Feelings Incarnate | ✓

20 | Lying Artist

Hayden࿐

". . . And those are the three prenatal stages," Dr. Alastair continued to speak in his orotund voice.

I had heard this lecture over a gazillion times that I didn't even bother to listen. Instead, I glanced over at Kiara, who was busy scribbling down her notes. Smiling, I opened my notebook and began to draw. I had my dad's skills when it came to drawing. I could still remember how we used to enter art competitions together when I was younger.

I shook my head. Thinking of him made my mood go down the drain, and I didn't want to worry anyone today.

Stealing glimpses at her, I focused on her eyes. They were a deep, earthy brown--the colour of the earth after torrential rains. They held painful secrets, but when she smiled, they lustred happiness in soft twinkles that reflected the light that shone from the round, bright lights on the ceiling. I continued on, drawing her pale-pink lips, subconsciously staring at them as she bit on them while she took notes. Her hair wasn't too short or too long. I adored how jet-black her hair was; it was silky, I could tell apart every strand.

I couldn't stop my mouth from twitching into a smile as I drew her delicate features. She was too precious. I didn't deserve her either. No one deserved her.

●●●

"Did you know elephants can't jump?" Kiara mumbled, pouting as she frowned at something on her phone.

I looked at her in confusion.

She's so random.

She noticed my look and shoved her phone in my face. "For real, look!"

I squinted as I read the article on her phone. Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "Ki, why do you care whether an elephant can jump?"

"It's just sad." She sighed, shoulders drooping.

"You know you should have done Veterinary Science. You could have been a vet," I suggested.

She shook her head. "No, I want to help with people's minds. You know, our minds are the most dangerous." She tapped her head with her index finger.

I smiled. Intelligence is sexy.

"Rose, can you stop stalking Naomi Scott and, I don't know, converse with us?" I demanded, looking over at Rose, who was scrolling down the profile of yet another fan page of her role model and celebrity crush.

"Shush, Hayden! She had a haircut, okay?" she snapped at me, "Let me save some pictures for her album in my gallery. I need to bring the number of her pictures up to six hundred and sixty-six."

I crossed my hands across my chest and arched an eyebrow. Kiara tucked her phone into her pocket and grabbed my hand. I stared at her in surprise. Usually, it was me taking her hand first, not the other way around--she was too shy.

"So, tomorrow is the party." We walked side-by-side, our hands swinging back and forth.

I nodded. "I'll pick you up before six."

"By the way, tell this Chloe girl that she's going to regret inviting two non-fun weirdos like y'all instead of me." Rose glowered at us. "I'm so fun-deprived."

I laughed. "How about a rose for you as an apology?"

She gasped and brought her hand to her chest dramatically. "You know roses mean 'love'!" She punched my arm. "Gosh, Ki. Control your man. He's falling for me!" she exclaimed as she flipped her hair.

The three of us guffawed at that. Rose was our happy-pill.

We walked over to 'Shaken' and sat down at a booth in the left corner, near a potted plant. I ordered three milkshakes--chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry--for each of us and leaned back in my chair.