Page 56 of Damaged Boys Don't Fall For Bubbly Girls

“Hey, long time no see,” she jokes, her eyes shining in the way I love.

I laugh. We just saw each other at lunch. The guys and Lexi were talking about a comic book they were all reading together. Theo passed it to me, urging me to give comics a shot. They know it’s only books for me.

“So…” She bends close to me, and I get a whiff of her Lexi smell that brings me back to the past. “How do you feel about this whole portrait thing?”

I puff out my cheeks. Our art teacher told us we’ll be starting our portraits today and I really don’t know what to think. I’ve never done anything like this before. Most of the students here have taken art classes in the past, so they know what they’re doing. All I know is to make a circle or something.

“Not great, honestly,” I admit.

She smiles. “I think the point is to have fun. It doesn’t matter how your artwork turns out, all that matters is that you put your heart and soul into it.” She shrugs. “At least that’s what our art teacher said last year.”

I nod slowly as I take in her words. “How exactly does one paint from their heart and soul?”

She holds up her hands like she has no clue. “Promise you won’t make fun of my lame art skills.”

“Of course I won’t. Remember, we both paint like five-year-olds.”

That has her giggling. I smile.

The class fills up and then Mrs. Jackson walks in. She instructs us to prepare our items for the portraits and to face each other. One partner will paint the other first. It’ll take a few classes before both partners finish.

I release a heavy breath. “Here goes. So who should paint the other first?”

Lexi twists her mouth. “Hmm. Good question. Do you want to paint me first?”

I shrug. “Either way, I’ll botch the whole thing up, so it doesn’t really matter to me. Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

She thinks it over for a bit. “You can paint me first.”

She helps me set up the easel, then sits before it, placing her hands on her lap. She frowns and puts her hands on her waist, then frowns again. “Where should I put my hands?”

“Uh…”

“You need to have a vision,” Mrs. Jackson says from behind me. “Perhaps a theme. Don’t just paint your partner, students. Think about the message you want to send.”

“Like what?” Lexi asks.

“Do you want to paint someone who has just gone through a breakup? Do you want to paint someone in love? Think along those lines.”

“Why can’t I just paint her the way I see her?” I mutter.

Mrs. Jackson beams at me. “That’s quite interesting, Mr. Hastings. But very difficult. Do you mean how you see her on the surface or on a deeper level?” She faces the class. “I told you students that I want you to look into your partner’s eyes and see them for who they really are, but what does that mean?”

The kids glance at each other, some looking confused, some bored.

“That’s your challenge,” our teacher finishes as she heads over to the next group.

I frown at Lexi, causing her to laugh. Then she pushes some curls behind her ear, but they pop back out. “What did you mean by how you see me?”

With expressive eyes that make me get lost in them. With a sweet smile that makes the world feel like a perfect place. And with a kind heart that gives me hope for the future.

But I can’t say any of that to her.

“As one of the most amazing people in the world. My best friend.”

Her eyes light up. “Really?”

“Of course.”