True Colours

OLI

I couldn't help but giggle when the guy I met earlier, Alex, started bellowing out coughs. He seemed lovely, but that didn't mean I'd be able to speak to him. Oh no, my lack of social skills and stupid subconscious wouldn't allow that. I grabbed a pencil from my bag and started doodling at the corner of a fresh new page, not knowing exactly what to draw.

I could draw Gabe Saporta? Nah, I've already got a band member book.

An animal? Hmm, too boring.

And then it hit me; why not draw a few students? I'm sure they wouldn't mind having a portrait of them drawn for free, never to be seen by any other eyes. This sketchbook, as I've said before, was for my eyes only.

But who to draw?

I could start with that annoying girl that practically shouted Juliet's lines? No, whenever I look at the picture I'll just hear that disgusting tone of voice she had. The pretty girl at the front of the class that mop-head, as I've named the cute and chubby guy on the other side of skunk-hair, kept staring at? Hmm, I'd just get jealous of how amazing she looked.

Alex? No, that's creepy.

'Just draw someone already, faggot.' My temperamental subconscious ordered so I did.

I glanced up at Alex every so often, taking in the chocolate brown eyes and pinkish tint on his cheeks and transferring it onto paper, and smiled back when he gave me an adorable, lopsided smile. I've got to admit, he was attractive. I continued to add in other features; his cheek bones, his button nose, massive eyebrows. When my pencil sketch was finished, after about half an hour of glancing at Alex, I rummaged though my pencil case and grabbed a few flesh coloured colouring pencils, completely ignoring the lesson. I'd already done Romeo And Juliet at my old school and, since I didn't speak, I got to process it all perfectly and leave it engrained into my brain. I knew it word for word, and couldn't help but recite the lines in my head as I continued to draw, mouthing along unintentionally and pulling a face whenever 'Juliet' spoke.

I took another look at Alex and blushed violently when his eyes linked with mine as the hot guy, I assumed was called Brendon after a few guys playfully took the piss out of him- sniggering and catching his attention with his name, read his lines aloud.

"You know this?" Alex mouthed to me, a sweet smile appearing on his lips. I nodded shyly, frightened that he might tell Mr Jacobs and make me read the whole thing.

What the fuck would I do then?

"Already done it at your old school?" He whispered this time, letting me hear his voice. I placed my pencil on the desk and closed my sketchbook for a moment so he wouldn't see my drawings, nodding to answer his question again. "Must be annoying, huh?"

I nodded, and I nodded vigorously.

He sniggered at me causing a magenta blush to break out across my face and I dropped my gaze to my book again. He made me feel comfortable and pretty confident really, but I couldn't say anything. I'd just choke like earlier. I looked up and sighed a silent breath of relief, seeing that he'd started to talk to the girl in front of him instead. It sounded as if some sort of bargain or bet was going on between the two of them, but I didn't listen any more. I went back to drawing instead.

"Just because she doesn't talk doesn't mean she isn't friendly, she seems really nice." Alex practically whisper shouted at someone and I looked up in fear of them talking about me.

"I never said she wasn't friendly, it's just, well, how can anyone socialise with her if she doesn't speak?" The guy in front of Alex returned.

"I just had a conversation with her. Give a girl a break, it's her first day, she's going to be nervous. I was shitting bricks when I first moved here." Alex snapped and sat back in his seat, skunk-hair smirking at him.

"She's looking at you." Skunk-hair giggled looking over at me and waving cheekily, a goofy grin on his face. I quickly hung my head and went back to shading Alex's face. He had a nice face, so easy to draw.

Wow, I sound really creepy.

But, honestly, the dimensions of his face were pretty simple: Cute, button nose, average sized eyes with a really nice colouring to them that I had the perfect pencil to colour in with, a crooked smile that, with so much practice of drawing Brendon Urie, I could perfect easily. It was just the eyebrows that got me. It took at least ten minutes to get them in the right place, let alone colour them in. Holy fuck, they were big; but somehow they didn't seem out of proportion. They just fit in perfectly. His forehead was pretty big but you could hardly see it under his side fringe that swooped down so it rested just above his eyes- blocking out his eyebrows slightly but I saw them earlier when I bumped into him. I grabbed a mud brown pencil and began to colour in his hair, switching between colours every so often so that I could capture every shade, and got so into it that I didn't notice immediately when Mr Jacobs said my name. I only noticed when Alex whispered loudly to me.

"What's that you're doing, Oli?" Mr Jacobs asked as I slammed my book shut, terrified.

"She was doodling, sir, it's obvious." That annoying girl pointed out.

'Ugh, for once I agree with you- she's fucking annoying.' My subconscious said and I bit back a laugh. Laughing at the voices in my own head? Bit weird.

"Shut up, Kelsey." Alex snapped and I raised my eyebrows in confusion. Why was he sticking up for me?

"What're you? Her boyfriend?" Kelsey sneered.

Everyone 'ooh'ed.

"Just leave her the hell alone, okay?" Alex defended me.

More 'ooh's entered the atmosphere.

"Al, calm down, man." Skunky cooed and Alex nodded slightly.

"Make me." Kelsey smirked.

"I would but I'm not a disrespectful prick like you. I don't fight girls." Alex spat back.

"I fucking do, let's get it on, bitch. I've been wanting a reason to hit you since day one at this shithole." The girl in front of Alex stood up, grinning. Mr Jacobs gave her a disapproving look but didn't stop her for some apparent reason "It's unfair. I haven't talked to her yet but she seems like a nice girl, so just back off."

"Taylor, please sit down and stop swearing. Kelsey, out." Mr Jacobs finally restored order.
Kelsey squeaked, "Me? She's the threatening one!"

"And you're out of order when I'm just curious. Out." Mr Jacobs ordered and Kelsey stood up, huffing. When she finally left the class, everyone began clapping and whooping for some unknown reason. I guess they didn't like her. "Tay, I know you were sticking up for Oli so I'm going to let you off this time. You too, Alex." Mr Jacobs said as the class quietened down. "Oli, on the other hand, I'd like to see you after class, please. You have free period next, right?" I nodded. "Then just stay there, you're not in trouble- I just want to talk to you."

I smiled weakly and looked over at Alex who gave me a reassuring grin. This school didn't seem so bad; I could just avoid people like Kelsey, and maybe even make a few friends with people like Alex and Tay. Skunky too, he seems hilarious from the little comments he was making whenever Alex, or Romeo, said something that could be taken dirtily- finishing off his joke with "in-your-endo". Mop-head seemed like a nice guy, a bit lovestruck but nice, and pretty girl seemed pretty down to Earth. She wasn't stuck up like I expected her to be; from what I'd observed that is.

'Oh yes, Olivia, but that's all you can do. Observe. You'll never have social skills, not after what's happened to you.' My subconscious smirked and I shook her off, glancing over at Alex again when Mr Jacobs left the room to chat with Kelsey.

"Sorry about her, she's a complete bitch." Alex laughed, smiling at me. I shrugged, choking on the words that wanted to come out. "Are you alright?" I nodded and gave him a thankful smile.

"D'aw, she's adorable." Skunky grinned. "Hi, I'm Jack and you're cute enough to eat."

"Stop flirting with her." The guy sat next to Tay and in front of Alex smirked. "I'm Jordan and also really curious as to why you don't speak."

"Jordan!" Tay squeaked and slapped his shoulder. "I'm Tay, I keep these guys in check."

"That's Rian, he likes Cassadee a lot." Jack smiled pointing to mop-head and pretty girl. I nodded, taking it all in.

"Hnnh?" Cassadee asked and Rian blushed violently. "What did you say? I heard my name?"

"Nothing, Cass." Jack grinned innocently and looked back to me.

"You already know who I am." Alex smirked and reached out his hand to shake. Again. "Sorry for forcing a shake from you earlier but I just went of it, y'know." I couldn't help but grin and shook his hand willingly this time.

"Plus he chokes when he finds someone attractive." Jack winked and Alex released my hand to shove him.

"If you want to play that game," Alex started. "Hey Amy!"

"Dude!" Jack whined as a girl with bright red hair looked over. "Sorry Amy, forget it."

"Okay." Amy said and started doodling again.

I opened up my book again, satisfied with how lovely they were, and flipped past the page with the drawing of Alex on. I didn't want them to see. I bit my bottom lip at the blank paper, and felt myself blush at the feel of eyes burning into my skin. I glanced up to find Alex staring with a small smile on his lips. I released my bottom lip and gave him a quizzical look.

"What're you doing?" I lifted my pencil and shook it about, showing him. "Oh, what do you draw?"

'Go on, Olivia. You try and speak. Choke again.' My subconscious taunted me and I shrugged to Alex, closing the book. I was only okay with him seeing because it was a blank page.

"Oh, cool." Alex smiled softly as Mr Jacobs walked back in.

Stupid subconscious.