading. "So, you're late to class. Again."

"I'm sorry," I begin. "It's just Sophia likes to take her time on getting to class." She nods her head. "And I didn't want to make her upset." Her cheeks begin to redden as she dust off the edges of her canvas. My brows crease, intrigued. "Plus, I know my best friend wouldn't get mad at me." I rest my hand over hers to grab her attention, and she flinches.

With her other hand, she removes a lock of hair out of her face. She looks at me and speaks, "Liam, I'm not mad. I'm just upset that she pushes you around, and you let her."

"Ally, she doesn't control me," I rebuttal, but she drops everything and gives me a look to question if I was being serious. I raise my hands in defeat. "Alright. Maybe she does, but she doesn't have me the way that she wants to have me."

"What does that even mean?" she questions.

If only she knew of my feelings, she would know the answer.

I close my eyes and sigh. "I can't say," I answer. She didn't respond. Rather, she turned to her white canvas.

"Alright class," Mr. Val spoke up, "Today's project will be a recreational painting of a famous literary piece. It can be a book. A poem. And please do your best. And if y'all are yapping about me limiting you guys, please understand that it is part of the curriculum."

I heard random people groaning. I took a moment to think about the literary piece I wanted to paint. Something easy and artistic. I turn to Ally and see her already drawing something. "What are you doing?" I ask.

"Beauty and the Beast," she answers. "You know how much I love this story. Granted if you still remember." I take notice of the bitterness of her tone, and I never heard her like this before.

"I still remember," I said, remembering the times she was obsessed with Belle in grade four. "What do you recommend me to do?"

She shrugs, "Whatever you want."

"Just give me something," I said.

"Okay, do...Jane Eyre," she suggested.

"Jane Eyre?" I thought about it. "Hmm?" I hum.

"Hi," another voice says close by. Before I knew it, it was the Troy guy Ally flirted with at the bonfire. He pulled his canvas next to Ally's on the other side and greeted her.

"Hey," she greets, more softly.

"Have you studied for Chemistry yet?" he asks, settling down.

Ally shakes her head. "Well, just last night, but not today yet."

Troy rubs his hands together. "I'm excited for our date."

Date?

"Study date," Ally emphasizes. "Where do you want to study?"