Chapter 06: Him Again...

Chapter Six

Ivy

Friday came and we were all up for the upcoming drawing contest.

Each year North High Carolina's University organized a painting contest for students who studied fine arts and sculpture. However, everyone with the ability and talent to draw  or paint was able to apply.

And I did! Thanks to Anna who obliged me, just kidding, Anna encouraged me into doing it. She is very supportive of my drawing skills, she says that I had better chances at winning the contest prize than all the participating student! Yeah well, she was as you might expect, subjective.

Not that I thought less of my drawings but winning a competition against students of fine arts was not  even possible in my dreams . Needless to say, some of them had their own paintings exhibitions. And where was I compared to that?  I had my work hanging on the walls of my room whereas the other were kept safely in a box

This year and just like any other year, the participating students were asked to gather in the library in order to collect their respective themes and models.

It worked out this way; After a week after registration for the contest, the jury will randomly pick up a theme and a volunteering model for each participant. No one could change or alter their themes and model eventually.  They'd just allow us a deadline before submitting our final works. And after evaluation the first three winners would receive a dollar price. In all; there would be the aquarelle, oil and pencil portrait techniques.

I was not even a bit nervous like other students, since I had this gift from my early childhood.  Those are Anna's words. For my part, I've always loved to draw or paint in my spare time.  I first started around the age of five. Yes I was young and my drawings were nothing compared to now yet they were better than those of the ones my age.

Anna encouraged me to participate this year, for there was a six-figure prize for the winner. I did apply before for the painting competition last year but unfortunately, I could not attend at the last minute because of a family emergency.

 My younger foster-brother Jake had this asthma attack and I had to stay with him at the hospital so I could not submit my painting before the deadline. I had a very well done painting though. It wasn't my lucky day of the year.

This year I was more excited than ever. I even planned to finish my task earlier and even asked Anna to submit the painting for me in case I couldn't show up before the deadline!

Not paranoid at all, I know right!   Anna didn't have to beg me to participate since the prize was tempting enough, I wasn't ready to win but I most definitely knew I was about to give it a try and have a good time.

This euphoric feeling left me as soon as I laid eyes on Cole entering nonchalantly the library

Him again? It was hard enough for me to  focus on my task left alone;  How am I  supposed to be avoiding him when all he does is show up everywhere I go?

I thought inwardly trying harder to shovel off the thoughts about him.  Before I could pretend I didn't see him, he was already seated before my eyes , wearing a midnight blue unbuttoned  shirt  with rolled sleeves and a black tee underneath  resting his  strong forearms on the table. His jaw line covered in alight scruff   with his dark messy hair and electric blue eyes fixing mine.   My breath hitched in my throat

Damn, his presence was disturbing

His eyes imprisoned me; I felt blood rushing to my cheeks and butterflies dancing in my belly  

What the hell is happening to me?

 He was sitting opposite from me about four table rows away,  now holding  a small paper that he fold and put into his pocket, and I hopelessly wanted to be that paper for no apparent reason, wondering how his hands would feel on my skin again

I felt Goosebumps as the memory brought back the feeling.

"What are you thinking about Ivy?"  Brad's words crushed me back to real life

"Huh?" I looked up at him; I realized he was standing next to my table for what appeared to be a while now. My thoughts all driven by Cole. I didn't even notice Brad was talking to me.

 "You know your theme and model so…. what are you waiting for?"  He even extended the ‘o’ to his wondering tone; waiting for me to manifest an answer while I had no idea what he was talking about

After a couple seconds, I cleared my throat and managed to say

"I... I don't know what you're talking about, I just arrived "I tried my best to keep my voice steady

"Well they have just called your name," He explained

And since I had no clue whatsoever he added all excitedly,  

"You're drawing the oil portrait! Your model is Cole. And you're welcome "He said the last part in a ‘you should thank me for telling you’ tone.

"Wait, what?"  My jaw nearly dropped to the floor.

  WHAAAT ?  I swear my inner screaming voice repeated right after me in my head.

 Well to my utmost surprise, I thought I heard him say that Cole was my model and

When was he even participating? Oh my God no! I can't do this! His only presence was enough to disturb all my six senses and after our little incident I can't stay alone with the guy ! I think I might faint or something

"Yeah, and you're welcome" He repeated rather amused while I was taken aback.

 Little he knew about last time.  Clearly I couldn't tell him how embarrassing it was to fall on top of Cole and definitely not ready to recall what happened next ,while our bodies were touching. I felt I needed an iced bath.

Brad waved at Cole to approach in our direction. And he left his table straight to come find us .

 Uh oh ..that's bad.  Like it wasn't enough shock for me; now I have to face him?  Not like, I was afraid or something, it was just embarrassing.

All eyes were on him, he had this aura floating around him; I'm sure all girls dropped jaws fantasizing about him naked. But I didn't see him that way. Instead I felt like he pulled me towards him like a freaking giant magnet and I had a hard time figuring what was happening to me.

"Hi!"  Brad greeted Cole while he was still a row far from us.

"Hi man" he said pulling brad in a man hug before turning to me

“Hey” he said, his deep vibrating voice pierced through the walls of my head and I felt my stomach twitch.

"So you're Ivy's model for the contest!"  Brad announced unnervingly in his excitement and I wished the floor was open for me to hide in.

"Yeah it appears so" Cole said with a small smile bringing his hand to the back of his neck and running it though his messed up dark brown hair.   Was he nervous?

Couldn't he be less attractive? Was my silent plea

"Good luck with his face" Brad joked giving Cole’s shoulder a hand

I nodded; avoiding his gaze. I was unable to formulate an accurate sentence so I preferred not to embarrass myself further as my cheeks were flush enough

Yeah, good Luck Ivy.  I sarcastically wished me luck.