Definitely okay | Crankiplier high school au

Chapter 8; blue canvas

Ethan's pov

I walk into art class and set my things down.

Maddy walks in particularly happy today.

She sits down next to me. "Oh my gosh, Ethan I have so much to tell you!" She says tossing her sketch book on the table and turning to face me.

"So you remember Finn, right?" She asks causing me to nod. "I mean he does sit behind us."

"Yeah, well I talked to him all weekend. He's so interesting and smart." She says causing me to laugh a little.

She gasps and lightly hits me on the arm. "I'm being serious! We're like perfect for each other. And I think he likes me." She says grinning.

The art room door opens and Finn walks in. "Act casual, okay?" Maddy says facing forward.

As Finn passes out table he smiles at Maddy. "Hey," he says before sitting down.

Maddy looks at me with the biggest smile I've ever seen. "AHH! Did you hear that? He said hi! Omg he's in love with me."

I laugh and shake my head. "Definitely," I say causing her to throw her marker at me.

"What? I'm agreeing with you." I see putting my hand up defensively.

"Whatever, Nestor." She says opening her sketch book.

"Anyways enough about me. What's going on with you and Mark?" She asks.

"That's a good question." I say more to myself than to her. I really didn't know what was going on between Mark and I.

At the arcade he held my hand, but that was it. Maybe he knows I have a crush on him and he's just pitying me. Like putting a laser on the wall for a cat.

I swallowed hard at the thought.

"Well I could always be your detective." Maddy offers. "My.. detective?" I question her.

"Yeah, like I hang around the popular kids, see if Mark says anything about you and then tell you what I hear."

I smile to myself. "What are we? 6th graders?" I ask jokingly.

"Or I could just turn around and ask Mark point blank if he likes you or not, but I'm pretty sure the first option sounds way better." Maddy says at a whisper.

"Uh not yet-"

"Alright class we're going to do a simple portrait for today. Choose who you want to paint with, paint them or anything around you and turn it in by the end of the hour."

Maddy turns around to exchange glances with Finn.

While I'm tying my apron thing, Mark comes up to me. "Partners?"

"Definitely," I say smiling. "Meet you at the canvas station."

I give him a thumbs up and go to collect different colors of paint. Maddy joins me, grabbing shades if yellow and purple. "Good luck, Ethan."

"Yeah, you too," I say before walking over to Mark.

"What are you painting?" I ask Mark, squeezing a tube of blue paint onto my plastic palette. "I don't know.. maybe a mustache or something. I'm not that artistic."

"I'm not either. I'm only taking this class because it's an easy A."

Mark chuckles, "Yeah, cause we're in a Freshman class." He says through laughs.

I had no idea what I was going to paint. I'm not a big art person and it'd probably be offensive to try and draw Mark.

I decide to paint my entire canvas blue. Hey, if popular artist can do that and get paid for it, why can't I?

I grab the biggest brush, dip it in paint and start painting thin layers of blue paint.

"Remember as you're painting, become the painting. Flow your emotions onto the canvas." That art teacher says walking around.

"Nut job, am I right?" Mark asks causing me to burst out laughing. "Yeah, I don't know how anyone could be inspired by him saying that to us." I say applying my second layer of blue.

"How are we doing over here, boys?" Mr. Cowie asks placing a firm hand on my shoulder.

"Nice work, Mark." He says before looking at my painting. "And what are you painting, Ethan?"

"Uh.." I thought about being funny and saying some dramatic description of my painting, but Mr. Cowie already didn't like me very much. He keeps telling me I need to open my third eye and see things how and artist sees. I mean, seriously?

"I'm just painting my canvas blue." I say shrugging. "Hmm,"

He looks at my painting for a good minute, as if he was looking for a reason to tell me I was wrong, or trying to see it the way and artist would.

"Are you going to add anything? Maybe some clouds or a mountain in the distance?"

I know what I should say. "Yes, Mr. Cowie bla bla art and bla bla emotions." But I don't, because I don't care.

"I mean I could. I was just going to leave it blue."

"Well I'm not giving you full credit for just a blue canvas. I should suggest you add something to it." He says bitterly, before giving my shoulder a squeeze and walking to the next group.

"I've never seen Mr. Cowie so upset. His face was so red." Mark says laughing.

"I have that effect on people." I say with a funny smirk, causing Mark to laugh.

I grab black paint and stroke random lines on my canvas. It was my abstract piece, but if Mr. Cowie asks for a in depth analysis I'd just say something about sadness.

I look over at Mark's painting. It was a beige background with a big pink mustache in the center.

^^^

As I'm walking into the cafeteria, Maddy runs up to me. "Finn invited me to eat with him! Ethan, I think this is it! Finn's so gonna ask me out today." She says excitedly.

"Alright well if you need to bail, there's seats open, and I'm good moral support." I say smiling.

"Thanks, okay bye!" She walks over to Finn's table.

I walk up to my table and sit down. Mika looked as if she'd been waiting to talk to me.

"What's up, Mika?" I ask her, opening my lunch box.

"Ethan, I know this is going to sound kinda weird but like..do you like Maddy more than me? I barely get to see you because she's always taking you away from me."

I raise a brow. "What are you talking about? I text you all the time." I say paying full attention to her.

Is this what she wanted to talked about? I didn't know she felt left out. "Yeah but..I don't know I just feel like we're drifting apart."

"Drifting apart? Mika we grew up together. You're basically my sister. We can't drift apart even if you wanted to. You're stuck with me." I say jokingly, attempting to lighten the mood a bit.

Mika laughs a little. "Yeah I guess you're right. And as your sister I have the responsibility to make sure you're okay. So, how are you?"

"I'm pretty good actually." I say hoping she wasn't taking about my personal stuff. I didn't want to talk about that right now, but I was doing better than a few weeks ago.

"What about your anxiety attacks?"

Oh no. She asked about it. I didn't want to lie to her, but I didn't want to talk about it.

"Uh well I haven't had any bad ones." That wasn't a complete lie. I haven't a bad one like the one when she helped me, but I still get them.

Mika looks as if she had more questions, but she doesn't ask.