"You must be Max"
"Uh, yeah, that's me"
"I'm Bonnie Wells", she said happily, her sketchbook clutched close to her chest, "You're in 219, right? I'm right across from you in room 225", Bonnie could already tell that Max was of the quiet nature, slightly awkward, as if not knowing how to stand, how to talk to a new person. But Bonnie didn't mind, she could do all the talking, and be her happy self if it meant it made others more comfortable and confident in their new place. Bonnie was quite good at that, her happy, talkative self, meant she was able to make some good friends along her way, easily placing her trust in others, some would say it's a bad thing. But Bonnie believed that everyone had a good part in them. Everyone.
"Oh, right, cool, uh, what do you study here?", Max stammered, obviously new to the whole, talking to new people thing. Bonnie was silently proud of Max for being able to continue the conversation, and not just leaving it there. Years ago, she used to be like Max, stammering, awkward, introverted, not knowing how to talk, but she learned. Max was making the small steps and that just bought on a brighter smile on Bonnie's face.
"Oh! I'm studying art, mostly, it's all I ever do, you know, it's my real passion here, the course is amazing, although the theory side of art is a bit of a pain, don't get me started, but I suppose that's what art is all about, theories, interpretations, the true expression of pure human creativeness and imagination", Bonnie smiled, thinking back to all her sketches, her paintings, her mind a whirlwind of colour and graphite, "Sorry, getting ahead of myself, what are you studying?"
"Photography, although I don't think I'll be able to express my passion for it as much as you did art", she smiled a little, it was small, but Bonnie noticed.
"Well, you don't have to express your passion to have it, just because I'm loud and tell people what I think, doesn't make your passion for photography any less, you can have a love for something and not have to tell everyone about it…unlike me", she chuckled, nervously fiddling with her hair now, she had gone too far hadn't she?
"Thank you, a lot of people believe that photography is the lesser form, it's not real art, not as difficult as drawing and paintings, but I believe it can be just as hard, drawing with light. I'm hoping my Photography course will be good, I heard Mark Jefferson will be teaching my class, he's one of my idols…I hope to impress him with my work", she trailed off, looking down, embarrassment flushing her features. Bonnie froze, the name Mark Jefferson, sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.
"Well, I'm sure you will, you'll do great here Max I know it, I believe in your skills as a photography student to absolutely blow this Mark Jefferson away with your photos, drawing of light, as you say", Bonnie smiled again, feeling a comfortable familiarity between the two now, she knew Max was opening up to her, and she smiled, Max will be just fine here amongst us normal students, she thought.
"Well Max, I'm sure you have a lot of unpacking to do, so I will leave you to your next adventure, I am off to find Kate", Bonnie smiled at her again before leaving the poor girl to face the rest of the day on her own, she knew she could do it.
Walking over to Room 222, she knocked quietly before entering, finding one of her closest friends, Kate Marsh, feeding her rabbit. Kate Marsh, creative storyteller, violinist, religious, and downright the sweetest person Bonnie had ever met in her life. Bonnie had met Kate Marsh in the Diner, where she asked for some tea, which hardly anyone ever did at the Diner, and then she went to drawing and practising for her children's book, Bonnie, of course, saw her drawing and immediately went over to ask about her art. And that's where their friendship started. Bonnie was very protective of Kate; she was bullied at Blackwell for being religious and her views on sex and purity. Something some kids couldn't seem to understand, let people have their own views, not to force anyone's opinions onto someone else. but the likes of Victoria, Taylor and Courtney couldn't seem to understand.
You see, Bonnie liked Victoria in some ways, and disliked her strongly in others. Although she could never say she hated Victoria Chase, no, not like that, Bonnie believed that Hate, was a strong word, it couldn't be tossed around like nothing, Hate, was also a strong emotion to feel, and Bonnie believed that she had never, really, experienced true, unfiltered, Hate. Bonnie got along with Victoria sure, they even spent some lunches together, chatting, and gossiping, Bonnie wasn't even sure how the friendship, started. She wasn't sure if she could even call it a friendship. But it was something. And as much as she liked their conversations. Bonnie had also noticed that Victoria had stopped her harassment of Kate, of course, she hadn't stopped her friend's harassment and bullying, but it was a start. Bonnie had hope in her chest that this was the start of something new for Victoria. When Victoria bullied Kate one day, so harsh, so horrible that Kate spent a week in her room, crying, Bonnie gave her food every day, and sat outside her door every day, just to make sure she was okay. Bonnie had cornered Victoria and told her she needed to apologise, that her behaviour was outrageous, that their friendship was over if she kept this up, that she would go to the principal, and she would never speak to her again. It worked. The next day Victoria walked up to Kate's room, apologised to her, bought her some flowers, and left. Whether Kate had forgiven her or not was still questionable, but she did take the flowers, making sure they lasted as long as they could in the vase that her father gave her.
Bonnie smiled at Kate, her children's book was really coming along, and she couldn't wait to see the day it got published.
"Hey, Kate, have you met the new girl? Max?", Bonnie asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the peace of Kate's room.
"Oh no, I haven't, I'll be sure to talk to her soon, maybe even offer her some tea", Kate smiled back, before picking up her bag and going out the door, Bonnie following in toe.
"She seemed really nice, quite quiet though, I'm sure you two will get along", Bonnie teased, a smile making its way up to her lips, although Kate was her closest friend, she didn't have a lot of them, and Bonnie believed that Max would be a new close friend for Kate, it was just a feeling she had, and she trusted her gut that Max would be a good person for Kate. Kate hummed in response as the two of them walked through the courtyard of Blackwell Academy, enjoying the heat rays of the sun beaming down on them, a warmth flooding over Bonnie, she loved the sun, the heat, basking in its rays like a cat on a window. Sitting down on one of the benches, Kate got out her notebooks and pencils, ready for a day of studying. Bonnie brought out her sketchbook and pencils, raring to go to her drawings once again. She knew she had a project to work on, but she didn't want to focus on that, not just yet anyway.
Looking down, she looked at the page, blank as ever, not thinking, she started drawing the familiar lines of Nathan's face, the arch of his eyebrow, the slant of his jaw, his slicked-back hair that was so fluffy, she had touched it once when trying to mess up his hair. She was drawing him when he was at the Diner, again, his father had gotten back from his business trip, and he had immediately come to the Diner, knowing her shifts back to front, he had come in angrily, ready to rip the door off.
"Woah there, Hulk, careful you don't break the door!"
"My dad's back"
He had stayed at the Diner all day, even when she finished, she sat with him, as if he never truly, wanted to go home.
"Is that Nathan?", Kate's timid voice piped up, looking up over her notebooks. Looking up she blushed, before covering the page with her trembling hands.
"Uhm, no?", Bonnie mumbled, the blush reaching down her neck. Kate laughed, shaking her head before going back to her notes again. Clearing her throat, Bonnie went to her phone to look at what her art project was about, knowing that even if she started it now, she still won't get it finished until the night before it was due. It was her weakness, procrastination. Kate leaned over the table further, a gasp leaving her lips, a small smile tugging upwards.
"It is Nathan Prescott!", Kate exclaimed, a small laugh leaving her lips, leaning backwards, Bonnie, however, was a stumbling, bumbling mess of embarrassment. She should've been sneakier, what was she thinking drawing a heavily detailed sketch of Nathan Prescott, in public for people to see?
"I, uh, well–", she stammered.
"I think it's cute, Bonnie", Kate replied, a small smile tugging at her lips again, "I haven't seen you blush like that since Hayden asked you to go to the Vortex Club Party 6 months ago", Bonnie remembered that. It was the end of the year, and they were throwing a party, Bonnie had never been asked out before and especially by the likes of Hayden, she was a stammering blushing mess, not knowing what to say, she mumbled a sorry and left, an embarrassing moment that she had hoped to forget.
"I uh, it's not like that Kate, he doesn't see me that way–", she stammered.
"But you do?", Kate smirked, enjoying this far too much.
"Uh, you know Kate, you may be all sweet and innocent but I'm seeing a dark side", Bonnie joked. Kate laughed at that, giggling behind her hand.
"But you do though, I can see it", Kate chuckled, looking down at her notebook again, filled with organised notes and swirling calligraphy style writing, a beautiful fancy cursive that Bonnie could only dream of having, looking at her scratchy scrawl of letters in the corner of her notebook. Oh, to have legible writing, she sighed.
"So, what's got you two in a giggly mood?", came Brooke's voice, they all looked up to see Brooke, holding her phone, headphones resting on her neck, her bright yellow jumper competing for being brighter than the sun itself. Her backpack was slung over one shoulder, probably filled with consoles and her Walkman. Sliding her backpack off her shoulder and slid in next to Kate. Brooke wasn't one for making friends, Bonnie knew that she liked to be by herself, play her games, and fly her drone. But Bonnie managed to weasel her way into Brooke's life, taking an interest in her life, and her games, even though she didn't quite understand it. She was never good with video games. And she definitely didn't understand when Brooke started spewing endless science facts and terms that made Bonnie completely lost and confused. But she still listened. And Brooke noticed. Slowly but surely, the Kate and Bonnie crew were made into a trio. And Bonnie wouldn't have it any other way.
"Bonnie has a crush on Nathan Prescott", Kate said simply, an innocent smile on her lips.
"I do not!", Bonnie exclaimed, feeling like she was in middle school all over again, with all the talk of crushes and boys.
"Oh, please, Nathan? Of all people to have a crush on, you pick Nathan. Not like, I don't know, Warren or–"
"Warren?", Bonnie gasped, a smile making its way up to her lips, feeling the opportunity to direct the embarrassment on Brooke, instead of herself.
"No one said anything about Warren", Kate smiled innocently, picking up on Bonnie's tactic, "We were talking about Nathan, but now you bring up Warren?" Kate smiled again, innocent as ever, Bonnie cracking up, they had caught her, if Bonnie leaned close, she could just about see a small blush rise up on Brooke's cheeks.
"I was just giving other solutions, other than Nathan Prescott–"
"Yeah, but Warren was the first name that came to mind, we've all seen the looks Brooke", Bonnie smirked, finally glad to have to heat off of her.
"See this is why I don't hang out with people", Brooke muttered, a small smile giving away that she didn't really mean it, she liked their company, Bonnie knew it. But Brooke stayed, bringing out her iPad to play games while Kate studied, and Bonnie sketched. A comfortable silence came over between the three. And it had stayed like that for a while, the three girls all in their own worlds. Until Brooke broke the silence.
"But seriously, Nathan Prescott!?"