Melinda shuffled her sketches around her table. It was hard to focus on drawing just one thing. She had a million things going through her head, now that the heavy burden of Andy Evans had been lifted. It's been a month since that confrontation in the janitor's closet. About a year since she was raped. This was the first time she got to relax and really smile. She looked around the cafe. It wasn't crowded, it was peaceful. There was an old couple sitting on the other side, holding hands and smiling at each other. It made her heart flutter, and she decided what to draw.
She shaped their heads and drew the soft wrinkles that lined both of their faces. The smiles were unmistakable among the many other lines in the picture, though. Soon, she felt a looming presence behind her. She slowly turned to see David Petrakis behind her, watching her draw. He looked down and apologized for lurking. Sitting across from her, he started small talk. Weather, drawings, school, summer projects.. It was nice to be able to sit and talk with him like this. It made her feel light. Soon, Melinda saw Rachel across the way. Smiling as she spotted the two, Rachel skipped to them. She made a flamboyant entrance and sat beside Melinda, hugging her briefly. They all talked as Melinda drew. Before they knew it, it was 5:00 PM. Melinda had finished her drawing, and her two friends ooh'd over it. After praising her for her good work, they walked her home. Melinda smiled as the two left for their own houses. She entered her home, remembering that she wasn't quite alone anymore.
