The Art Project

Chapter 7

"Zariah. I'm so sorry. I hope I didn't wake you?" Jyronne opens the door half way with a sorry look on his face.

Brain: Breathe, just breathe. Or say something stupid.

"What?" I ask out loud at my stupid thoughts and Jyronne looks at me confused.

No he's going to think I'm crazy.

"I mean whaat? You didn't wake me. I was already awake." I titter and hide the m****r bat behind me.

He looks at me awkwardly then nods.

"Anyway I was looking for something and I mistakenly touched the sound system. I struggled to turn it off so I really didn't mean to disturb you." He says and looks back into the room whilst I get a good glimpse of his ripped abs.

You can't blame me. It's right in front of my face teasing to be appreciated and temptingly touched.

"Yeah, Zack's sound system can be very unresponsive at times." Jyronne looks back at me smiling and my knees go weak.

Why does he seem to have that effect on me? And why is he so good looking?

"Anyway what is with the bat?" He points behind me and I try to hide my shock.

"Oh this thing." I grab the bat and show it to him.

"I keep it for special security reasons."

He creases his forehead with a smile on his face and I try not to stare too much.

"I'm intrigued, what reasons could that possible be?" He folds his arms cross his chest giving me a very good glimpse of his biceps and veins.

I slowly place the bat against the wall and Jyronne watches my every movement with those captivating eyes of his.

Honestly the bat is for my special security reasons but I don't what to weird him out with my boring talk.

"So how was practice?"

He nods smiling and places his hands in his pockets.

"It was good, though I kinda wished you took that picture of me."

I almost blush so I look down to stifle it.

I need to get out of his presence.

"I'm sorry but I have to get back to my books." I smile apologetically and he nods.

"Oh cool. It's okay, I also have some learning to do myself before my paper today. Sorry I bothered you again."

"It's nothing." I smile and turn to my door. I reach for the handle when...

"Hey, you forgot this." Jyronne meets me at my door with my bat in his hands and his gaze on my initials.

"You know for a minute there I thought you were going to knock my head off." He chuckles and so do I.

"Why would I do that?"

He shrugs and I smile.

I receive the bat from him and we lock eyes again.

I usually look away because like I said I can't hold eye contact, but something about his gaze has me rooted to the spot. Something about the way strands of his curly afro hair hangs on his face has me frozen in time

"What's going on here." Zackary pops out of nowhere looking at us curiously with his towel on his shoulder fresh out of the gym.

"Dude why is your shirt off? You're hurting my sister's virgin eyes." He jokes making Jyronne back away from me chuckling.

Great. Embarrassing me in front of his friends as always.

"Haha very funny." I fake a smile at my brother before entering my room.

***

A loud thug on the table brings me out of my daydreaming to stare at Elle.

"What are you doing here? You wrote your last paper yesterday." I look at my bestie curiously.

"Come on. I'm not the only science student who came to school today."

I look around at her statement.

"Fair point, so you guys are roaming." Elle takes her seat in front of me.

"Yep, we're here to rub it in your faces." She smiles at the end and I chuckle a bit.

My eyes move to Zack's table in the middle of the cafeteria which is making the most noise and has the most admirers.

I stare at Jyronne who is busily talking to Conrad and takes no notice of me. I mentally sigh.

"What's up? You seem dull?" Elle notices and I fake a smile at her whilst eating my lunch.

At the end though I tell her everything and...

"Your brother is just a fun killer." She frowns and looks over at Zackary who is busily talking.

"But I'm actually glad you exchanged sentences with Jyronne." I cringe at her statement.

"Really?" She laughs.

"You should be proud of yourself. It's been a while since you two talked. Jyronne also seldomly talks to girls, you think maybe he has put out a no dating policy?" I stare at Elle.

A no dating policy, that could be the reason why he's different from the rest. I honestly don't think it's shyness either because I've seen him talk to girls, except he doesn't get too close to them for anything to happen.

"Maybe. And maybe I'm only able to get close to him because we grew up together and he probably sees me as a sister." I state and Elle looks at me sadly.

"Let's face it, he never takes notice of me the way I want him to, and he never will. I've been sister-zoned."I try not to laugh at that cringe word but the look on my bestie's face makes me.

"Hello ladies." Zack pops out of nowhere and I roll my eyes.

"What do you want Zackary?" He smiles at us.

"Well I'm here for Elley." He turns to Eleanor with his devilish bad boy smile that charms most of the girls. But guess what? My bestie is immune.

Eleanor looks behind her acting all confused.

"My offer still stands." I look between them.

"What offer?" I pipe in and Zackary places his hand on my face shutting me up.

I push his hand away and glare at him.

"You're officially invited to my pool party on Friday." He tells Eleanor and I gape. Not about the pool party part, I'm used to them now. It's the part about it happening on Friday.

"Seriously! My last paper is on Friday, you didn't think your sister would need her beauty sleep after that?" I state but he ignores me. He always does that when Eleanor is around.

"I'm so sorry Zacky but I'm going to have to turn down your offer, as usual." I high-five my bestie.

"Seriously? What are you doing this time? And don't say vacation assignments because I know for sure we didn't get any." He smirks but Elle just shrugs not moved by his charms.

"They always send them later. I plan on sitting behind my computer all night to wait for it."

"Sure, suit yourself then." He rolls his eyes before walking away.

He is always constantly failing to get Elle to his stupid famous parties. I wonder why?

We watch Zack walk away before a blonde loops her arms around his waist.

I vomit in my mouth a little at the sight of that.

"By far, his longest reigning girlfriend." I try not to chuckle

"Girlfriend? It doesn't look like Zack made it official. Isn't he still seeing other girls?" Elle states with annoyance and I nod.

"Maybe it's an open relationship."

I shrug.

"In the sense of only Zackary benefiting? I'm not surprised, your brother is a parasite."

I laugh at Elle's statement.

"That's what you get for dating the likes of my brother."

A weird relationship with him being the parasite.