Chapter 33

When the bell rang, Travis packed his stuff and headed to his locker. He remembered he had the master key to every locker in school, but for now, he had no plans to use it. His next class was Art, and it was an easy one. Art wasn't something that stressed him out. It was a class where, even if you weren't good, you could pass. Walking in, he noticed a massive portrait at the front of the class. Judging by Ms. Ross's proud expression, it was clear she had painted it.

"Class, take a good look at this piece!" Ms. Ross announced with excitement.

Everyone took their seats, their eyes drawn to the striking artwork. Once she saw they were settled, she began to speak.

"Art is about putting your thoughts into something visible. If you can draw what you imagine, you're already a great artist. Even if it's not perfect, the fact that you took something from your mind and made it real shows creativity. Now, what does that have to do with this portrait?" she asked, holding their attention.

Without warning, she took a glass of water and poured it over the portrait. The class gasped, shocked by how she destroyed her own work. But Ms. Ross just smiled, completely unbothered.

"You're probably wondering why I'm not upset. I just ruined a great portrait, and yet I don't seem to care. That's because art is whatever you make of it. If you think it's good, it's good. If you think it's bad, it's bad. When I made this piece, my intention was to make something terrible. But look at it—it turned out pretty great, didn't it? So, what should I do with it? Discard it, of course."

She paused, letting that sink in. "I'm not saying you should do the same. The point I'm making... well, honestly, I don't even know what my point is, but maybe I'll figure it out one day," she said with a soft laugh.

Travis stared at Ms. Ross with a confused look, her words making sense at first but now leaving him lost. He wasn't too bothered, though. He'd just do his own thing. Honestly, he wouldn't be surprised if she announced she was high on something. He shrugged it off and began to draw without any particular goal in mind, just letting his hand move. Before long, he found himself sketching an incredibly detailed facial portrait of one of his favorite manga characters, Musashi Miyamoto.

Pleased with the result, he set his notepad down and waited for Ms. Ross.

A minute later, she approached him, standing close behind. She leaned forward, her breasts lightly pressing against his back. Travis could feel the softness and had to keep his composure, though the sensation was undeniably pleasant.

"Wow, this is such a beautiful drawing. You're at the level of some of the best manga artists," she praised, her voice low and impressed.

Travis smiled, appreciating the compliment. Ms. Ross returned his smile, her eyes lingering on him with a warmth that hinted at something more.

Ms. Ross rubbed Travis's back softly and said, "Well, see you then, Travis." She walked off to another student, leaving him to stare at his drawing. He didn't feel any attachment to it, meaning he could destroy it without hesitation if he wanted. But for now, he left it alone.

"I'm impressed with everyone; you all drew wonderful portraits. I'm very proud, but I think you all can do even better. So, for your homework, I want you to draw something you love the most. I'll grade your work, and remember, this will go straight to your report card, so make sure you go all out."

The bell rang.

"Okay, see you all tomorrow. Travis, remember to come see me. Goodbye, my lovely students," Ms. Ross said with a bright smile.

Travis stayed with Mia. She was happy to see that she had agreed. She told them they'd begin class on the fourth week after Travis's request. After that, Travis walked out of class with Eve and Mia by his side.

"So, what are you two going to draw?" Travis asked as they walked.

"I'm not really sure, honestly. There are a lot of things I love, so I have a wide variety to choose from. What about you, Eve?" Mia asked.

"Maybe someone in my family, or… Travis," Eve replied, staring directly into Mia's eyes as she spoke, clearly making her move.

"Oh, a drawing of me? That'd be awesome," Travis responded, acting like he hadn't caught the underlying meaning. He figured it was too soon for any serious confessions, even though he had joked about marrying her last night.

"For real? You'd like that? Well, I guess I know what I'm drawing tonight," Eve said with a smile, satisfied with her decision.

Mia, feeling the pressure, clenched her fists and quickly thought of a way to even the playing field. An idea sparked, and she decided to act on it.

"Travis, could you help me with my assignment tonight?" Mia asked with a sly smile, moving closer to him and taking his hand in hers. She flashed him an irresistibly cute smile, knowing it would get to Eve.

"Sure, I'll help you. Let's go, though—I have something to do after school before heading home," Travis replied.

He walked off, leaving Eve and Mia staring daggers at each other. Both knew full well they were now locked in a rivalry, understanding that winning Travis's attention relied solely on their actions.

"Nice move, getting Travis to help you, but I'm pretty sure he's going to love my drawing more than helping you with yours," Eve said smugly, challenging Mia.

"Oh, you think so?" Mia shot back. "Well, you enjoy that drawing while Travis and I will be shoulder-to-shoulder tonight. Who knows? I might get a whiff of his scent or, even better, maybe he'll put his hand on my thigh. Mmm, I love the sound of that."

Eve frowned, stepping closer. "Well, good luck with that. I'll be with Travis at the park tonight. Wonder what he'll be doing to me… or what I'll be doing to him," she said with a smirk.

The tension between the two was palpable. They obviously didn't like each other much, something Travis was fully aware of. He didn't care, though. He knew that eventually, they'd realize he wasn't going to choose between them.

After grabbing his stuff from his locker, Travis headed toward the locker block. As usual, the guys were hanging around, waiting for their turn. He slipped into the girls' shower room and locked the door behind him.

Looking at the puddles on the floor, Travis grabbed a mop and wiped up the water, cleaning the place up a bit. Then, he made his way into the shower section, thinking to himself.

'Oh yeah, those chicks probably already called their brothers. That's gonna be a fun little side quest,' he thought, smirking to himself.

Judith didn't come today; she finally felt comfortable changing alongside the other girls. Nobody teased her; she simply changed without hesitation. To her surprise, she even made friends with her former rivals, Mia and Eve. She felt happy—no, she was extremely happy. Life had become a little lighter, and she found herself looking forward to the next day, a stark contrast to how she felt before.

"All this happened when I got closer to Travis. I should really thank him the next time I see him," she thought.

TO BE CONTINUED