Chapter 3

On Monday, I submitted my transfer application along with my portfolio. Then I remembered I still had a sketchbook left in the practice room, so I headed over during a free period.

The sound of music drifted through the door, and I stopped on instinct. I'd heard it countless times growing up. It was Reid and Aria playing a piano duet.

I waited until the piece ended, then pushed the door open with a blank expression. I ignored their surprised looks. "I'm just here for my sketchbook. Keep going."

Aria awkwardly turned her face away. Reid stood up and walked to the storage cabinet. "I'll help you look."

After some digging, the sketchbook turned up at the very bottom of a forgotten corner, buried under a thick pile of scores. I carefully moved them aside and found the pages covered in coffee stains. Something went off in my head like a bomb, and I gripped the ruined pages so hard my fingers ached.

"Why is there coffee all over this?"

Aria said quietly, "We didn't have anywhere to put our cups, so we just set them on top of it."

The words sent a chill through my entire body, and then a wave of fury hit so hard I could barely see straight.

"Do you have any idea what it means to respect someone else's work?"

Reid flinched at my outburst, clearly knowing he was in the wrong. "It's just a notebook. I'll buy you a new one."

"It's not the same!"

Reid got angry too. "How is it not the same?"

Aria sensed things spiraling and immediately stepped in front of Reid, ready to defend him. I forced back the pain sharpening in my chest and spoke slowly, deliberately.

"My parents never supported me learning to draw. You two were the ones who stood in front of me, backed me without question, and told me I'd make something of myself. But then the people who turned around and put me down were also you."

My tears spilled over. "I don't understand how you two became like this. You forget everything so easily; I bet you don't even remember you two are the ones who gave me this sketchbook."

Aria opened her mouth to say something, but when she saw the disappointment in my eyes, she slowly pulled her outstretched hand back. Reid's gaze froze, and a flash of panic crossed his face. I didn't have it in me to hear another word from either of them, so I turned and walked out.

Two weeks later, the transfer went through. I walked out of the registrar's office and ran straight into Reid. I pretended not to see him and tried to go around, but he caught me from behind and wrapped his arms around me.

"I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have said those things. Please stop being mad at me, okay?"

I pulled free and turned to face him. When he saw I wasn't leaving, his face lit up, and he held out a bag like a peace offering.

"I bought you some art books. You always used to say you liked these."

I glanced inside the bag. Every single one was an outdated edition that had been pulled from shelves.

Even his attempt at making up felt condescending. If he'd cared at all, he wouldn't have come back with a bag of books nobody else wanted.

"I don't need them. Take them back."

Reid's hand hung in the air. After an awkward pause, he finally said quietly, "Okay, I'll hold onto them for you. Whenever you want them, just let me know."

I didn't respond, so he kept talking on his own. "You haven't been coming to class lately. Are you getting ready for a competition?"

I'd been trying to figure out how to explain why I was coming out of the registrar's office, and he'd just handed me the perfect excuse. He took my silence as a yes and looked relieved.

"You're still a music student at the end of the day. No matter how much you love painting, you need to take care of your actual major first.

"When you come back with a win, Aria and I will take you out for a big dinner."

I gave a noncommittal response.

Once I was gone, we'd never cross paths again. They could keep their dinner.