The rest of your sophomore year was nothing short of lonely. It was like he was the film that a terrorist was forcing you to watch on a daily basis. Him and Ashley were the it couple and he gained more popularity once he joined the basketball team in the winter and the baseball team in the spring. The only release you had was your art and Ms. Choi started to notice that you attended the studio a lot more than usual. As you stared at your canvas, headphones blaring rock music, you felt a tap on your shoulder.
"What's this one called? It's so dark and mysterious..." she asked.
"Um...I think I'll call it 'boys are dumb and only think with their penis."
She chuckled, "I think the first part is appropriate for school. But I wanted to talk to you about something." She handed you an application with a pamphlet attached for a local art contest. "The prize is a $10,000 grant. You could use that for college."
"College?! I'm only in 10th grade."
"Yes which means it's around the corner. Just think about it. I know this new art of yours is darker than the comics you did before, but it's inspiring. Keep using your energy to create."
She was such a great teacher and you appreciated all she did for you. You nodded and smiled, "I'll apply just for you, Ms. Choi."
The last bell of the day rang, so you gathered your canvas to take home. As you walked on the track, you noticed Chanyeol swinging a baseball bat towards a tee. You sighed as you watched him, wishing things could just be how they were 2 summers ago. You felt your canvas be ripped from your grasp and yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Ashley and the rest of the cheerleaders had you surrounded and you noticed her staring at your work, "oh nothing! I just wanted to see your art. Is this what you do all day? I could make this so much better." She pulled out her lip gloss from her bra and tried to draw on it but you snatched it just in time. The girls started to hold you down as they snatched the canvas back. You started to scream, "no! Please! Stop!" You tried to escape their grasp but it was no use. You found yourself pinned to the ground while one girl started to pull your hair. Your face was being pressed into the mud until you started to hear yelling from a husky voice,
"Ashely what the fuck are you doing? Hey get off of her." Once you felt the girls weight off of you, you wiped your face and saw your piece was ruined. As the tears fell from your face, a new energy took over you; rage. You noticed Chanyeol yelling at Ashley so you took the opportunity to punch her in her face. As she fell to the ground, you felt someone holding you back. Chanyeol held back Ashley as she tried to fight back. Before you knew it, you both were in the principal's office.
"I don't teach you to fight young lady! What the hell came over you?" Your mom yelled. You could see the disappointment in her face while your dad stayed silent behind her.
"I'm just...I'm just tired of this mom. I get bullied everyday. Maybe they'll leave me alone now." She sighed and went to console you before punishing you to your room. As you laid in silence, your cell began to ring.
"Hello?"
"I broke up with her."
"Congrats."
"You really fucked up her face. I was really proud of you."
"Thanks."
He sighed over the phone and you laid in silence before he answered again, "I'm really sorry I fucked up our friendship."
"Took you long enough."
"You weren't talking to me."
"That doesn't mean stop trying. Or letting me walk this planet alone."
"You could have made new friends. You're just acting shy. I keep telling you to put yourself out there. Like at homecoming. So many people complimented you."
"Yea well you missed the ones that talked about me in the bathroom...oh and the one who made out with my best friend."
"I'm sorry about that too. I was your date and I shouldn't have let her persuade me to do that."
"You were my date?"
"Yea...I'm sorry."
And just like that, the butterflies were back.
During the next couple of weeks, people at school started to be nicer to you. You didn't know if it was out of fear or the fact that you won the art contest and your school made a big deal about it. You were featured in the yearbook and the school newspaper, which made you feel like a local celebrity.
With summer approaching, your parents decided to plan a college tour for you for some art schools upstate. You still felt it was too early but they persisted in persuading you. Your dad packed the last bit of luggage in the car before you noticed Chanyeol sitting on his porch. You approached the fence and smiled at him, "Are you going to miss me?"
"I'll find something to do."
You laughed at him as he got up to hug you, "be yourself. Remember all those artists are just as weird as you."
You tried to nudge him but his grip on you squeezed tighter. He whispered to you, "I'm going to miss you."
"I'll miss you too. Just don't forget to text me ok?"
"I won't. Have fun."
