Chapter One
Ice blue. Her eyes, not like Tilly's warm, ocean blue. Still the bluest, clearest eyes she'd ever seen. Icy and clear. Almost supernatural. Jen felt a shiver roll down her back as the woman's gaze swept over her.
"Magdalena Corvin, head of the Art Department" she said crisply. Her glacial eyes peered at Jen from behind her chic Armani glasses, her hand out to her.
"Uhm, Jen," she stuttered as she squeezed the woman's cold hand in hers, "Jen Gilmore."
"I thought as much...welcome to Huxley Green Collegiate." She said cooly. Jen thought for a moment she saw a smirk pull at the corner of the woman's mouth. Jen smiled nervously back, "Thank you!"
Jen met her gaze, taking in her shapely face, her skin was shiny and smooth, but for a few slight creases at the corner of her eyes and mouth. Jen tried not to stare at her stark beauty. She seemed ageless. On closer observation, her dark pile of curls on the top of her head were laced with the slightest sliver of silver, revealing a much older countenance.
"Follow me," she said turning from Jen to head down the hall. Her strides were effortless. A few doors down, Jen stood behind her, anxiously fingering her bracelets as she looked up and down the empty hall of the school. The keys in Magdalena's hand jingled as she unlocked the classroom door. As if reading her mind, "The others will be in a bit later. First week back, most of them don't have as much preparation as we do here in Art!"
Jen's stomach burned and writhed with nervousness. She wished then that she had more than a quick cup of coffee and slice of toast that morning for breakfast.
She nervously smoothed the front of her pleated skirt and tried to calm the jumble of thoughts racing through her head. She felt almost under dressed compared to Magdalena's professional skirt and blazer combo.
Jen followed Magdalena into the classroom. Despite the room being flooded by the early morning sunlight, Magdalena flicked the overhead lights on. Jen squinted, adjusting to the glaring brightness.
"And this," Magdalena said with a flourish,"is my Art Room!" Jen blinked and gazed around the room in awe. Large and spacious, it had an industrial loft feel to it. The tall walls topped with high windows allowed for the greatest amount of diffused light. Cupboards and shelves were filled with colourful pots of paints, pastels, canvas, fine art papers. There was a pottery corner. High quality wooden easels carefully stacked in their own open cupboard. Every wall had student drawings and paintings. Even the high windows had stained glass pieces hanging in them. Another door led to a dark room. Jen nearly swooned with excitement. Magdalena and her bright blue eyes watched Jen's face.
"Only the best here," she said pleased with Jen's reaction. She laid the pile of books and papers in her arms down on the desk.
"Let me give you a tour," Magdalena said. Her heels clicked evenly on the paint splattered linoleum floor as she led her around the room, opening drawers, and cupboards, all the while chit chatting. Jen was thoroughly distracted, barely able to hear anything she said.
"As you can see, as my Assistant you'll have much work to do. The place is a mess and needs a good cleaning out before the students get back..." Jen snapped back to attention. Mess? She thought. Wasn't that the fun of making art?
Jen turned to her, quizzically, again feeling her stomach jump with nerves as Magdalena's clear blue eyes penetrated her.
"Where would you like me to start?" Jen asked enthusiastically.
"Everything needs to come down...I want the walls bare! I like to start the new students with a fresh slate...a blank canvas for them to fill as they go along."
"Sounds marvelous!" Jen enthused, her mind lighting up with ideas.
"Well, we only have three days to prepare before the students are back, now, you're not going to have any trouble lifting and moving things with your arm?" Magdalena raised an eyebrow as she looked at Jen's left arm, carefully wrapped in a tensor bandage.
"Oh, my arm, umm, no it shouldn't be a problem at all...the wrapping just reminds me to be mindful of it...it's almost all healed." Jen stopped, not wanting to share the horrid details of how her arm had been broken. She was relieved that Magdalena didn't ask.
"Well, I'll leave you to it, smocks in the corner, tools and such in the island drawers to remove nails if needed...ladder tucked in the dark room. I'll be in the lounge sorting lesson plans if you need me, but I'll be back in to check on you in a bit."
Jen nodded and smiled as Magdalena turned and glided out of the room. Jen inhaled, finally relaxing a bit. She went to the end of the room and pulled a smock off a coat hook, all the while looking around incredulous...the room was gorgeous, every wall covered with colour, photos, beauty.
She pulled the large paint splashed denim shirt over her skirt and blouse, rolling up the sleeves. Her mouth set with determination, she headed for the farthest corner of the room.
As she carefully began to pull down a large drawing, she could hardly wait to leave her own mark on the place.
