____

"I'm so excited for today." Beside me, Dev gushes as we walk side by side toward our destination.

"Me too." Smiling, I look at him. He is a tad extra joyful today and I know it's because the date he had yesterday with the same girl he was nervous about last week.

I am happy for him because he deserves to be happy. He is such a good guy, always putting everyone before him and this is the reason I sometimes fear that anyone could take advantage of him. Regardless I like him the way he is.

Reaching our class we both take our seat waiting for professor.

"Now show me your secret painting." He says turning his head, looking expectant. I should have known that it is first thing he would. He has been grilling me for last few days after knowing I'm working on my painting.

"It is not secret painting silly, it just was not ready when you asked then." Ruffling through my bag, I pull out my painting which is to be submitted for competition.

"Here." I hand it to him as I look around the class. Almost every seat is filled, since today is kind of a big day and whole room is filled with commotion as everyone is anticipating our teacher to start this day and get selected by community, though it will take time before announcement.

"No shit!" I turn back to Dev who is gaping at my painting with an open mouth.

"What?" I ask him, confused if he is impressed or not.

He narrows his eyes in accusation, "It is beautiful! I can't even believe that you call it 'a just ordinary painting'?"

"Oh well," I shrug, "I don't see anything special about it other then my mood."

I've painted it rather unconsciously, without even knowing what I was drawing. I believe it is quite good, actually one of my best but it doesn't fill me with joy however it reminds me of immense sadness.

It has total black coloured background with single source of light by corner that is a bright star and in the middle of it is a small girl, looking toward star with undeniable hope in her eyes. I was like this throughout my half life.

I'd started this last week after my first heartbreak. After my first heartache.

A week ago.

One week. It has been one whole week since that regrettable night. One week since I've last seen him. One week of my hardest test to not think about about him. He hasn't made any attempt to see me or at least explain me of his 'no show', I guess he got what he wanted, he has humiliated me to my limit. In fact, he isn't even here, he just ran away.

Romero King.

A coward.

A betrayer.

A backstabber.

Even Syd has no idea where he is. She suspects Slade knows about him but was not telling her when she demanded, so she could give 'a piece of mind' for what he has done to me.

That night when I went home Sydney was there in living room. My face must have shown my grief because she immediately rushed to me, pulling me in her arms. I couldn't take it anymore, I broke down. In her arms I fell apart, crying like no tomorrow. She hadn't asked me any question till I calmed down. She just held me.

And it felt good.

After calming down, I felt so much burden on my heart so I let everything out and told her everything from first to every encounter with him. She didn't have any judgment on her face for that I was grateful to her. I don't think I could have stomached that. She just told me that everything is going to be okay, that I'm going to be okay.

"Everything is going to be okay, you'll see."

I never believed it but that whole night I kept my tight hold on it. I hoped for everything to be okay.

Even when I didn't believe it.

And now everything is okay or at least it seems to be okay. I'm waking up every morning, eating, studying and mingling with friends that's count as being okay, right? After all I'm made of stone and if I could endure my family's death I can endure anything.

Not your heart.

Even my heart is getting there where it could also take anything from anyone. I will nail it to the point, where it will be invincible, where no one can touch it.

No one.

Not even him.

"Bullshit."

I snap out of my gloomy thought and look at Dev, who seem eager for my painting.

"This is one of the beautiful art I've seen and I can bet my life on it that you are going to be selected. They have no choice." He completes, smiling confidently.

Remembering his own painting, I bump my shoulder with him. "Yours is more amazing than mine and you know that you are going to be selected too. I can see it through your over enthusiasm."

He tucks his collar in fake attitude before adding in deep voice, "What can I say I'm an amazing artist."

We both laugh at that, but he seriously is a wonderful and hard working artist. I say that because I have seen his painting.

His painting is full of colours and since he has drawn a portrait of his lil sister, it really is adequate. In the painting, his sister has most unnatural expression on her face. She is smiling but she is frowning, she is happy but she is sad. It is a beautiful puzzled painting. I know for sure he will be selected.

Our laughing session is ended by our professor's entrance. He is wearing vest and suit today looking extra sophisticated but as good as always.

He smiles, a warm smile. "Hello class. How are you all this fine day?"

Few students answer but the question itself doesn't need an answer. So he continues, "I see you all are excited for toady as I am or maybe more than me. But before collecting your works and before I start my class I would like to say some words of insight.

"Pablo Picasso rightly said that every child is a born artist, the problem is to retain that artist within themselves. This whole universe is full of art and inspiration, that is what everyone can see, but it takes a really hard working talented and visionary artist to pick paint and brush and illustrate their thoughts, visions and this beautiful universe into paintings.

"Guys I know that you all have worked hard to get selected in this competition but remember this is not the end. This is just a start toward your finish line. Those who would not be selected don't have any reason to feel any kind of stress. Yes, they would need to work hard. Yes, they would need to continue to try to give their best but that is all it'd be because one day you will give your best and I believe in all of you."

He stops and around whole class as if see that everyone is listening to him and from the pin drop silence I believe everyone is taking his words in.

"Now I'm going to start this class and when it ends you can submit your works by my desk."

It takes my every ounce to keep concentrating my mind in this class. Something feels off. I don't know what it is but I can sense something is going to happen today and I can't pick if it's right or wrong thing.

Class keep going but half of time I'm not here. Dev nudges me few time when I get zoned off. And when class ends I'm more than happy to submit my work and get over it.

Existing the class, Dev stops me by asking, "What the hell happened there?"

I sigh tiredly, "I don't know. I'm feeling little off."

"You need to cut some slack. Stop working this hard." He frowns at me.

I wave him off, "Yeah yeah. Are you coming or not?" I ask motioning at exit.

Sighing, he starts walking, "Yeah but your psychology class is today right?"

Not anymore.

I shake my head as we start moving toward parking lot, "No, I dropped out."

"Why?"

Because of him.

"I couldn't do it. It was taking lots of time and with my job I get tired easily."

But that's not only reason though, it is small reason. The main reason is I want to avoid him as much I could and I don't want to take any chance.

"Okay. Do you want me to drop you off to your work?" He asks.

I nod, "If that's okay with you."

"Totally." He gives me a grin.

Reaching to his beat up truck, I go to open passenger seat and that is when I feel it.

Romero

I sense him before I see him. Just like always everything around me gets charged and produces almost visible electric current around us.

"Ray."

I freeze along with my heart.

?