017

Being done with the most tedious classes for the day was such a relief. Now the only thing Jack needed to visit was his own chosen extra curriculum.

Students here had the choice of choosing up to 3 different subjects or even doing all 3 of them at the same time.

Though that would make each day a damn chore and basically a grind fest to remain good at any of them.

In his case, it meant to finally go to the music club and get some rifts going on an electric guitar. Well, he hoped they had at least an acoustic one.

But before he went to his own club, he stopped in front of the art room. With a little bit of a curious feeling, he took a glimpse into the art room.

When he entered the room he saw how big it really was. It was flooded with a lot of light from the large windows at one side of the room.

It really had something artsy about the way the room was arranged as well. Even the many easels stood near those windows with the paintings looking outside.

That was either to let the paintings dry faster or get some free promotion for the club by showing the other students what they could expect.

Talking about students, there were even a few of them already sitting behind their own paintings and drawing along.

And their seats also were all arranged towards those windows as well to get as much sunlight as possible when drawing.

Jack was impressed by this room and if he did not already have a club he needed to focus on, his little itching feeling on the right side of his brain would force him to sign up.

Yes, his very own artistic nature started to knock on his scalp and tried to push him. And it was very tempting ever since he got the drawing skill. He didn't even notice the small smile on his face he had while observing some of the promotional art pieces.

Nevertheless, he stayed adamant and just made sure to only take a little glimpse. That alone was already going far enough in itself.

He was also only doing this because his own idea of finding out about Eve's problem simply coincided with this small desire to take a glimpse.

Unlucky for him though the art teacher already noticed him and blocked his path to the exit.

So when Jack turned around and saw a caucasian woman with a massive brown afro on her head, he stopped in his tracks.

Just for a small moment, he felt like someone watched too much of Bob Ross.

"Hello there." The woman smiled at him and her green eyes sparkled a little.

Jack remained silent and looked at her now even more. She had pale brown skin and wore a jungle green dress underneath a loosely tied together white shirt.

From the way there were many paint stains on the shirt and taking her age into account, he guessed her to very likely be the art teacher here.

At least that was his assumption. He had yet to find anyone older by a large margin. The age ratio between the students here was also mostly at the point where you finished High School or College itself.

'Damn, I ended up standing around too long.' He was sure now that his little glimpse screwed up his plans. 'Curse you, right side of my brain.'

"Yes? Hello." His reply was just as short.

"Are you perhaps the new student? You probably want to sign up for art class, no?"

"Actually, I was just taking a glimpse inside to if someone I know was here...So, I'm only passing by and I'm on my way towards the music room..." He was trying to get out. That question he was getting already bore down the idea that this woman was eager to get him to join.

"Don't be like that." The woman smiled wider now. "Since you are an artistic person, why not try out painting? I won't force you to stay."

'That is until you somehow think of something to keep me here, ain't you? You are already doing so.' She easily used his liking for music to her advantage.

"No, really....Ms.?" Jack now tried to find out who he was even talking to.

"Ross. Barbara Ross."

Jack just blanked at that answer. Right after he squinted his eyes, took out his phone and searched for something on the internet browser.

"Just a moment." He raised a finger and looked at the result.

Lo' and behold. Bob Ross still existed in this world. After having the confirmation he looked for, he gazed back at the woman in front of him.

"Okay, I'm good...Anyway, Ms. Ross...."

'That was a close one there.' There was a dreadful thought surfacing in his mind for a second. It even somehow got him out of context of what he wanted to actually say. But this teacher went ahead and interrupted him anyways.

"What is it? Why suddenly grab your smartphone?" She seemed to be intrigued by why he had used his phone there.

"Nah, I just wondered if Ms. Ross was related to Robert Ross. You just somehow resembled him and the surname kinda threw me off at first. Can't find anything though."

"You mean my Grandfather? Yes, I actually am related to him."

Now Jack's eyes widened. His assumption was actually something that was spot on. "You serious?"

"Yes, but not many guess it as you did and even fewer know about my background. It is surprising you did recognize my heritage from just meeting me. And like you mentioned, there should also be no information about me on the internet."

"Well...I guess you aren't really hiding the similarities..." Jack looked up at her hairstyle again when he said that.

Ms. Ross chuckled now. "Can't really hide that rebellious hair of mine, can I? But since you know about my grandfather, it means you are interested in art a little bit. Otherwise, people don't remember others that easily. Only if they show interest in their work or person, that is. So, what about my suggestion?"

Jack sighed at that. "He is a famous painter...It's general knowledge."

"Not as much as you think." She said back and still waited for his answer.

Somehow Jack knew something would end up different anyway. Looking at this woman made im sigh once more and scratch the backside of his head.

Could that be the reason why Eve had such a hard time? This woman could very likely have inherited her grandfather's painting skills and therefore have high standards.

Then again, Bob Ross seemed more of the lenient type to advocate freedom in art.

"Nah, Ms. Ross. I don't think I got the skills for that. I was only curious enough to find out why Eve is struggling so much in this class."

"Eve? That girl has a bright future as an artist. Why would she struggle?" Now Ms. Ross was a little bit surprised to hear the reason why he came here.

"But you are rejecting her submitted art lately?" Jack raised a brow now.

Ms. Ross looked at him for a while and as if realizing something she smirked. "How about this. If you want to know what her task is, then you need to paint me a picture. Do we have a deal?"

Jack looked at her with a solemn expression. There it was, she still didn't stop trying.

"It depends on what picture we are talking about?" But Jack was interested now. He could still spare a little bit of time and manage to take the last few hours for his music after this. Let's just hope it didn't drag out too long.

"Draw me a portrait of Eve and transfer it on the canvas." Ross smiled brightly and gave him a sketching pad as well as gestured him to a clean canvas at the side.

Jack looked at the blank page of his sketching pad and contemplated it. That wasn't all too hard but why exactly that?

Actually, since when did he start thinking it was so easy? He never was really good with art.

Is it maybe his skill having been upgraded from his little zone moment that his mind now can judge his own ability to do something? It was kinda scary.

"Okay?" Jack raised a brow and sat down on a free chair in front of the canvas and started sketching a few poses he saw Eve having done on the sketching pad first.

Without him noticing, the time flew by rather fast.

He ended up deciding on a pose that showed Eve from the side sitting relaxed on her chair and doing her studies with a smile on her face while listening to some music with her in-ears connected to her phone glimpsing outside her pocket.

Jack could only dart around the painting with his eyes when it was finished and finally transferred to the wide canvas.

It was basically the first moment captured when he observed her in class and it had a very tranquil and relaxing feel to it. The colors were warm and inviting. Very simple, yet powerful. He could have increased the detail on it but what would one expect with such limited time?

For a true piece with everything in it, he had to at least invest many hours more.

[Well done, Host. Rating 67/100. Drawing skills increased by 5. Agility up by 2.]

That snarky remark from KISS brought him back to reality at last and when he looked around he noticed himself also carrying a palette of paints that he had been using for mixing colors.

Investigating more he could see himself having dirtied his clothing with some paint as well.

But what was more important, and what also brought him more stress was that when he looked to his left side, he could see Ms. Ross smiling very happily at the canvas.

Then her eyes landed back on him the moment he looked over. "You have to join the art class. No buts, do you understand? Why would you waste your talent? Also, you passed with flying colors. That is if you were Eve, you would have gotten an A+ for this self-portrait."

Jack had cold sweat run down his neck. So she just decided that he was going to do art now as well? That would make 2 clubs each day. Damn it.

But the moment he finished listening to her he realized something. "Wait, she needs to submit a self-portrait?"

"Yes, it's not that she can't. It's just that she..." Ms. Ross seemed to rethink something and shook her head lightly. "No, you should probably ask her yourself. You know what it is she needs to do now. But her aside, you are going to join, right? You even made a stylized autograph at the corner there. Being shy about your skill is fine. But don't hide it."

Jack followed her gaze and saw his own -J.C.Frost*- at the corner.

It was the signature that he used for official documents, alright. But what was a little bit more surprising was the little star at the end of the autograph. Or should he say it was a little snowflake?

"I will think about it..." Jack sighed and gave up. "What is going to happen with this?" He referred to the canvas.

Ross smiled only at that. "I will keep it. You can have the sketchbook in exchange. Try to make good use of it." She winked at him and placed the finished Canvas near the windows to dry.

The students close by that saw the painting seemed to be surprised by the quality.

'Urgh...embarrassing. Let's just hope Eve doesn't find out. Or I may very well get my ear chewed out.'