Nate’s POV
I'm relieved Ethan don't have any problem with me. Yesterday I was really worried as he purposefully ignored me the whole day. He didn't even look in my direction when he walked into the Calculus class and he didn't join us for lunch. I thought he would continue to ignore me the rest of the year.
But he talked to me and behaved really normally morning. And at lunch he joined us like usual and chatted with Grace, Gavin and Milan happily. He doesn't actually seem that sad about my rejection. He didn't talk to me much, though. And he didn't actually look at me during lunch. I was side eying him the whole time. I hope he really decided to move on.
But something pains me. He stopped calling me Michael. He won't call me Michael anymore. Just Nate, Nate like everyone else. I wanted him to call me Michael.
And I could understand the bitterness in his voice even though he said we are good. He said he is nothing special to me. But he is of course a special person to me. A really special person. I of course didn't want to end our friendship and stay away from him. I don't think it would be practically possible for me, even if I try to. Looking at his face brings a lot of good memories into my mind and that makes me smile.
But why Ethan had to feel this way towards me ? Why couldn't he see me just like Gavin ? There must be a lot of girls waiting to date him. But why he choose me ? What's the special thing he found in me ? I seriously don't know.
I just really hope he decided to move on like he told me morning.
Right now, I'm heading to my last hour, Arts. And yeah Ethan is there. I don't know whether I should sit with him or not. A part of me actually wants to sit with him but I'm really awkward and also nervous to face him after yesterday.
Anyway I've to face him since we are in the same friend group. And Grace and Gavin now knows. That makes things more awkward when we all sit together. I shouldn't have actually told them. But yesterday evening when they repeatedly asked me whether I have any problem with Ethan, I couldn't help but tell them everything and then show Alex's pic.
The bell rang indicating the start of last hour. We have two bells between hours with a ten minute break between them. I increased my pace of walking. I had almost reached the Arts class.
Within a minute, I reached the doors of the class and saw Ethan sitting in the back like usual. His Bag was sitting on the chair of the easel beside him. So he reserved that seat probably for me.
I walked in and walked to the back. Ethan was sharpening his pencils. He looked at me for a moment and then went back to his task of sharpening the pencils.
" Hey..", I said as I reached him.
" Hey..sit down.", he said and removed his bag from that chair, without actually looking up at me. Earlier he used to smile when he saw me every time. Now he isn't smiling.
" Thanks for reserving me s..seat.", I said as I sat down.
" No problem.", he said nonchalantly and took his next pencil to Sharpen.
Okay, I'll also start sharpening my pencils. I also have pencils.
I opened my pencil pouch and took my pencils out. Then I was searching for my orange knife. I sharpen pencils with knife cause I don't really like the work of a sharpener. And I don't have a sharpener.
Oh..! I don't have the knife anymore. Ethan took it away. Now what to do ? My pencils are all blunt.
" Ethan..", I called. He was arranging the pencils on the table according to their shades.
" Uhmm...?", he tilted his face to me.
" You took away my n..knife. Look, my pencils are all blunt. I wanna Sh..sharpen.", I said showing my pencils to him.
" You sharpen with knife ?", He asked amused. I just nodded. " Give me. I'll sharpen them for you with my sharpener if you are okay with that."
" Hmm..okay..there's no other w..way.", I said and handed my pencils to him. He chuckled and then started Sharpening them.
Miss Anderson stepped into the class then.
" Boys and girls, so today I'm finally giving you a Group assignment. And this assignment will actually last for three weeks as it's a set work. First of all you guys need to pair up for that. So quickly pair up.", She said.
" Nate..Nate, will you be my partner ?", the girl who was on my left asked me as soon as Miss Anderson paused. I was about to say okay when a another girl came rushing towards me. " Nate, please be my partner.", she said.
" Henley, I already asked him.", The girl who was beside me told, annoyed.
" Nate, I'm better than her in drawing. You can check both of our Art works and decide whom to choose.", the girl said and pushed her arts book into my hands.
" Mine is of course better than yours.", the girl beside me said and opened her arts book, pushing it to my lap. " Nate look..how is this ? Impressive, right ? I got an A for this.", she was showing me the pic of the flower vase she drew. The other Henley girl was glaring down at her. I didn't know what to do.
The next moment, the both Art books were yanked away from my hands. " Girls, you both can go find some other partners. Cause he already has a partner. And that is me.", Ethan said stretching the spiral bound Arts book to both the girls.
" But you didn't ask him yet ?", the girl on my left said.
" I asked him. Nate, I asked you, right ?", Ethan said tilting his head to me.
" Ahm..yeah..he asked me already. S..sorry. Please find s..someone else.", I told the girls. Henley took her book from Ethan and walked away disappointed. The girl on my left also sighed and stood up, walking towards a boy who was sitting in the middle of the class. It's actually the first time someone fighting to become my partner in assignment. And I was kinda surprised.
In my earlier school, no body approached me asking to become their partner in arts, even though I was good at drawing. Cause the intimidating bad boy at school, Justin had claimed me for himself in arts and all were afraid of him. He was in the baseball team and was muscular and was a reputed bully at school. But I'm glad he wasn't that harsh to me. He would sometimes act really friendly towards me and occasionally bring me chocolates and snacks for drawing him pictures. But then at other times he would lightly bully me along with his friends. He was a mystery character.
" What are you thinking ?", Ethan asked me.
" Nothing..Ahmm.. thanks.", I said.
" Welcome..", Ethan said smiling and then tilted his gaze forward
Oh why do I feel something mischievous in that smile ? Was this a wrong decision? I think I'd have better become partners with one of those girls. Now I need to work with Ethan. And don't know what kind of assignment it is.
" I hope you all paired up.", Miss Anderson then said clapping her hands. Most of the students nodded. Miss Anderson herself paired up the rest few people who hadn't paired up yet.
" So now the assignments is, you have to draw your partners facial features one by one.", Miss Anderson said.
Excuse me what ! She is saying I have to look at Ethan and then draw his facial features ? Oh my God ! It's gonna be so freaking awkward. And he is gonna stare at my face ? No way !
Miss Anderson continued. " Okay children, so today you have to draw your partners eyes and eyebrows. Next week it would be nose and lips. And on third week you have to draw the whole face. I don't think you will be able to finish the work within one hour of Arts class. So you will have to find other time to work with your partner. You have to submit today's assignment only on next week. You can use water colour or oil paint or fabric paint or anything according to your wish. You can also use coloured graphite pencils. Just the drawing should look amazing and more importantly like your partner."
I tilted my face to look at Ethan and he was smiling excitedly, moreover victoriously. Why do I have a really bad feeling about this ?
I definitely shouldn't have agreed to be his partner.
Ethan suddenly stopped smiling and turned to me " So who is drawing first ?", he asked.
" Ahmm..Me. I will.", I said. Cause I don't want him to look into my eyes right now. And I can pretty much draw his eyes without actually looking at them.
" Okay, I'm all set ready to be the model.", he smiled turning completely on his chair to me. " Then let's start.", he stared deep into my eyes with those familiar brown gorgeous eyes.