Story Of A Girl

“Okay,” Mr. Miller clapped his hands together as his class took their seats. “We’re going to start working with paint. I know I said we’d start off with clay, but I want to do that later on in the school year.” He turned around, walking back to the cabinets. “You guys should no by know the rules of what to do when you come in here. But, for those of you who don’t, listen up.” He folded his shirt sleeves up. “When we really start working on things like paint or clay or even sketching, you guys gt out the materials and you put them back. I’m letting you use my supplies, take care of it.” He threw his arms up. “Alright, get the mats and the paint and get back to your desk.”

Evelyn stood up and made her way towards her teacher. “Mr. Miller, what colours should we use?”

He shrugged. “Basic colours, like green and blue and yellow or white. Once everybody gets them I’ll tell you if you need to add anything.”

She nodded, walking back to her table, where Frank was seated. “Do you want me to get the paint or...?” She trailed off, staring at him.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly. “You’ve been in this class longer than I have. I don’t know where any of this stuff is.”

She bit her lip lightly, staring at her shoes. “Okay.” She turned around, sighing. She walked to the cabinets and pulled them open. She grabbed the paints the thought she would need, a smile making it’s way on her face. The smell of paint filled her nose, and she easily welcomed it. She turned around, tray in her hand. The paint tray hit the ground as Evelyn gasped.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” Frank grinned. “Are you okay?” He asked while she put a hand on her chest, laughing lightly.

“You scared me senseless.” She laughed. “Yeah,” She nodded, a piece of hair falling in front of her face. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” He smiled, pushing the strand behind her ear, causing her to blush. He quickly pulled his hand back. “I did it again, didn’t I?”

She laughed, tilting her head to the side. “Yeah.”

“Frank, Linnie!” Mr. Miller called, causing them to turn around. “Are you gonna just let that paint stain the linoleum?”

“Sorry.” Frank muttered as they both grabbed a towel from the cluttered counter. Evelyn grabbed the bottom of the tray, seeing as it was flipped over, and yanked it upwards, causing some paint to flick on Frank’s face.

She gasped loudly. “Frank, I am so-” She was cut off when a glob of paint hit her in the face. “Frank, you got it on my shirt.” She whined as it slid off her face and onto her white blouse. She looked up when she noticed Frank wasn’t paying a speck of attention to her, seeing as he was nearly on the ground laughing his head off. She narrowed her eyes. She picked it off her shirt and threw it at his pants, instantly regretting it when he shot up, glaring at her. “Frank, I was just joking around. I’m really-” She was cut off again when most of the paint in the tray hit her right in the face.

“Will you two quit throwing paint?” Mr. Miller asked, burying his face in his hands. Frank stood up, a satisfied smile on his face as he wiped the droplets of paint off his face. He rose an eyebrow as he saw Mr. Miller laugh and nod his head. He turned around, curious, only to be met with red paint puring down on his head. He closed his eyes as it poured down over his face. Once it stopped, he wiped the paint from his face and opened his eyes to see a smiling Evelyn.

“It’s only fair.” She shrugged. Much to her surprise, he grinned.

“Oh, I’ll show you fair.” He yanked the red bottle from her hands as she gasped. As he pressed his fingers into the side of the bottle, she ducked and the red paint painted on Mr. Miller’s face, the man who had wandered over to stop the messy fight.

“Mr. Miller,” Frank laughed nervously as he lowered the bottle. “Where did you come from?”

“Give me. The bottle, Frank.” He stuck his hand out.

“I thought you were Easter, I swear. I didn’t-”

“Bottle. Now.” He opened his eyes, glaring at Frank. “Evelyn,” He sighed once he held it in his hand. “This is what happens when you don’t include your favourite teacher in paint fights.” He tipped the bottle upside down as smiled as paint washed over her head. Frank laughed as she gasped loudly. He handed the bottle to Frank as he laughed, as well.

Evelyn stood up, turning to face Mr. Miller. She opened her arms. “Want a hug?”

He laughed, placing the paint on the counter. “No. Give Frank a hug.”

She pouted. “But he’s already all painty.”

He glanced sideways. “Give Muffie a hug.”

Muffie’s mouth fell open. “No way. Evelyn Stewart don’t come anywhere near me. I’ve been awake since one this morning making myself look perfect and you won’t ruin-” She was cut off when paint was smashed into her face. Trent Malm fell out of his chair laughing, green and yellow paint smeared onto his hand.

“Trent!” She shrieked. “I can’t believe you!” She grabbed blue pint from her tray and threw it at Trent, only to miss and hit Sadie in the face with it.

“Paint fight!” Frank announced, ducking under a table as paint flew across the room. He yanked Evelyn along with him as he heard her gasp loudly once again. “Damn.” He held back a laugh as he looked at her. Her face was completely blue, red poking out from spots.

“It’s everywhere.” She muttered, trying to keep it out of her mouth.

He laughed finally, reaching up and wiping off her eyes, along with her makeup, and her mouth. “Whoever got you, got you good.”

“Mr. Miller got me.” She muttered, opening her eyes. She continued to try to wipe it off her face, spitting blue spit as she did so. She looked up when Frank laughed again. She smiled lightly, opening her arms again. “Want a hug?” Before he could reply, she launched herself forward, easily snuggling her way into his arms.

For once, Frank was happy about the red paint covering his face, or else someone would have seen how large his blush was.

○○○

“I can’t believe this.” Monroe muttered as she paced in front of Frank and Evelyn as they sat in the school office. “I can’t believe you, you of all people, would do something like this!” She tugged on her hair.

“I didn’t mean to. It-”

“Evelyn, please just be quiet.” She shook her head again as she stared at her paint covered daughter. She had gotten most of it off her face, some still sticking to her hair line, and she wasn’t able to get it out of her shirt or skirt. “I don’t know what has gotten into you lately. I let you go on a trip with some friends and you come back late, then you go out and get into a paint fight.”

“Ma’am, with all due respect, the trip was my fault. And-and the paint thing was my fault to. She’s got nothing to do with it.” Frank spoke up, glancing at Evelyn.

“Well, maybe it’d be best if Evelyn stayed away from you from now on.” Monroe crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows.

Frank’s eyes hardened at the thought of his friend being taken away from him. “With all due respect, I think that’s a shit idea.” He snapped.

“Frank!” Evelyn cried, sitting up.

He glanced at her before looking back at Monroe. “Well, it’s true.” He shrugged.

“Well, Evelyn,” Monroe faced her daughter. “Do you think you should hang out with Francis here, still? It’s up to you.”

“It’s Frank, mother.” Evelyn muttered.

“I don’t care. Answer the question.” Monroe demanded. The young girl glanced between her best friend and her loving mother.

“Um...” She bit her lip, glancing up at her mother. “He is my best friend, you know.”

Monroe’s mouth dropped. “You want to hang out with this...this...delinquent?”

“He’s not a delinquent.” She said louder, standing up, confidence running threw her system. Frank stood up, lacing his fingers through her’s as he proudly watched her stand up to her mother. “He’s a really nice person, mother. He’s sweet.”

“He’s nice?” Monroe asked, bewildered. “He’s pushed you down, gotten you stuck in the middle of no where, called you millions of obscenities and thrown paint at your face and you have the nerve to hold his hand and tell me he’s nice and sweet? Please, Evelyn. Not even Grace would believe that.”

She sighed, confidence growing as she felt Frank’s eyes on her face. “Well, you don’t even know him so you shouldn’t judge.” She muttered.

“Excuse me?” Monroe laughed bitterly.

Evelyn sighed, gripping Frank’s hand tighter. “I said, you don’t know him, so don’t judge him!” She snapped.

Monroe glared at her daughter. “We’re leaving.”

“No, I want Frank to walk me home.” She announced, her grip getting tighter.

“Fine!” Monroe snapped. “Walk home then!” She grabbed her purse, storming out of the office. As soon as the door closed, Evelyn broke down into tears, thankful Frank was there the catch her.

“She hates me.” She sobbed into his shoulder.

Frank sighed, rubbing her back comfortingly. “No, she doesn’t. She’s probably just surprised that you stood up to her.”

“No, she hates me.” She hiccuped.

“You’re her daughter, Easter. She can’t hate you. No matter how much she wants to, she can’t.” He laughed. “Plus, no one can hate you. It’s pretty much impossible.”

“You did.” She muttered, taking her face out of his shoulder to stare at him.

He took her face in his hands, his face turning serious. “Evelyn, I had absolutely no clue who you were. I was judging you by how much money you had and who you hung out with.” He shook his head, his voice slightly raising. “I was a complete-” He stopped talking when she laughed lightly.

“How is that you can make me laugh for no reason when I feel down?” She asked, sniffing.

He shrugged. “’Cause I’m just that cool.” He smiled when she laughed again. “Now, come on. I gotta get you home.”