Line by line.
Scratch by scratch.
His fingers danced gracefully across his sketchbook, while his gaze locked onto a single figure — lost in every movement created, hypnotized by the stern gaze, as if dispelling all implied doubts. Yes, Tobias could see a hint of disbelief there; flashed. The girl seems aware that what she does will not end as well as her other comrades, but she completes it anyway.
Her courage, her certainty, to rid her of her imperfections on her balance beam; making her appear the most graceful of all.
Tobias added wings to her strokes without realizing it — immortalizing the figure of a golden blonde-haired woman with blue eyes with boldness shining through her, in black and white strokes on his sketchbook.
One final touch, then the sketch is complete. An angel on the balance beam.
Nah. Not a fallen angel. It was more like a guardian angel.
Strong. Brave. Full of confidence.
...
Rachel turned her gaze from the balance beam in front of her. She swept the rows of heads that — mostly — were only giving lazy or bored glances at her gymnastics group who were performing at the time. At a glance, she found Jake giving her a weak smile, then elbowing Marco because his best friend just made a silly, annoying move - making Rachel want to sneer if only her point of view didn't catch the figure of a boy with messy dusty blonde hair staring intently towards her. However, when their eyes met, the boy turned his eyes away. Blush. Then lowered his head, pretending to be busy scribbling whatever on his book.
"Rachel?" Melissa tapped her shoulder, then nodded her head toward the balance beam in front of her.
"Ah, yes. Sorry to keep you waiting, Melissa, "Rachel replied, trying to gather her concentration back on what lay ahead.
The thing that must be done.
She took a slow breath, making the best possible stance.
And she felt the gaze again, but she couldn't take her eyes off, not even with her concentration. There were things she had to do and finish at that point.
...
Normally, Tobias would respond to all annoyance given by Andy and Tap-Tap by acting passively — letting all the push, fists, even chuckle over him. Even when his head was submerged in the toilet he would not fight back. He knew that all his efforts would end in vain. There's no point fighting back. That only irritated Andy even more and added to the intensity of his cruelty. A harder push, a heavier fist, a tighter chuck, a much longer head immersion. Tobias knew that he could never win against these two bullies.
However, this time was different. Just as Andy reached for his sketchbook, Tobias tightened his grip; provided the resistance he had never shown up until now. Without realizing it, his expression hardened, voicing a rejection — something he regretted a second later because he knew Andy was going to punish him much worse than usual. Instantaneous impulses. Tobias doesn't want to hand over his sketchbook to Andy. He didn't want to let Andy mess with his drawing. The girl's picture. The angel on the balance beam.
"What's wrong, Tobias? You don't want to let your friends see your book?" Andy scoffed, pulling out Tobias' sketchbook roughly.
"Don't," argued Tobias, trying to defend his sketchbook. The arms are getting tighter, protective.
Then. One hit landed on his face, knocked him back, and lost all defense. His sketchbook slipped out of his grasp. Immediately, Andy grabbed it by force and wasted every sheet. Meanwhile, Tap-Tap squeezes Tobias, forcing him into the locker. Over and over, he banged Tobias's turned head-on Andy, making a pleasing look to keep Andy from breaking up the sketchbook, while his other hand locked Tobias's hand, gripping it so tightly as if he wanted to crush the blonde boy's wrist.
"Don't," moaned Tobias when he saw the scribbles in his sketchbook — which were dominated by the image of a bird that was soaring, with its wings spread majestically — Andy had torn off. Sheet after sheet, now crumpled and lumpy, scattered on the floor. Then, when Andy came to the image of the red-tailed hawk dove to grab its prey, Tobias's gaze became even more intense. After that picture, there's a picture of a girl he had drawn yesterday while his school gymnastics team was performing. An image he wouldn't let Andy, or anyone else, tear up.
"Don't!" That time, Tobias didn't plead or groan like before. He growled and yelled. And getting his strength out of nowhere, Tobias pushes Tap-Tap, trying to break free from the lock. Seconds later, he lunged at Andy. Unfortunately, Andy was more prepared than Tap-Tap. He throws Tobias's sketchbook and pushes Tobias hard until he hits the locker door and makes a loud thud.
...
"Jake!" cried Rachel, elbowing her cousin in the ribs, pointing her chin at Andy, who was just pushing Tobias. "I can't believe it, how did these guys just walk away!? Does anyone care what happened!?" she scolded, then hurried over to Andy, ready to hit him.
"Rachel, wait!" Jake snapped, trying to keep up with his cousin. If possible, prevent her from getting into a fight, because he knows very well that his cousin can stand bullying happen right in front of her eyes. Just like him.
Fortunately, Jake has a wider stride than Rachel. He arrived just as Andy was about to land his fist on Tobias. Immediately he pushed Andy away.
"Move, Big Jake!" Andy scolded, clearly not liking interruptions. However, he has soon pushed again. Tap-Tap swayed and bumped into him. Rachel and Jake stand tall to prevent him from getting back to Tobias. Both of them are giving expression, try us!
Knowing that there was no use in extending the problem, Andy and Tap-Tap left.
Jake collected the scattered papers and tried to tidy them up. Meanwhile, Rachel immediately turned to the blonde boy who, although he was grimacing in pain, reached out to the sketchbook, which was in a disheveled shape.
Rachel looked away, followed what the boy was pointing at, and found what she didn't expect at all. Obstructed by some of the images of a hawk dove to ensnare its prey, she saw another image that felt familiar enough to her.
A picture of her on a balance beam yesterday, while she was performing for a school event. The image that should have shown how clumsily she was at the balance beam, instead showed something else that she did not expect to shine on her at that moment; confidence and sincerity that is so firm.
Rachel reached for the sketchbook that had been lying there to get a better look at the picture. She turned the page with the hawk that had covered her picture, then found a complete picture of herself, with beautiful wings sticking out of her back, like an angel. On the side of the picture, she found handwriting there; beautiful, dangerous, and attractive.
Amazed by what she had just seen, Rachel dropped her eyes on the owner of the picture.
Him. The boy who kept staring at her when she performed yesterday. Whose immediately lowered his head to hide an awkward smile when their gazes met for a few milliseconds.