ੈ✩‧₊˚ ੈ✩‧₊˚ ੈ✩‧₊˚ ˚ ੈ✩‧₊˚ ੈ✩‧₊˚ ੈ✩‧₊

I sunk into my seat, staring blankly out the window. Heavy droplets of water drummed onto the muddy window sill, creating small pools of moisture. It drowned out the meaningless blabbering of my English teacher.

"Okay that's all for today, you can go." She waved her hands, gesturing us to get out.

I threw my bag over my shoulder and made my way towards my next class.

"There you are!" Acacia pounced onto me, engulfing me in a massive bear hug.

"Hey! How are you?" I spoke into her shoulder.

"I'm good, you?"

"Just good? You sure that little meet up with Cerelia isn't responsible for your massive smile today?" I nudged her rib, staring her down with a huge smirk.

"What?! How did you know about that?" Acacia hit me with her sketchbook causing us both to topple over, landing on the dirty floor.

"WOAH WOAH! In my defence, I saw you two in the library, you left your AirPods in my bag again so I went over to you but you were already snuggled up with her." Acacia stopped in her tracks, helping her up from the ground.

"Ah. My bad man, you could've started with that gosh." Acacia rolled her eyes laughing.

"Rude ass." I smiled back.

We parted our ways in the classroom and made our way to our seats.

"Hey," Azia greeted warmly,

"Hey! How are you?" I asked,

"Yeah I'm good, you?"

"Yep great, still on for painting at your house tonight?"

"Duh of course." Azia exclaimed with a dramatic expression.

The two hours flew by quickly and before I knew it, I was sat in Azia's car once again.

"I brought the plans and some chalk for the sketch." I said to break the silence,

"Oh you did? Thanks I was actually going to ask if we could get some chalk but since you have some, we can just go straight home." Azia turned a sharp corner before a red car sped past.

Slamming on the brakes, her arm held me back in the seat as we jolted forward.

"What the fuck is their problem?!" Azia glared through the windshield,

"Are you okay?" She turned to me with her arm still crossing my body.

"Y-yes thank you." I answered still shaken by the situation,

"Sorry about that, some people clearly can't fucking drive."

She moved her arm away, putting her hand back onto the steering wheel. Felt my heart drop feeling the absence of touch I craved so much from her. She made me feel safe, like I was worth protecting.

"Alright we're here," Azia turned the engine off and unlocked the doors.

The loud screech of the garage door closing was accompanied by the fierce boiling of the kettle.

"Oh Hi Eleena!" Melanie toddled over to me, pulling me into a hug.

"Hi Melanie, how are you?" I beamed,

"I'm okay thank you anak, unfortunately I'm too busy right now so I just came down to say before I go again." Her eyes wrinkled as she smiled warmly,

"Ah well I won't keep you too long, it was nice seeing you!" I waved whilst her loud footsteps went away.

"Okay I found the canvas, please help me get it onto that easel, I didn't realise how heavy it is." Azia huffed.

"Oh god, yeah hold on." I rushed to catch the corner of the canvas before it fell onto the concrete floor. Our hands touched briefly sending a shock of electricity down my arm. I didnt know what that was but it was dangerous. My whole body felt like it was on fire, the room felt hot or was it her? Who knows.

We sketched a woman onto the canvas, completely improvising at this point. Sometimes you have to take risks in life and my god this was a big one. The soft scratching of the chalk against the canvas was almost relaxing. I kept sneaking glances at Azia, strands of hair poured out from her braid, her nose scrunched up when she was in a state of total concentration. She licked her lips every time she was frustrated with something, either the line was too curved or the eyelashes were too block like.

"NICE! WE ARE DONE WITH THE SKETCH WOO!" Azia slumped into the leather office chair, launching herself backwards using the wall.

"Ugh I'm so glad that's over." I said, wiping my chalky hands with a baby wipe.

"We did well for real," Azia stood up admiring our hard work. It truly was coming together, I stood next to her, the light chalky dust dancing through the air.

" Eleena." She beamed and held my hand in appreciation. Partner!!! I would love to be her partner if you catch my drift. I'm kidding I swear. I'm not gay or anything. That would be absurd.