By the time she was heading to work the next Monday, Rose had completely forgotten about the agreement she had made and was blissfully unaware of any progress Hillary had made on her side of the deal. Even Yasmin had forgotten about the deal.
"Hello Rose!" Hillary sang happily as Rose entered the gallery, drawing out every syllable.
"You're chipper today, did you get a test back or something?" Rose teased, a smile making its way onto her face due to Hillary's infectious attitude.
"You're funny," She didn't look impressed. "Okay, so I talked to Dawn last Thursday about the lecture we had just gone to and I got her number so she could help me with something our prof said, and we've been talking ever since. I chickened out of asking her on a date, though."
Rose turned to her friend, giggling at the blush and bashful smile that had wormed its way onto Hillary's face.
"No wonder you're so happy, that's great." Rose gave her friend a warm hug and smile, before making her way into her classroom to set up.
"You know what this means, don't you?" Hillary trailed behind Rose, a slight bounce in her steps.
"Other then you being a step closer to dating the girl you like? No." Rose said. She tried to recall what she could be forgetting, wondering what would else would be relevant to her friend's love life.
After racking her brain for a bid, it felt like a lightbulb had gone off.
"Damn, I promised I would talk to Sam if you talked to Dawn, didn't I?" Rose asked.
She didn't need any confirmation when she saw the look on Hillary's face.
Rose was very anxious as she set up her classroom. Even though she had liked a few boys during her young life, she had never acted on any of her crushes, she was too shy. Now, not only would she have to approach Sam, she would have to start a conversation, both of which were completely out of her comfort zone.
When her students arrived, she made sure they were all ready to start painting and although her head was in a different place, she made sure she was there to help anyone who needed it.
"Rose? Could you help me with the composition of mine? I want to add more movement to the painting, but everything just seems kind've static." Paige said from one of the stations, shocking Rose out of her thoughts.
"Of course," She called, then moved to look over the younger girl's shoulder. "There's going to be more movement when you start painting, because the variations of shade in water colour will automatically create movement, but if you follow your wind pattern to add some ripples in your water and follow the movement of the light in them, it will make the scene become alive." She pointed to the particular spots as she explained her ideas, giving Paige a smile when she was done.
Paige looked hard at her paper once Rose had finished speaking, trying to see it from a new perspective and finding the best way to add her teacher's advice. With a serious nod, she got to work, not shifting her attention from her sketchbook.
***
"Alright guys, I've taken a look around at your paintings and everyone seems to have gotten really far! I'm hoping that everyone will have finished painting in two weeks, and then we'll be moving on to still life drawing." Rose announced as she finished her class, watching as each of the younger students packed up their sketchbooks and made their way out of the room.
"Hey Angel." Clayton said as he walked in, Paige waiting for him in the main room of the gallery.
"Clay!" Rose gave him a warm hug as a greeting. "I need some help."
"Clearing up? I can do that." He smiled down at her, turning to begin cleaning up the paint supplies.
"No, that's not it. I can clean up myself, it's part of my job. I need you to help me figure out how to talk to a boy I like." She answered, looking a little shy as she stopped him from doing her job.
"Oh, yeah, sure." He turned back to her, focusing on what she was doing, even as her attention was completely diverted by the work she was doing.
"Great! So, he's in my Chemistry class and I talked to him a couple of times last year, but we've never really talked. But, I made a deal with Hillary so now I have to talk to him." She gave him some backstory as she grabbed a handful of paintbrushes to wash.
***
The next day, Rose got ready for school with a tight feeling in her chest. She had talked to Clay for half an hour the night before and had made a flexible plan for how she would interact with Sam later that day.
That tight feeling remained with her until the beginning of third period, when she had Chemistry. She pulled out her phone to distract her fingers, which she had been twisting around.
I'm in Chem, I'm kinda terrified. -Rose
Relax Angel, it's going to be fine. This guy would have to be stupid to not like you. -Clay
That's not true, most people here don't like me. -Rose
Worst case scenario he doesn't like you, if that happens (which it won't), I promise to take you out for ice cream to cheer you up. -Clay
Thank Bear, I'm gonna talk to him. -Rose
She clicked her phone off with newfound confidence, she knew whatever happened with this guy she would still have people around her, so even if life at school became more miserable, she would be fine.
As class was ending, rose made sure to take around the same time as Sam to pack up her things. When she started to leave, she bumped into him accidentally, which was caused by nerves, not her plan.
"Oh, sorry Sam." She said, tucking her hair behind her ear with the hadn't that wasn't carrying her books.
"Don't worry about it Rose, you didn't break anything." He answered with a goofy smile.
"Unlike my eardrums, which are breaking apart from how loud Mr.Kuntz talks." Rose answered, mentally cringing at her horrible attempt at a joke.
"Hey, it could be worse, my little brother has him for grade 9 science and he made one of the kids cry." He laughed, opening the door to the stairwell for her.
"Seriously? The poor kid," Her face scrunched in sympathy. "What did he say?"
"He was making some stupid joke about this guy Jeff, but he let it go on too long and Jeff started to cry. Luckily Kuntz isn't too horrible and said sorry pretty much immediately." Sam explained as they made their way to the first floor.
"I guess that makes it a little better, but it's still not great." Rose remarked.
"Morally questionable, but it makes a good anecdote for the rest of his students." Sam agreed, the two of them slowing down as they approached Rose's locker.
"I've got to meet Yasmin for lunch, I'll talk to you later Sam." Rose said to him, giving him a smile as he continued to walk down the hall, answering with a wave.
Over the next week, Rose and Sam talked everyday, texting each other in the afternoons and weekends as well. Hillary and Yasmin kept suggesting that Rose ask him out, but even with the support of all her friends, she was feeling too unsure to go past friendship.
YOU ARE READING
The One They Left Behind
Romance"If you loved me, why was it so easy for you to walk away?" Rose was used to being forgotten. Her mother had left, then her brother. The one person she never expected to leave her was Diana, her best friend. Diana left in 10th grade, leaving an opt...
