Tonight Will Change Our Lives

The whole day Megan and Jake had noticed that Rachel seemed a bit... out of it. During lunch, they had watched Rachel angrily attack her spaghetti with a knife and later pound her chocolate milk carton into the table top. The worried duo tried countless times to pry it out of Rachel but her anger built up such a dense wall that she soon began lashing out at her two friends. Realizing that their efforts were fruitless, they left the girl alone to her thoughts.

'Men. Are. Stupid,' Rachel thought intricately in her mind as she splattered more red paint onto her easel.

Rachel sat in her sixth period art class, consumed in plots to destroy Cadence Winter. The task the teacher had assigned that day was to paint from one's emotions and Rachel was doing just that. Bright red paint covered the girl from head to toe and matched the spots on her easel. Her classmates looked wearily at her, scared at how ferociously she was painting. Several nearby students scooted their chairs away to avoid and backlash that might be unleashed onto them.

'Who does he think he is?' She thought for the billionth time that hour as she stabbed the corner of the easel with her paint brush. Rachel gritted her teeth together and dragged the brush up the canvas. 'Idiot jerk off...' her mind trailed off.

Several moments later, a knock came at the door and every head in the classroom turned in its direction, except for Rachel who was too preoccupied in her thoughts. A figure drifted into the room with a note and began to speak to the art teacher. The class began to whisper to one another about the person who had entered the room. They all watched the teacher's surprised and amused face as she read the note the person was carrying.

"Well, interesting dilemma Mr. Winter," she began.

Rachel's brush froze midway to the center of the canvas. Her eyes widened at her work but yet were not focused on it. Her breathing began to become slightly labored and in a painfully slow manner, Rachel dragged her eyes off of her assignment and onto the intruder of the classroom.

"I suppose I could manage to squeeze you into this class. Let's see... where to put you...." The teacher's eyes scanned for an empty easel somewhere in the classroom. Everyone else did the same, wondering who would be the unfortunate victim to be seated next to the Winter brother. Rachel was the first to find the empty easel.

'No no no no no no no....' Rachel begged inwardly, 'ANYWHERE but here...'

"Ah, it appears there is an empty easel next to Miss Hale. Please seat yourself and begin on the assignment Mr. Winter," the teacher said as she returned to whatever she was working with on her desk.

Rachel and the boy locked eyes with each other. She glared angrily at him as he did the same to her. Time seemed to slow as he walked casually over to the easel next to Rachel. He set his belongings down on the floor and began to set up his paint. Rachel continued to stare at him in disgust.

A few moments later he spoke, "Why don't you take a picture?"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him then returned to her painting which largely resembled a crushed tomato, "Is it some secret mission of yours to make my life miserable or do you just like me that much?"

The boy scoffed as he began to paint on his canvas, "If I had known you were in this class I would have never even considered taking it."

"Why are you in even in this class anyway? It's like the middle of the week and you've never been in here before now," Rachel said throwing more red pain onto her canvas.

"I had a schedule change." He stated simply, becoming occupied with his work.

Rachel glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, "What are you painting?"

The boy looked at her, obviously irritated and annoyed, but before he answered he saw that she was covered in red and her canvas was saturated with the same color, "I could ask you the same thing. Did you get into a wrestling match with your paint brush or do really just don't have that much talent?"

Rachel did a sharp intake of air than glared at him offended, "The assignment was to paint with your emotions. I was angry so I painted this."

The boy snorted and returned to his own painting, "It looks like you're covered in blood."

Rachel looked down at herself and looked back at her red canvas. It looked as if she had meant to paint the entire thing red. Her mind fumed with thoughts of how to kill the insolent boy sitting beside her. Rachel had to work to keep herself calm. High blood pressure never did anyone any good.

The two ignored each other for the remaining time of the class.When the bell rung, Rachel gathered her things quickly and ran out of the door. The boy shook his head and continued to paint. Several moments later, the art teacher came to his easel and admired his work.

"Time's up kid," she said, "But good job! You did really well considering you came in later than most."

The two people looked at his creation. The easel flaunted a beautiful brunette in a long white dress, staring out of a Victorian window. Her face could not to be seen. The back of her head held beautiful brown waves that seemed to blend with the graceful looking dress.

"Who's the lady in the picture, Aiden?" the teacher asked.

Aiden blinked at his creation then stared at the red mess located to his right, "I don't know..."