15 December 2012
Chapter one: friendships. *•*•*•**•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*•*
"It's so obvious you like him Crescent." whispers Ellen next to me. "I really don't! And if I did, what would it matter to you?" I smile sarcastically at the girl next to me. "You do Crescent, it's so sweet!" chimes in Rose. Around me all my friends nod. There's me, Ellen, Rose, Iz, Ella and finally Iris! They've been my friends since I can remember. We are not popular at all! People consider us all types of things, Weird, Strange, Different, And most of the time outsiders. But to be honest we like it like that, that's who we are and we're not going to change for some ditzy girls who are jealous of us! "Crescent, like ask Callum out. Your like perfect for each other!" Laughs Iz munching on a slice of carrot, she's on this diet thing lately.. "No! Guys, am I popular? No. He's one of the most popular guys in school, he doesn't even know I exist." I sigh hopelessly, "Crescent stop talking yourself down! Your so pretty." says Iris raising her eyebrows at me. I smile weakly and glance round at Callum. He's sitting with a group of millions of boys, all his friends, and some fake looking girls who are batting their eyelashes at him and flicking their hair girlishly. Callum sits right in the centre smiling and laughing occasionally. He is almost perfect, deep brown eyes, dimples when he smiles (like me) sandy brown hair that lays lazily across his face, like a surfer who's got perfect hair! I gaze at him longingly, Callum's eyes meet mine for a second but I quickly turn away blushing. "See he knows your there." smiles Ella nudging me under the table. A red shiny bell rings from the other side of the canteen letting us know that it's time for lesson. "Come on Crescent." Rose says handing me my bag, "Sorry I have free period. I'm gonna do my art homework" I wave my red art book in my hand, they nod and walk off to their next lesson. I pull out my pencil case and start on my masterpiece! Pha! We have to draw a self portrait with stuff that makes us us in the background. All I have to do is the background now. I open the page to find my face staring up at me, my dark blue eyes stare aimlessly into space, my hair has a rippled texture to it and is a dark chestnut colour. I've made my lips look like they have a slight shine of them, they're quite rosy and full in real life. It's a good match to what I look like and I'm pleased with it. For the background I sketch some footballs in the corners, tennis rackets scattered in front of them and other hobbies I have. I'm the captain of the girl football team, I like to say I'm alright at it? "That's amazing!" says a smooth velvet like voice behind me. Callum. "Thanks..." I mumble, "It's you right?" he asks pulling a chair next to me and sitting down. He pulls out his own art book and shows me a picture of what seems to be himself. "Yeah" I reply "What so you think of mine?" I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings "Yeah.. It's ok" I stumble, "Have any tips?" "Umm, well don't press so hard, try sketching and maybe some shading in places.. Other wise it's good. You have a dog?" I ask pointing to a picture of a pit bull. "Yeah. He's a good boy, pit bulls have a bad reputation" "Well, they are pretty angry" I smile at the drawing "Some are! Not coal. He's a rescue dog" "Oh, that's kind of you to take him with you" "Meh, not that bigger deal. Saw you looking at me earlier" he smirks making two little dimples appear on his cheeks, "No I wasn't! Just-just looking for someone.." "Oh yeah? Who?" "Umm.... I-err.. My-my sister!" I finally manage. God, I don't have a sister! "You don't have a sister" He says like he read my thoughts. "How would you know. You don't know my name." I smile smugly to myself, "Yeah I do!" he exclaims loudly, throwing his arms in the air. "Oh yeah?" "Yep. Your names Crescent Holli. You don't have any siblings, and you live in a care home." all correct! God he's good. "How do you know so much?" "I know things." "Don't we all" he chuckles which makes a warm sensation rise in my chest. "So, why were you looking at me?" "Why do you care? I'm not popular." "You don't have to be popular to be my friend" "I'm not your friend" I mumble to myself, "Oh.. I guess we're strangers then" "Well... We kind of know each other but we're not friends I would say, more acquaintances!" "I'm cool with that." Callum smiles broadly at me, I smile back and sigh. "Well I got to go to my next lesson, hand in my art" "Oh come on then" "Your not in my class are you?" "Yeah, I sit on the same table as you Crescent" "Oh ,heh, yeah.." "Well you are getting older, your memory starts to go!" teases Callum scooping all his books back into his ruck sack, I follow his lead dropping my pencil case. I go to reach it at the same time as Callum, our hands touch as our heads collide. "Oww" I wail out in pain clamping my hand to my head and swinging backwards. "I'm so sorry!" laughs Callum, after watching him laugh not stopping for awhile I can't help but join in. We sit there laughing at each other until a teacher walks past and sees us. "Off to lessons please." she says trotting off. We finish our laughing fit and walk to lesson. Just as we walk out the canteen Callum whispers, "Friends now?" "Friends." I reply with a warm feeling filling up my whole body.
"Sorry we're late miss.... Had a small bump." chuckles Callum. Miss just nods so we walk to our places and set all our work books out. The speaking bit of the lesson goes slowly and I'm glad to get to the practical. "On the whole portrait theme, I want you to draw the person opposite you!" Miss explains happily going back to her desk and most likely on to Facebook. "Poor Callum! Has to draw your ugly mug." laughs Maddie Allen (Callum's friend) harshly at me. I look down at my paper and start to draw Callum's face as he draws mine. After a few minutes I have finished the actual face and only has to make the background. The picture looks like a boy similar to Callum, nothing could compare to what he looks like. The way his hair hangs freely, the way his lips are perfectly rounded. I could go on! "What do you like doing?" I ask him across the table. I try not to make eye contact but get lost in his milky way like eyes. "Umm. Football, rugby, quite like art?" I give a weak smile and get back to work. I draw little footballs, rugby balls and and art palate. I still have space on the page so I fill it in with swirling patterns that make you stare into the paper. After awhile I notice that the pattern makes Callum's eye! "There, finished" I say handing it to Callum. He scans it for a long time until he smiles and looks at me happily, "That's amazing Crescent! Don't know how you do it. You'll have to give me tips again" he smiles, the memory of us hitting heads brings a huge smile to my face, I let out a loud laugh making Maddie look up at me, glaring. Callum gets what I'm laughing about and starts off again. We sit there quietly laughing. "Why are you laughing Moony?" spits Maddie, "Nothing much." I stop laughing at take my book back from Callum who's lost his smile and is frowning at me. "Well you shouldn't laugh Moony. It makes your face worse than it already is" she spits. I nod and look at my pale hands. "At least she's prettier than you" says Callum looking at Maddie sternly. "What? Callum, don't go feeling sorry for 'that'" "Don't tell me what to do. Crescents much nicer than any of you" he says. Callum returns to his sketch and leaves Maddie sitting there slightly shell shocked. "Here, it's not great but I used your tips from earlier" Callum smiles handing me his portrait. I stare at it amazed, it's like I'm looking in a mirror. He's captured all my features perfectly, the scars on my left temple from chicken pox, the small crescent shaped scar going down my lip. Everything about the picture resembles me. "It's-it's amazing. Thank you" I smile weakly at him. "Why are you thanking me?" "For not making fun of me, like everyone else" I stutter. He smiles at me sorrowfully, "That's ok." he says simply. He tries to take his book back bit I grasp onto it tightly, he smiles and nods getting that no one has ever don't anything like that for me. "Aww how cute!" butts in Maddie, "What?" asks Callum rolling his eyes, "Don't you see? It's so obvious Cal! Little Crescent here has a major crush on you!" sniggers Maddie in her seat. Callum looks away from her, his eyes bore into mine. I can't look away how hard I try, it's like he can see every memory, secret and thought I've ever had. "Crescent is that true?" he whispers to me from across the table. I don't know why. I've possibly ruined a new found friendship. I look at him with regret on my face. "Yes."
Safe And Sound. • Opuss № I