Chapter 10

I served the soup to the family and wiped my hands off my apron. I wiped my hands on my apron and made my way back to the kitchen. I watched the family eat happily and no complaints arose. I scrubbed dishes with KT as the family ate.

KT: Mara told me about earlier.

Nina: Oh no.

KT: Ya. You remember our conversation this morning?

I didn't reply except for the slight nod I gave as I worked.

KT: Have you decided what you've thought of Fabian?

Nina: I- I don't know, ok? I mean, just because he tried to kiss me doesn't-

KT: Woah. Back up there. He tried to kiss you?

Nina: Yes.

KT: And? Did you try to kiss back? Did you pull away? What interrupted you two?

Nina: Look, I- Mara came to save us. Cinnamon left us in the forest and- and I- I- forget it.

I put the dishes in the dish washer and started to leave the kitchen, but a pair of hands stopped me. Turning around, I saw Mara.

Mara: You were leaning in, weren't you?

I nodded and kept my eyes on my feet.

Nina: It's just that- I told him everything. He knows my past, what I go through, he knows about my problems, he knows- he knows me. I- I think I've fallen for him. But- no. It's only been two days. There's no way I like him like that.

Mara: Nina-

Nina: I'm going to bed.

I leave the kitchen and find my way back to my room. Hanging my apron on the rusty old coat rack by the door, I look around my room. My old wooden desk stood in the left corner, papers scattered all over it. My small twin bed was covered with a white quilt that was stained by ink and coffee. The rest of my room consisted of scattered pairs of shoes, jeans, old worn out shirts, and a small vanity with a cracked mirror. How pathetic. I made my way to my bed and turned my iPod on. I plugged the ear buds in and started to listen to my music, but I heard were love longs. Already Gone, Before He Cheats, Enchanted, I Knew You Were Trouble, Love Song, Love Story, Mine, Mr. Know It All, Ours, Round and Round, Year without Rain, off you go, iPod. What's with all the love today? It's not even funny anymore. I started reading my book again. I became disgusted by the romance dripping off the page that I closed the book and read the title. Romeo and Juliet, of course. Hey Universe, are you having a good laugh?! I fell back in my bed and hit my head on a book. I picked it and noticed that it wasn't one of my books. I don't own any sketchbooks. I looked through it and flipped through pages of random bowl of fruit and then I saw something interesting. There was a wrist with the number 28 on it. Was that my wrist? I held it up and compared the drawing to me; the only difference in any way was the number. It went down to 27. What is my wrist doing in this sketchbook? I turned to the next page to see page after page, portraits of me. ME. One was of me riding Sarah, another of me paying attention to class. There was another picture of me walking down the hall with wings. They looked like angel wings. There was another unfinished sketch of my face. It looked exactly like me, except the mouth was missing. I looked on the next page to see a sketch of a guitar pick. It was unfinished, but I didn't need to see the rest. I realized whose sketch book it was. But that wouldn't explain the portraits of me. A piece of note book paper fell out from behind the sketch pad. I picked it up and started to read it. It was a conversation between two different people, since one person wrote in blue pen and the other in orange and they alternated.

Man, I don't know what to do. I seriously like her but…

Look man. You've got to get a grip. You need to drop this.

Dude, I can't. She's an angel. I- I can't get her out of my head.

Come on, sure she's pretty, but I don't think she's that pretty.

Then your taste in girls is different from mine. She's smart.

The correct term is "nerdy".

She's nice.

She's a perky Penelope and a goody-two-shoes.

Hey, at least she's not Joy.

True. But, aren't they sisters?

Technically, yes. But they're nothing alike.

I hope not, for your sake. But, she's weird. There's something wrong with her.

She's not weird. She's just… different. And I like her for that. She's like a mystery that's calling me to solve it.

Whatever. When are you going to ask her out?

I was going to ask her to the party, but…

Come on! Man up!

I just doubt she'll say yes.

She'll say yes. If she doesn't, I'll give you twenty bucks.

I don't know.

I'll make it fifty.

Dude!

Fine. Sixty, but I'm not betting you anymore.

Dang. You must be confident.

She'll say yes. Trust me.

Alright. I'll ask Nina to the party.

Awesome.

Bye, Mick. Thanks again.

No problem, Fabian. You get her, tiger!

Woah woah woah. What? So, if this is Fabian's note, then- shit. All these portraits of me and stuff. Fabian made them. This is Fabian's sketch book. My worst fear had been confirmed. He… he likes me.