Knives and Pens
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The school was crowded when I arrived. The teachers stood in an awkward position off to the side, while students piled around, finding friends and skimming through the paintings. I walked toward a picture of a sunflower in a vase. The detail was amazing; the artist caught every color and feature.
“Excuse me,” Said an extremely deep male voice behind me. I turned around to face a tall black haired boy. And as soon as I saw him, my voice got caught in my throat. He had tattoos almost covering his thin body. I could tell that one was a quote that said, “Fear is nothing more than an obstacle that stands in the way of progress.” And another read, “I am bulletproof.” His black hair was flipped on the right side and half was shaved off on the left. Dark black eyeliner and mascara framed his crystal blue eyes. His pierced lip was tugged up in a smile.
"Have you seen a girl around here? She has black hair with purple streaks and is wearing an Avenge Sevenfold shirt.”
“Uh…no, I haven’t, sorry.” I said.
His eyes searched the room, only to return back to me when he could not find anything.
“Did you paint this?” He said, motioning to the painting.
“No, I was just looking.”
“Oh, I was about to say you’ve got some damn good skills.” He laughed; it was like a rumble of thunder.
“I am an artist, but none of my work is featured in the show.” I shrug.
“Well that sucks, I’m just here to support my sister.” He smiled, “My name is Andy.” He held out his hand.
“Harley,” I say as I gradually shake his hand. “So, are you an artist too?”
“No, I’m a musician. I have my own band.”
“What’s it called?”
“Exordium,” My eyebrows creased in confusion. “It means ‘the beginning’”
“Ah,” I said. “What kind of music?”
“Rock and metal.”
I nod, “Cool,”
“There you are!” screamed a girl to the left. From the purple streaks in her black hair and the Avenge Sevenfold shirt, I’m guessing she’s Andy’s sister. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Sorry, Danny, I got side tracked.” Andy said.
Danny laughed, “Who’s this?”
“Harley,” he said.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” An awkward silence fell upon us. Danny bit her lip, and shifted her weight from one leg to the other.
“I think Dad is looking for us.” Danny said, breaking the tension.
“Okay,” Andy nodded, “I’ll see you around.” He waved before following his sister.
“Hey you!” said a boy walking toward me. I recognized him immediately. Jett Danials was the snobbiest kid in school; his father owned a big marketing business, which made him filthy rich. Jett was also the winner of the past three art shows.
“I hear you’re going to compete in the art show?” The brown haired boy said, crossing his arms.
“Yeah…”
“Well don’t bother. I’ve been the winner three years in a row, and I’m not going to let some acid-tongue, raven-haired chick from the wrong side of the tracks take that away from me.”
“Yeah, well I’m not going to let some snobbish rich kid with a haircut that doesn’t even look good on him, take it away from me either.” I said, referring to his ridiculous buzz cut. Jett’s face turned bright red. He knew how bad his hair looked, and he hated when people commented on it.
Jett suppressed his anger and let out a humorless chuckle. “Whatever, you’re still a piece of trash and you’re never going to win that contest.” he smirked.
My brows bushed together and my lips formed a frown. I’ve dealt with a lot of names in the past, but when someone calls me “trash” that’s crossing the line.
“Just admit it, you would be trash too if it weren’t for your daddy’s money. What will happen if your dad leaves? You’ll be nothing.”
Then his smirk was gone, replaced by a scowl. His knuckles turned white and a growl escaped from his throat.
“Listen here you little – ”
“Jett,” Came Andy’s voice. He stood behind Jett with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. “Leave her alone.”
Jett eyed him, his top lip pulled up in disgust. “Get lost, freak.”
Andy had him by the collar then, and Jett’s face was clear of the ego and replaced by fear.
“If you ever call me that again, I will rip out your vocal chords! Now get out and don’t come near her again.” Andy released him then Jett scrambled away like a frightened little kid.
“I had it under control.” I said.
“Jett doesn’t take girls seriously. I knew he would only stop if I got involved.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“He used to go to school with me,” he said, rubbing his glove-covered hands together.
“Well, it’s getting late, so I have to go. See you later.”
“Harley, wait.” Andy takes a pen out of his pocket, grabs my hand and scribbles something on my palm. “Meet me at Starbucks tomorrow at 3.” Then he smiled and left.
I glanced at my palm and on it, read his phone number. I raised a brow, then stuffed my hands into my jean pockets. I shook my head; there was no way I’m going to let myself become smitten with this guy. I swore a long time ago, that I would never fall in love; not after seeing how broken my mother was after my dad died. I refuse to experience that kind of pain. I’ve been through enough already. I should still meet him though. If he’s bothering to give me the time of day, then who am I to object?
When I got home, it was almost 10 o’clock. Robin was already in bed, and I could hear the TV in the living room. My mother was sprawled across the couch with a blanket covering her midriff.
“Hey mom,” I said as I grabbed a water bottle.
“Hey,” She called. “How was the art show?”
“Fun. I met a guy there.” I said, taking a sip from the plastic cap.
“What’s his name?” My mother was intrigued now. She rose onto her elbows and raised a brow.
“Andy,” I laughed.
“He cute?”
“Yes, he’s very cute. I’m meeting him at Starbucks tomorrow.”
“A date? Does my daughter have a date?” She smiled.
“No, it’s not a date. I just want to get to know him.”
“Fair enough,” she shrugged.
“I’m tired, I’m going to go to bed. Night.”
“Night,” I heard her say before I shut my bedroom door.
The school was crowded when I arrived. The teachers stood in an awkward position off to the side, while students piled around, finding friends and skimming through the paintings. I walked toward a picture of a sunflower in a vase. The detail was amazing; the artist caught every color and feature.
“Excuse me,” Said an extremely deep male voice behind me. I turned around to face a tall black haired boy. And as soon as I saw him, my voice got caught in my throat. He had tattoos almost covering his thin body. I could tell that one was a quote that said, “Fear is nothing more than an obstacle that stands in the way of progress.” And another read, “I am bulletproof.” His black hair was flipped on the right side and half was shaved off on the left. Dark black eyeliner and mascara framed his crystal blue eyes. His pierced lip was tugged up in a smile.
"Have you seen a girl around here? She has black hair with purple streaks and is wearing an Avenge Sevenfold shirt.”
“Uh…no, I haven’t, sorry.” I said.
His eyes searched the room, only to return back to me when he could not find anything.
“Did you paint this?” He said, motioning to the painting.
“No, I was just looking.”
“Oh, I was about to say you’ve got some damn good skills.” He laughed; it was like a rumble of thunder.
“I am an artist, but none of my work is featured in the show.” I shrug.
“Well that sucks, I’m just here to support my sister.” He smiled, “My name is Andy.” He held out his hand.
“Harley,” I say as I gradually shake his hand. “So, are you an artist too?”
“No, I’m a musician. I have my own band.”
“What’s it called?”
“Exordium,” My eyebrows creased in confusion. “It means ‘the beginning’”
“Ah,” I said. “What kind of music?”
“Rock and metal.”
I nod, “Cool,”
“There you are!” screamed a girl to the left. From the purple streaks in her black hair and the Avenge Sevenfold shirt, I’m guessing she’s Andy’s sister. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Sorry, Danny, I got side tracked.” Andy said.
Danny laughed, “Who’s this?”
“Harley,” he said.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” An awkward silence fell upon us. Danny bit her lip, and shifted her weight from one leg to the other.
“I think Dad is looking for us.” Danny said, breaking the tension.
“Okay,” Andy nodded, “I’ll see you around.” He waved before following his sister.
“Hey you!” said a boy walking toward me. I recognized him immediately. Jett Danials was the snobbiest kid in school; his father owned a big marketing business, which made him filthy rich. Jett was also the winner of the past three art shows.
“I hear you’re going to compete in the art show?” The brown haired boy said, crossing his arms.
“Yeah…”
“Well don’t bother. I’ve been the winner three years in a row, and I’m not going to let some acid-tongue, raven-haired chick from the wrong side of the tracks take that away from me.”
“Yeah, well I’m not going to let some snobbish rich kid with a haircut that doesn’t even look good on him, take it away from me either.” I said, referring to his ridiculous buzz cut. Jett’s face turned bright red. He knew how bad his hair looked, and he hated when people commented on it.
Jett suppressed his anger and let out a humorless chuckle. “Whatever, you’re still a piece of trash and you’re never going to win that contest.” he smirked.
My brows bushed together and my lips formed a frown. I’ve dealt with a lot of names in the past, but when someone calls me “trash” that’s crossing the line.
“Just admit it, you would be trash too if it weren’t for your daddy’s money. What will happen if your dad leaves? You’ll be nothing.”
Then his smirk was gone, replaced by a scowl. His knuckles turned white and a growl escaped from his throat.
“Listen here you little – ”
“Jett,” Came Andy’s voice. He stood behind Jett with his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face. “Leave her alone.”
Jett eyed him, his top lip pulled up in disgust. “Get lost, freak.”
Andy had him by the collar then, and Jett’s face was clear of the ego and replaced by fear.
“If you ever call me that again, I will rip out your vocal chords! Now get out and don’t come near her again.” Andy released him then Jett scrambled away like a frightened little kid.
“I had it under control.” I said.
“Jett doesn’t take girls seriously. I knew he would only stop if I got involved.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“He used to go to school with me,” he said, rubbing his glove-covered hands together.
“Well, it’s getting late, so I have to go. See you later.”
“Harley, wait.” Andy takes a pen out of his pocket, grabs my hand and scribbles something on my palm. “Meet me at Starbucks tomorrow at 3.” Then he smiled and left.
I glanced at my palm and on it, read his phone number. I raised a brow, then stuffed my hands into my jean pockets. I shook my head; there was no way I’m going to let myself become smitten with this guy. I swore a long time ago, that I would never fall in love; not after seeing how broken my mother was after my dad died. I refuse to experience that kind of pain. I’ve been through enough already. I should still meet him though. If he’s bothering to give me the time of day, then who am I to object?
When I got home, it was almost 10 o’clock. Robin was already in bed, and I could hear the TV in the living room. My mother was sprawled across the couch with a blanket covering her midriff.
“Hey mom,” I said as I grabbed a water bottle.
“Hey,” She called. “How was the art show?”
“Fun. I met a guy there.” I said, taking a sip from the plastic cap.
“What’s his name?” My mother was intrigued now. She rose onto her elbows and raised a brow.
“Andy,” I laughed.
“He cute?”
“Yes, he’s very cute. I’m meeting him at Starbucks tomorrow.”
“A date? Does my daughter have a date?” She smiled.
“No, it’s not a date. I just want to get to know him.”
“Fair enough,” she shrugged.
“I’m tired, I’m going to go to bed. Night.”
“Night,” I heard her say before I shut my bedroom door.