Page 96 of I Don't Need Your Romance

Nodding, I flip it open to the first page. “Just some stuff I doodled. Go ahead and take a look.”

Class will start any minute, so this probably isn’t a good time, but something just compelled me to show it to her.

She takes in the first sketch. I drew this a few weeks ago, before Dad died. I sat outside my house and drew the people passing by.

This sketch is a mom, dad, and little girl holding hands with smiles on their faces as they walk by.

“This is great,” Sophie says. “You’re so talented.”

“Thanks. Uh…Can I?” She leans back and I reach for the sketchbook. “We don’t have time to go through it all. I just wanted to show you this.” I turn to the correct page.

Sophie leans forward as she studies it. It’s me and her in the library, having one of our lessons. It’s drawn from the POV of someone standing in the doorway. We’re both bent over textbooks. You can only see my profile, but Sophie is facing the viewer, and you can see her entire face.

She laughs lightly. “I look happy.”

I smile, too, as I take in the large grin on her face. “It’s how you look when you tutor me. See? There’s so much light in your eyes. Like you’re doing something you love.”

She’s quiet as she examines herself. “You’re really talented, Damian. I love it. You captured me so well, like you can look into my soul. Wow. You’re totally going places with your art.”

“Thanks.”

Before I can stop her, she flips to the next page. Right there in front of her eyes is a sketch of her face. Her sweet, smiling face and pretty eyes.

My heart goes still. I clear my throat and shut the sketchbook, pulling it to my side of the table. Sophie stares at me, but I don’t look her way as I put the sketchpad away.

Luckily, Mrs. Sullivan comes in and Sophie doesn’t have a chance to ask about her portrait. I don’t know what I was thinking showing her my art. I kind of forgot that her face was the page after the sketch of our lesson in the library.

What does she think about it? About my drawing it? Is she uncomfortable?

As Sullivan teaches the lesson, I can’t remove my eyes from Sophie’s face as I try to determine how she feels about it. But I’m not getting anything.

But then her eyes meet mine and she smiles. A smile that makes warmth spill all over my body. She’s not upset orawkward about it. She’s treating me like normal. Like we’re friends.

Truth is, I don’t really know why I drew her. I just can’t seem to get her sweet smile out of my head. I draw whatever I think about and I guess she’s been on my mind a lot lately.

***

Someone lowers herself next to me during art class, placing her easel next to mine. “Figured some of your awesome talent might ooze into me,” Sophie says with a bright smile.

I chuckle softly. “Not sure it works like that.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

I peer at her painting. “It’s pretty good. Another scene from a book?”

“Yeah, that’s supposed to be a fairy.” She points to a tiny speck on the canvas. “She accompanies the hero on his journey to save his love. The non damsel in distress. But I think I messed her up.”

“Well, fairies are tiny, so it’s realistic.”

“Yeah, but I just wish I made her a little bigger so we can see her features.”

As I give her advice on how to change or improve it, my phone beeps with a text. Scanning the screen, I shut my eyes and grunt.

“Everything okay?” Sophie asks.

“Fine,” I mutter.

My phone beeps again. Mom is waiting for an answer, but I don’t want to answer.