Chapter Twenty Artemis
Chapter Twenty
Artemis
Monday morning, I drag myself into the school building, following Jenna and Jason.
Ryan and I didn’t get to hang out yesterday because we had to visit Mom’s sick aunt a few towns over.
Ryan and I texted a little, but that’s pretty much it.
I’m a little bummed we couldn’t hang out. Okay, I’m a lot bummed.
Jenna leans against my locker while Jason goes to talk with some of his friends. “We didn’t get a chance to talk, but what the heck happened between you and Ryan at the Ball? Hello, he danced with you. He totally ditched Brianne to dance with you.”
I don’t say anything as I pull my locker open and dump some things inside. “It’s no big deal. He doesn’t like Brianne.”
Her jaw drops. “No such thing. All guys like Brianne.”
I shrug. “He doesn’t.”
She narrows her eyes, thinking. Then they light up. “Art, do you think he likes you?”
“No. He’s just a friend.”
She grabs my hand. “That’s not what I asked. Art, I think he does.”
I pull away. “No. He told me he wants to be my friend, and I can’t let myself get hopeful, because it’ll just hurt me.”
She frowns. “But you guys are so cute together. I mean, he chose you.”
I roll my eyes. “He didn’t have anyone else. Besides, he’s probably comfortable with me because we already danced together.”
She’s about to say something, but I go on, “Jenna, I don’t think he’s interested in a girlfriend, and that’s okay. I can be his friend.”
She searches my eyes. “Are you really okay with that? Because you don’t have to be his friend if it hurts too much.”
I force a smile. “I’m good.” I mean, I have to be. Not being his friend means not hanging out with him, and I really, really want to hang out with him.
She nods unsurely. “Okay. But really, if you…” She stops talking as she looks behind me. Whirling around, I find Ryan standing there.
“Hey,” I say. “You know my friend, Jenna, right?”
He nods. “Hi.”
She dips her head. Then her eyes move from Ryan to me. “Right, so I need to be somewhere.” She pulls me into a hug. “Later, Art. See ya, Ryan.” She dashes off like her butt is on fire.
I turn to Ryan. “It’s a little too early for you, isn’t it?”
He casually leans against the lockers. “Couldn’t sleep, decided to come early.” He reaches in his backpack, pulls out Jane Eyre, and tosses it to me.
“Quit, huh?” I say as I stuff it in my backpack.
“Nope, read it cover to cover.”
I stop. “Really? Did you like it?”
“Yeah, was cool. I liked it a lot.” Then he goes off to say in a few short words what he liked about it.
I study him. “Are you just saying that because I like it, or do you really like it?”
He pushes off the wall. “Why would I lie about that?” He reaches for me, and for a second I think he’s going to take my hand or pull me close to maybe kiss me or something. But he swipes something off my jacket. “A feather,” he explains.
My body is so hot and crazy. Darn it. He makes me crazy.
The bell rings. Shoot. I want to discuss more of the book. I like hearing the words on his lips, it’s like music.
I hike my backpack straps up my shoulders. “Off to history, then.”
He follows me down the hallway toward the classroom. I feel all eyes on us. What, have they never seen two platonic friends hanging out?
We drop down in our seats. “Maybe we can watch the movie tonight,” I say. “We’ll tell my parents it’s for school.”
He extracts his sketchbook, and after placing it on his desk table, he turns to me. “You want me to see it that badly?”
I shrug. “I don’t think I can wait until the weekend. It’ll take forever. Besides, I think my parents are going to be out late tonight. Not that it matters. It’s not like we need to be alone together.” I bite my bottom lip. Ugh. Now he thinks I want to be alone with him. Well, I kind of do…
He opens his sketchpad and flips through the pages. Something catches my attention. It’s a girl. “Is that your ex-girlfriend?” I ask.
He freezes, slowly turning to me. “What?”
I nod to the sketchpad. “I saw a girl in there. She’s pretty.”
He shuts the thing so quickly, like aliens beamed from another planet and want to steal all his secrets. “No. I really shouldn’t be doing this in class.” He dumps it in his backpack.
“You know, buddy, you can tell me about her.” I smile wide. “What was she like?”
“She’s not my ex-girlfriend. She’s…nobody.”
“Okay.” I look away from him. “I still want to see your sketches one day. You’re crazy talented. I really think you should pursue art, not that my words mean anything, anyway.”
He doesn’t say anything and we’re quiet.
I sense some hostility coming from the other end of the room and when I raise my head, I find Brianne and her friends glaring at me. Or at Ryan. Nah, probably me.
I laugh, poking Ryan with my elbow. “I think we pissed her off.”
He looks in that direction, shrugs, then looks away. “Don’t care.”
“I just….”
He looks up. “What?”
I shake my head. “It’s just weird. Brianne is everything a guy could want. Pretty, rich, hot. She’s like the perfect girl.”
He scowls. “I wish you wouldn’t compare yourself to her.”
“I don’t. Believe me, I don’t want to be anything like her. But when a guy…well, when a guy looks like you, wouldn’t he go for a girl like her? I know we already talked about this, but I still don’t get it.”
He studies me. “What do you mean a guy who looks like me?”
I roll my eyes. “Come on, do you need me to feed your ego? You know you’re the hottest guy here. Why else do all the girls stare at you and all guys wish to be you?”
His eyebrows furrow, then a dark look conquers his face. “No one should want to be me. I wouldn’t wish what happened to me onto anyone.”
“What do you mean? What happened to you?”
Clenching his teeth, he averts his gaze. “I don’t want to get into it, Artemis.”
I bend close. “You know, now that we’re buddies and everything, you can call me Art.”
His eyes slowly move to mine. “I’d rather call you Artemis. I like it better.”
His words fill me up with so much warmth, I tingle all over. “Oh, um, okay. That’s cool, friend.”
He clenches his jaw again, looking away.
“What?” I ask. “Why are you so mad?”
He shrugs. “It’s nothing.”
I’m about to say something else, but the teacher walks in and begins her lesson.
Throughout the class, I notice Ryan’s knuckles are white as he grips his desk table. What the heck is up with that? What made him suddenly get so upset?
***
I strain my eyes, searching for my new buddy. The lunch line is moving so slowly and I saved him a spot so we could hurry off to the art room. But he doesn’t seem to be here.
My turn finally comes and after paying for my food, I scan around some more. Maybe he’s already there.
I’m about to leave the cafeteria, but someone nearly crashes into me. Luckily I stop my tray from toppling all over me and the floor.
Brianne stands there with her hands on her hips. Even when she’s pissed off she manages to look beautiful.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
She flares her nostrils. “So you and Ryan are together now?” She steps closer to me. If she’s trying to be menacing, she’s doing a crappy job. I’m not scared of her. “He and I were together, you know. You stole him from me.”
I step back. “First of all, he’s not an object, he’s a person. No one can steal him. Second, we’re just friends. Not that it’s any of your business.”
I push past her, but she grabs my arm. She’s trying real hard to make me spill my food, but I’m doing a better job at keeping it all together.
“You’d better watch it,” she hisses in my ear, like a snake. “Ryan likes me. A lot. So save yourself the heartache and let him go.”
“Are you deaf? I told you we’re just friends.” I narrow my eyes. “And anyway, I don’t think he likes you. Why else would he ditch you at the Ball?”
Her face wells up in anger. “He ditched me because he felt bad for you. He saw you sitting alone and told me he felt bad for you. So he asked you to dance.” She leans close. “He really wants me.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever, Brianne. I don’t care. If you don’t mind, I need to be somewhere.” I push her and her friends out of my way and head for the art room.
Ryan’s at his usual seat, and I notice he doesn’t have any food. Good thing I got enough for both of us.
“Hey,” I sit down. “Ugh. You have no idea what Brianne said to me.”
He’s staring at his empty canvas like he doesn’t know what to do with it. I know exactly what he needs—fuel to get his juices flowing. “Here.” I push my tray to him. “Eat something. It might help.”
Without looking at the tray, he grabs a grilled cheese sandwich and stuffs it into his mouth. “What did Brianne say?”
“That you danced with me at the Ball because you felt sorry for me.”
He turns to me. “That’s BS.”
“I know. You danced with me because you didn’t want her, and I was the only one without a partner.”
He squints his eyes.
“Kidding,” I say. “You danced with me because I’m awesome.” I meant that as a joke, but he’s not laughing. Or even cracking his teensy smile. Nope. His face has gotten dark, almost like he’s bothered about something.
“What?” I ask. “What did I say?”
He faces his blank canvas, shuts his eyes for a few seconds, then turns back to me. “You are awesome. I don’t think you realize just how amazing you are.”
My heart stops pumping. “What?”
He goes still, like he didn’t mean for that to slip out. “What do you think we should draw today?”
His words aren’t going into my head. All I’m thinking is that he called me awesome and amazing. Why? And what does it mean?
Ryan grabs another sandwich and I wish I could eat, too, but I’ve lost my appetite. No one has ever said that to me, except for my parents, brother, and Jenna.
Why would he think I’m awesome and amazing? I wish I could ask, but I’m worried he might shut down.
“So…the drawing?” I nod to the canvas. “How does inspiration strike you?”
He shrugs. “Usually, I just draw, but I can’t bring myself to do it.”
“Why?”
He looks at me, then averts his gaze. Is it just me or is he hiding something?