“I think so,” I reply, tilting my head to the side. “My hand is cramping and my eyes are getting tired. So, if you want I can touch it up later.”
Jeremy walks up and leans over me. “No,” he whispers, “That is perfect.” He picks it up and turns around. “You did a great job Isabelle. This means a lot.”
“I wish….well, one day maybe you can tell me what they mean.”
There is no response at first, then he barely says, “Maybe.” Jeremy turns around and looks at me. “I haven’t told anyone this before. So, I am having faith in you that you won’t say anything, but I have some dark things in my past. Don’t worry, I am not a criminal and I didn’t do anything bad, but I have my secrets, and I honestly have never opened up to anyone about it. But you, you Isabelle are different. I am hoping…well one day it would be nice to have someone to talk to, but I am not there yet. I haven’t quite dealt with it enough on my own to bring it up to someone else. I also have not trusted anyone in a long time, not enough to tell them.”
I walk over to him and put my hand on the side of his face. “You can trust me. I trust you with my past. You make me feel safe about it. Like I have someone to share the burden with. Not now, but maybe someday we can talk, when you are ready. You can trust me.”
“I know,” he says, as he places his head on mine. “I know. We have just met, but there is something strong here, I can feel it.”
“Is that why you broke up with Debbie then, because she was pushing that boundary?” I ask.
Quickly looking down at me, Jeremy replies, “What?”
“Well, maybe I shouldn’t say anything. That is wrong of me.”
“No, no, what are you talking about?” He pushes.
Shrugging, I say, “She said you wouldn’t talk about your past and when she pushed, you broke up with her.”
That seems to be funny, because Jeremy bursts out laughing. “That is not why I broke up with her! Not that she wasn’t poking around about that, but that is not the reason.”
“Can I ask what the reason was?”
The corner of his mouth twitches. “You really want to know?”
“No, I am sorry. That is none of my business,” I stammer, shaking my head.
“It’s okay. I can be honest with you. Debbie…well…she wouldn’t stop pressuring me to have sex with her.”
Okay, that’s not what I expected. “You wouldn’t?”
“Now that my sex life has come up again, I will repeat what I told you. I don’t sleep around. It’s not that she isn’t beautiful, and the thought did cross my mind, but no, I chose not to do it.”
“Oh,” is all that I can say. Then I point out, “Most guys don’t care who it is and want it all the time.”
Laughing, Jeremy retorts, “Well, I am human. I cannot deny that I think about it, and want it, but it’s the choice if you pursue it or not. I think that should have more meaning than casually sleeping with someone.”
“So, um, you aren’t a virgin right?” I quietly inquire.
That makes him smile even broader. “No, I can’t say that I am.”
“I am sorry if I am prying.”
“I told you, you can ask me anything about the subject. Well, to a certain extent.”
I shake my head. “No, I am done asking.”
“Okay,” he replies. Holding up the picture again, Jeremy states, “This is beautiful.”
“When I do art, it is an expression of who I am, what I am feeling. It, a lot of the time, is how I express emotion, such as sadness, rage and tranquility, and sometimes loneliness. So, it’s a good piece of art, but it may not have the emotion behind it because I don’t necessarily know what they mean to you, how you feel about them.”
Jeremy bends over and kisses the top of my head. “It’s perfect. Those flowers are a symbol of something, and you captured it. It’s about the beauty of them and you got it dead on.”
“That’s good,” I sigh. “So you want me to put this in a frame and everything?”
“I think I am going to get it professionally framed, because your art deserves it.”
Biting my lip, I say, “I am so nervous about people seeing my art. You are the first person I really showed it to. It’s like I am putting a piece of myself out there for everyone to see. I do art in school, but I rein it in. I am afraid to let anyone see me. I get picked on enough.”
“You have to have enough confidence to put yourself out there. You have the talent to really take this to the next level. I told you, I promise that I will do what I can to get you into art school. Isabelle, you really need to talk to your art teacher and get that information together."
There is a part of me that wants to cry. “I want to go to school, but I can’t. My mom is a full time thing and I will have to save up money to move out. There is no way she will pay for my schooling and I know she will do everything to ruin it, just so that I don’t leave.”
“We will figure it out,” Jeremy reassures me.
“You plan to be in my life that long?” I inquire.
He narrows his eyes a little bit, “I think so. Why, is that a problem?”
“No, not at all,” I reply.
A huge sigh escapes him, “I am hungry. I want a pizza. Do you want some pizza?”
“Sure.”
“I will run and go get one. Anything you want on it in particular?” He asks.
I shake my head. “No.”
“Okay, I will be right back then.” Jeremy carefully sets the picture down and grabs his keys. As he heads to the door, he shouts, “Don’t go anywhere!”
“Where in the world would I go?”
He laughs. “I have no idea.”
As he shuts the door, I turn around. What am I going to do? Oh, I will clean the kitchen. So, I do. When I am done wiping down the counters, I look at the floor and realize it desperately needs to be swept. Where would he have a broom? There is a closet by the door, so I go over there.
Inside sits Jeremy’s jackets. Pushing them to the side, I find the broom….and a violin case. That’s an odd thing to have in the closet. Against my better judgment, I take it out. Setting it on the floor, I open it up. Wow, that is a beautiful violin. It looks to be expensive too. I carefully run my fingers along the strings and wonder what it sounds like.
Suddenly, the door opens and Jeremy walks in. Turning, he looks down at me and furrows his eyebrows. “Are you going through my stuff?”
“No!” I exclaim. “I was looking for the broom and then found this. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I am so sorry. Please, don’t be angry with me!”
“I am not…..angry. I just…well…I don’t share much with people.”
I quickly close the case and put it back. “Please, I am sorry Jeremy. I promise I wasn’t looking through your stuff.”
“Isabelle, calm down, it’s fine. It’s not like you were going through my drawers. Wait, were you going through my drawers?” He inquires with a smile.
“No!” I gasp. “I don’t do things like that!”
Jeremy sets the pizza down. “I don’t think anyone has looked at that violin except me for years.”
“It’s gorgeous,” I reply. Hesitantly, I ask, “Do you play it?”
“Yes,” he responds, “just not for anyone.”
Frowning, I go, “Oh, that’s a bummer. I love the violin.”
“Mmm,” is the only reply he gives. Jeremy walks into the kitchen and grabs two plates. I shut the door quietly. “I am not upset with you Isabelle,” he says, sitting down at the table. “You just caught me by surprise. I am not use to having company in my apartment.”
“Don’t you have friends over, girls over?” I ask.
There is a pause as Jeremy looks at me. “Well, not really. I am a very private person. I have my friends Joshua and Kent up here all the time, but they don’t ask questions, and as for girls, I don’t bring girls home.”
“Why not?”
With a somewhat surprised look, Jeremy replies, “I need to answer that?”
“NO! I am stepping over boundaries. I am sorry,” I stammer, covering my face.
Laughing, Jeremy says, “Calm down. You don’t have to say you are sorry for EVERYTHING. You need to relax. I don’t mind you asking questions. Other people I do, but you, it doesn’t bother me.”
“You don’t have to answer them,” I reply, slowly sitting down in a chair.
“Some questions I won’t answer, but most I will. I don’t bring girls home because none of them have mattered that much.”
Quizzically, I look at him. “But you have had girlfriends right, not just girls you are seeing?”
“Yeah, I guess you can say that.”
I grab a piece of pizza. “Aren’t you close to anybody?”
Jeremy takes a bite of pizza and just stares at the table. Swallowing, he replies, “I wouldn’t answer that if it was anyone else, but I will answer it for you. No, I am not close to anybody. I haven’t been close to anyone in a long, long time.”
Eating my own pizza, I don’t say anything. “I have never been close to anyone in my entire life,” I finally whisper. “So, you have another one up on me there.”
“I am sorry for that. You will one day.”
“Maybe it will be you,” I say cautiously.
He looks at me and the corner of his mouth twitches. “Maybe.”
We are silent for a while as we eat. After I finish, I sigh. “I better get home. I have homework to do. Can’t let my grades start to slide because I met a cute boy.”
With a big grin, Jeremy says, “But I am such a nice distraction.”
“That you are, but I am still in high school. I also have to get up for school in the morning, which isn’t easy. I am not an early riser.”
“Me either. I do have to work tomorrow but I will be off in time to pick you up from school.”
Curious, I ask, “Why? Not that I don’t want you to, but we just spent two days together, are you not sick of me yet?”
“Nah,” he replies with a sheepish grin. “Anyway, we are going to the DMV tomorrow. I am so getting you your temps so that I can teach you to drive.”
“I said no!” I exclaim. “Borrow someone else’s car so I can learn!”
Dramatically shaking his head, Jeremy articulates, “You are going to learn to drive in my GTO.”
“That is ridiculous! You don’t even know me!”
“I have kissed you, I say we know each other,” he replies, with a huge smile.
Crossing my arms, I say, “You have kissed a lot of girls and it meant much more than kissing me, so what did they get to do with your car?”
“Your kiss meant something, who said it didn’t?” Jeremy asks with a bewildered look on his face.
“You didn’t kiss me like you would a girl that you like. I didn’t expect you to.”
Jeremy walks over to me. “Isabelle, the kiss I gave you meant something. You are a beautiful girl both inside and out. I felt drawn to you. I think we are going to become great friends, as long as I don’t mess that up.”
“Why would you mess it up?” I ask, slightly confused.
“I tend to subconsciously sabotage things. I like you, a lot, and I don’t want to lose you because I do something dumb, and push you away.”
I walk up to him and put my hand on his chest. “You will have to push really hard to drive me away. I don’t plan to let you go easily.”
“Good, I need someone to fight for me,” he replies. “I am a little bit of a challenge.”
“Well, I am always up for a challenge,” I return.
He grabs me and picks me up in a hug. “Good. Let’s get you home then.”
When I get home, my mom isn’t there, which makes me sort of happy. I am so tired from the last two days but I have homework I need to do. That night when I go to sleep, I fall asleep with a huge smile on my face.
Chapter 6
The next day at school, I feel slightly uncomfortable. Everyone keeps staring at me. I realize I look different, but I didn’t think I would become a spectacle. I haven’t seen Eric all day, but I didn’t realize that until right now. All that I have been thinking about is my weekend with Jeremy. I have never had so much fun. It is great to finally have a real friend. I know he is my friend; I just want it to be true on his end, too.
I walk into art class in my own little world and sit down. Everyone is still talking, because class hasn’t started yet, so I take out my sketch book. I start to draw the lilies again, wondering what’s behind them. What do they mean to him? What happened in his past that he has to hide from so bad?
“Oh my gosh,” I hear. “What did you do to your hair?”
Groaning, I hang my head. “I got it done. What does it look like?” I growl.
“No, it’s great! Who did it?”
My eyes look up. I see Jessica and Daniella standing in front of my desk. Sonya is nowhere to be seen. “I got it done at the salon on Fifth Avenue. I don’t remember the name.”
“Salon Sharique!?” Jessica gasps. “I wish I could go there. They are expensive.”
Great, ugh Jeremy, I knew should have helped pay. “Well, I got it done by Debbie there,” I reply.
“It’s awesome! It has definitely made a huge difference. What prompted the change?” Daniella asks.
Raising an eyebrow, I retort, “What do you care?”
She shrugs awkwardly. “Just curious, I guess.”
“I have my reasons. It seems to have brought me a lot of attention though.”
“That’s because it looks so good,” Jessica says. “I am going to have to beg my mom to go see your stylist.”
That makes me want to smile, but I hold it in. “Debbie is good. I wish I had taken one of her business cards. Next time I am there, I will grab one for you.”
“Thanks,” Jessica giggles.
“So,” I sigh. “Where is her highness today?”
With a slightly confused look, which suits her, Daniella says, “Who?”
“Sonya, who else would I be talking about?” I sarcastically moan.
Looking over at Jessica, Daniella says, “She is going to be out of school for a while.” Jessica just starts to giggle. Daniella is obviously trying not to laugh. I look at them a little bewildered. Daniella looks at me. “She, um, got her deviated septum worked on.”
“She got a nose job?” I gasp.
“Shhhh,” Jessica hushes me as she laughs. “No, she got her deviated septum worked on.”
That makes me burst out into hysterics. “Oh, that is great! I can’t wait to see what people’s reactions are.”
“You can’t tell anybody. We shouldn’t even have told you!”
“The only person I would even remotely tell is Jeremy,” I retort.
Jessica gets a big grin on her face. “He is gorgeous. Oh my gosh, so yummy.”
“Yeah,” I reply. “He is a great guy, too.”
Daniella giggles. “Sonya has a big crush on your Jeremy.”
“She doesn’t even know him, and only has seen him a couple of times!”
“I think it is how good looking he is, and then you throw on the flowers,” Daniella says. “He has her attention hard core. So, are you two an item then?”
What do I say to that? “I spent the whole weekend with him, and he is picking me up from school.”
“You are so lucky!” Jessica squeals.
Suddenly, the bell rings. Daniella walks backwards to her seat. “Well, your hair looks good.”
“Thanks,” I reply, somewhat in shock. Those two have never talked to me or have ever been remotely nice to me. It’s majorly weird.
My art teacher walks up to the front of the room. “Alright, we are going to start our semester project. Everyone needs to bring in a picture of someone that you want to use as your inspiration. It can be anyone, but the picture needs to be appropriate. These works will be displayed at the school art show at winter formal. You may choose any form of art you want, painting, sculpting, whatever avenue you want to take. Today, we are
going to go over some pointers that will help you on your project. I will also show you some past works from students.”
I bite my lip. The only person I would remotely sketch is Jeremy, but will he find that weird? I don’t know. The rest of art class is a breeze because most of this stuff I already know, so I sketch instead of paying attention.
When class is done, I head outside. It is warm again, but you can feel the cool breeze that means fall is going to start. When I get to the street, I don’t see Jeremy. Hmm, well I will start to head home, maybe something came up. Turning, I start to walk.
“Isabelle, hold up!” I hear yelled.
Turning around, I see Eric jogging up to me. “Oh hi,” I say somewhat bashfully.
“Where are you heading to?” He asks.
“Home,” I reply.
He smiles, “And that would be where?”
“I live on Harmony. It isn’t that far away.”
Eric smiles. “I live on Jackson. Can I walk with you?”
“Sure,” I reply, somewhat in shock. “Don’t you have a car usually?”
“Yeah, but my sister needed it today, and she didn’t want to pick me up, pregnancy hormones I think.”
That makes me laugh. “Well, yeah, let’s go.” We start to walk. “So, how was your weekend?” I ask, somewhat nervous.
“Good, and how was yours?” He responds.
“Great, Jeremy and I did a lot.”
Looking at me, Eric says, “Do you two do everything together? I mean, he is always with you when I see you.”
“No,” I retort, “I think you have only noticed lately. No offense, but I wasn’t really on your radar to notice.”
There is an awkward silence for a little bit. “I am sorry if I have been a jerk to you all these years. You seem really nice. I don’t know why I haven’t talked to you.”
“Because you are in a different league than me.” Oh my gosh, did I really just say that? Isabelle!
Eric turns his head and looks at me. “What do you mean I am in a different league than you?”
“Well,” I say slowly. “You are in the popular clique and everyone likes you. I am unnoticeable, quiet and pretty dorky. That doesn’t normally socially mesh well.”
The Art of Life Page 9
