Chapter 7: Take a Load off

-1 Week Later-

"Alright students, Today you will be assigned a project.", Mr. Foster announced. "You will also be partnered in pairs. Your objective is to make something art related, it can be anything."

Mr. Foster passed out rubrics to each on of us. The first thing I looked for was who I was partnered with. Thankfully my partner was Dolly. I sighed with relief of not being partnered with a complete stranger.

"Yes!!!", Dolly said behind me. "Who's your partner Dylan?" He examined his paper, before his face went cold and he gulped. His face slowly turned to Roxy the Rottweiler who seemed quite excited to be partners with Dylan.

"What's his problem?", I whispered to Dolly.

"Roxy's got it real bad for Dylan.", Dolly responded in disgust. "Even to this day I still don't understand why though."

Guess that explains it then. "You're project is due within two days. If you somehow find a way to fail this easy assignment, you're grade will be dropped by fifty percent.", Mr. Foster added. Fifty percent? It would be hell trying to recover from something like that.

Me and Dolly totally have this in the bag.

"We don't have this in the bag!", I panicked pacing around Dolly's room. "We're gonna fail!" Dolly on the othrr hand seemed so calm about all of this. "Aaron don't sweat it. Plus we have two days until it's due.", Dolly stated reassuringly.

"Do you have any ideas that could possibly help us?", I asked trying to calm down. She said nothing, but looked deep in thought. "Anything at all?"

"Oh I know!", she snapped startling me. "One of my siblings. Her name's Da Vinci she's an art fanatic." That's funny her name reminds me of the renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci. "Well, Where is she?", I retorted.

"She's usually in the basement painting.", Dolly replied. "She isn't really a fan of crowds so she stays in the basement 24/7. Says she can't be distracted from her work, as how she puts it. I don't even think she's met you yet."

"Well considering what we're doing is art based she'll want to help.", Dolly said with confidence. Hopefully Da Vinci is willing to help us with this.

I steadily followed behind Dolly down the basement stairs. I would've expected it to be completely be dark down here, but it was the complete opposite.

I awed at the amazing sight. Paintings cluttered the walls, but were placed neatly above, next, under, and beside one another. I closely studied the paintings taking in their colors and designs.

"Dolly, What are you doing down here?", a small voice asked. I refrained from staring at the painting to see a younger dalmatian almost my height talking to Dolly.

She had white fur and not only black spots, but also orange, red, pink, purple, and blue ones. I assumed these are most likely paint stains to reflect her for being an artist. She wore an art apron, she along with a pink bandanna around her neck. Her left front paw is stained pink while the right is purple, and her tongue is blue.

"Who's he?", She asked once she got a glimpse of me. "This is my human buddy Aaron. Aaron this is Da Vinci my sister I was telling you about.", Dolly said introducing us to each other.

I approached her with a friendly smile. "Nice to meet you Da Vinci.", I spoke. "You must be the one that made all these breathtaking paintings?"

"B-breatht-taking?", She stuttered blushing. "Yeah. Dolly told me you're an art expertise and she was definitely telling the truth.", I added observing the artwork on the walls.

"Thank you.", She shyly muttered.

"But, I have a question to ask you.", I brought up. "Is there any possible way you can use your talent to help me and Dolly with this art assignment we have due within two days?", I asked.

I waited for a response, but she was just staring at me like she was day dreaming. "Uh you ok there Da Vinci?"

She immediately snapped out of her day dreaming and then she looked up at me with confusion. "Huh? What?"

"Could you help us with an art project so we won't get scolded by our teacher and get our grades dropped by fifty percent?", I asked again. She nodded, "Of course I'd love to help you."

"Awesome!", Dolly shouted bringing Da Vinci into a tight embrace. "Thanks sis., You're the best." I watched the adorable scene my heart melting.

"So now that we have you're help, What do you suggest we do?", I asked. She put her paw to her chin before picking out a random canvas and buckets of paint. "Sure you won't need any help Vinci?", I questioned her.

"I've got it. I bring it to you both once I'm done.", She responded.

"Guess this is our que to leave.", Dolly whispered heading back upstairs. I proceeded to follow after her. I stopped halfway up the stairs getting one last look at Da Vinci who was now painting something with her paws.

"I wonder how Dylan's doing with his project?", I wondered.

I was currently lounging on a park bench watching Dolly doing tricks on her skateboard.

I closed my eyes basking in the warm sun. "Wassup Humie.", an irish voice spoke above me. Opening one of my eyes I was greeted with the sight of Fergus the fox was looking down at me.

"Oh hey Fergus.", I said sitting up. "What are you doing here?"

"Just chillin, enjoying wild life.", He answered with a laid back manner. At least someone is enjoying themselves today.

I went back to watching Dolly like I had been previously doing. "Ya like her don't you?", Fergus teased with a smug grin. "Yeah she's an amazing friend.", I deflected. I knew what he was trying to get at. I'm not going to give him the satisfaction.

"No, she's more to you than that. Isn't she? You stick to her like glue."

"Whatever you want me to confess I'm not going to say if it isn't true. Yes I'm with her all the time, but it doesn't necessarily mean I'm in love with her. She's just my first ever friend. I mean I do get a weird feeling when I'm around her, but I don't know what to call it.", I explained.

"It's called Love.", Fergus stated. "And you're in it with Dolly."

He's really beginning to piss me off. "Did you just come here to pester me? Don't you have a gang or something to get back to?", I asked finally getting annoyed.

"I was just curious, but anyways I got other people to bother.", He leapt over the bench I was laying on before heading off somewhere else. What if he was right about these feelings? I don't know what to call them? Does Dolly feel the same about me? All of this is giving me a headache.

I walked inside my house closing the door and locking it. I went upstairs into my room and fell flat onto my bed. My bedroom door creaked open and Dad came in. "Hey you doing alright bud?", He asked.

"Never been better.", I sighed. "Why do you ask? Did something happen?"

Dad didn't reply to my question, but just sat down on my bed next to me. "Um...I just got a call from the hospital it's about your grandmother.", He mentioned I actually started paying attention once he brought up my grandma. "She just passed an hour ago."

"Oh well good riddance.", I said. "That just made my day a little bit better."

"What?! You can't be serious. Aaron I know you're mom and grandmother were horrible fucking people to you when you lived with them, but it's never ok to be glad someone is dead. No matter how much of a horrible person they were when they were alive.", Dad explained.

I could feel nothing, but anger. Why should I feel bad for one of the individuals who locked me up in a basement, starved me, used me like a some sort of slave, and beat me. They're the reason I wear this stupid eyepatch in the first place.

"Fine let me rephrase myself. I'm glad that one of the people that tortured me all those years ago is now gone so they can never hurt me or anyone else again!", I yelled hot tears now running down my cheek. "Why can't I ever get the chance to forget all the terrible things that took place back home? Why do I have to go through this all the time?"

I could see the worry and hurt in ny dad's eyes. "I didn't kno-"

"That's right you didn't know! I can't tell you how many times that I would sneak into the kitchen at night and ponder for hours on if I should slit my wrist, jump off a rooftop, or drink bleach!", I cried. "I wanna get better and forget everything that's ever happened to me, but something keeps stopping me!"

"What's stopping you from getting the help you need is yourself.", Dad retorted. "I'm trying to help you get better, but if you keep acting so toxic all the time, you'll stay this way. I wanna see you happy and succeeding in life. Not moping around and lashing out on everybody."

I don't know what to feel anymore. Or what to think. I understand Dad wants to help, but I guess he's right. The thing stopping me from reaching happiness is my toxic behavior.

"Son let me help you. Please...", He begged tears now welling up in his eyes. "Ok...Is that therapist still available?", I asked.

"Yes. We can go see her first thing tommorow. I'm glad you're finally coming around.", Dad croaked in relief. "I'm sorry for yelling.", I apologized.

"No don't apologize. I understand you've been through some horrible shit and it's shaped you into what you are now.", He got up from my bed standing in the doorway. "Tommorow is your big opportunity to finally get every thing off your chest."

He gently shut the door leaving me by myself. I laid down and closed my eyes now getting lost into slumber.