The Billionaire High School Bully

11 - The Art Committee

Am I dreaming? Am I seeing things? Really?

I blinked several times. I grabbed my canvas and took an unstable step forward to the board. Another one. I could feel his gaze on my back. It wasn't burning a hole, like most of the students here tried to stare at me, it was supporting me and pushing me forward.

Michael. So, in the end, he didn't pretend to be nice, right? He WAS nice. He IS a nice person. I was fighting the urge to turn back and look at him with a smile. But that would give everyone many reasons for gossiping about me even more. And they would drag him down with me as well. I didn't have the heart to do that, no matter how much I wanted to turn and see his expression.

I finally placed my canvas on the easel and stood right next to it.

"As you can see, there is a small waterfall in the brightly-colored nature. We were supposed to draw a scene from our childhood, so I chose this one. It was in a park close-by my house, where my parents first took me when I was about... five? This canvas is showing my emotions when I was a little child. I also tried to recreate the world as children see it. There aren't any fairies nor magic in it, though. Because for a little child like that, everything around us is new and magical. All the excitement and awe is, I hope, quite visible from the liveliness of the whole artwork. It is not done yet, I still need to work on a few details, like the tree branches and leaves, as well as more water splashing from the stones. I would like to put a little kid on the wooden bridge, which should be the main point. Anyone except the painter should be drawn to the little figure on the bridge and from there see the things around. Just like a kid sees things." I tried describing everything I wanted to portray in the canvas, as well as my inner feelings I had while working on it. Everyone was silent. A few fellow classmates were looking at the canvas.

"Alright, now as for the artist, you should come stand here and let everyone take a closer look. Then we'll have a general short discussion." A discussion? They are going to comment on what I painted? I freaked out. I never had any kind of discussion like this. The teacher took me by my shoulders and made me stand back, to let others have a look. But no one came. I was standing there, while everyone was sitting at their desks, not moving forward, not getting up.

"Anyone has a change of mind?" I heard the teacher speaking from behind me. But no one stood up, no one lifted their arm up. Not even Michael. He wasn't even looking here. Instead, he was staring into his desk. He probably felt guilty about not doing things in front of everyone. Coward. He behaves all helpful, kind and shy in front of me when we're alone, but when we are in the class when other people see? Nothing. He ignores me.

"Fine, let's move on to the questions then. If you have any questions, feel free to ask miss Reed here." Now I got pushed forward, back to my canvas. Well, if they didn't want to see a close-up, then they surely won't have any questions about me, either. So I'll have it easy!

"Yes, question right here, Sophia." One girl, third row from the front raised her hand.

"Sure, fire," I muttered and looked at her. The girl was very pretty. Her wavy brown hair with expensively-looking balayage was lazily hanging over her shoulders. She wasn't wearing much makeup, but still, her face looked just flawless. I guess all high-society people are pretty. Having the money and time to take better care of themselves than others.

"Did you really paint this? It doesn't look like a mere student would be able to make such a base for adding just a few more details for the painting to be complete. I just don't find it possible. The brushstrokes that I can see from here don't look like a seventeen-year-old person could do it." Well, I guess beauty can be deceiving. Once she opens her mouth, her words stab other people. It's as if she is shooting arrows at me and being able to aim pretty well.

"Well, I can assure you that I painted the canvas here at this school and I didn't bring it home. There was only me in the classroom. If you don't believe me, then you can check my entrance exam paintings I had to make while there were teachers in the room. You will see that the style of brush strokes is pretty much similar. I think the paintings should still be stored somewhere, am I right?" I turned back to the teacher for assurance. She nodded.

"That's right. I was one of the teachers, who was evaluating the work of students, who applied for art scholarships here. Her brush strokes are very similar." Her stoic voice and expression should hopefully do it for the girl, who asked. I was too far to see the name on her nameplate.

"Similar, but not the same. I think that I should bring this up to the Art Committee to check the originality of her works, then." She sounded quite arrogant now. It wasn't enough that a teacher confirmed it was me, who worked on it so hard. Wait... Is she also trying to get me out of this school? Is just everyone on that devil Benjamin's side?!

"Well, you certainly have that right, miss Hingston. I cannot agree with the procedure, but you surely have the right to submit it to the Art Committee for an examination. Chairman of the committee, do you accept the request?" Wait, wait, wait. This is turning too much into a drama. I painted this! I never asked anyone for an authenticity examination! Just what is going on? Why does this school have so many councils and committees? The student council back at my former school was just a place to hang out with friends and organize fun events! Why is everyone so serious here? Isn't high school the time for us to enjoy our lives?!

"I accept." Michael. He is the chairman?! Just how many things does that guy do! I probably don't want to know anymore. This is turning into too much of a nightmare...

"That is settled, then. Any other questions? We have time for one or two more." The teacher asked out loud to the class, which was getting quite noisy. Everyone was discussing the examination of my painting by the committee. Badmouthing me. Whispering, how they believe I cheated. That I didn't paint it. But my conscience was clear because I knew it was me and no one else, who painted this!

"You said your parents took you to that place. Can you tell us more about them?" Some guy asked me without much interest. Now asking about my parents? Just how much more do you want to grill me alive here? I haven't talked about my parents to anyone. Not even my grandma. I wanted to keep them in my memories as I remembered them. The nice moments and laughter. I don't want to make them a gossip issue here!

Benjamin

This class is getting more and more annoying. I took a peek at my phone's screen. So many new messages! Art committee? Did someone steal someone's idea or cheat? I put the phone below my desk and started reading the conversation that was going on.

This girl! She can't be serious! I tried suppressing my smirks and to keep a poker face. I didn't need the teacher to see me doing everything else but listening to his boring lecture. I started typing a message to the student council group: Emergency meeting lunchtime in the premises of the student council. Nathan, please get the refreshments ready for an over-the-lunch meeting. Thank you, everyone.

I looked up at the board, giving everyone enough time to read my summons. The things that were on the board were easy things. I have already studied those with my homeschooling teacher a few years ago. The ultimate basics. Why did I even take this class? I should have taken an advanced one! I should ask Charles if he remembers, why we both decided to take this awfully boring class. This teacher could put even snakes to sleep with the way he's speaking.

I took back to my phone. A message from Nathan: Will do. Rex also replied: Aye, sir! Any special commands? Should I get the scholarship creature to attend? Was he reading my thoughts? I looked around the classroom to see Rex doing whatever. He was rocking on his chair, his clothes were messy and today he even decided to wear an earring. He's a member of the student council. Why can't he mind his behavior a bit more? This way he'll get kicked out by the principal... Not that he would mind, I guess. He would find his way back in the premises even by breaking a window if he wanted.

"We'll leave it here for today. I see that many of you are losing your focus, so let's finish ten minutes earlier. Enjoy your lunch, everyone." The boring young teacher finished his neverending speech and walked out of the classroom after cleaning the board himself.

"Finally." I flattened myself on the desk in front of me. I was dying.

"Hey, student council president! We gotta go, you called for a meeting!" Charles came to me, making me lift my head to stare at him.

"Or should we have a preliminary meeting here?" Nathan spoke from behind me.

"No, vice-president needs to come as well. She was put in his care for the first few weeks till she gets used to this place!" Rex juggled to us, speaking so loud, while everyone else was walking out of the classroom to have lunch in the cafeteria.

"Yeah, agreed. Let's go to the council lounge, then. The meeting room is too formal for now. What's on the agenda, Ben?" Charles was speaking more like a vice-president than the guy, who actually had that function. But Charles had decided to give it up because it was too much hassle, as he called it.

"Scholarship creature got her assignment called for the Art Committee. Yesterday she managed to anger the French teacher. I think we can discuss what to do next in case she manages to make another mistake by the end of tomorrow. We need to make a petition against her stay here and let the students sign it. I can bring it up to the principal for our Thursday afternoon meeting." I yawned. This class was always getting me sleepy no matter what I did.

"Sure thing. Noted, president." Nathan pushed his glasses up his nose.

"Fine, let's go have lunch. I'm starving." I got up and slowly started walking out of the classroom, feeling like I would fall asleep at any moment. Charles cleared his throat by coughing before I opened the door to walk out.

"Your tie is a bit on the side." With that said, he stepped closer to make it straight.

"Thanks. Everyone ready?" I turned back to the three guys behind me. Rex looked thrilled, Charles had his usual bored face on and Nathan sighed. I stretched and opened the door. The moment I stepped out with a group of those guys behind me, all the girls in the corridor were yelling and squeaking. The unofficial Fanclub of the Student council, their members were lining the walls of the corridor leaving us enough space to walk through. As always, a word had to get out that we'll be having a meeting. Rex shared it to others again... That guy!

"Ben! Ben! Look here!"

"You look even more handsome today!"

"Nathan! He's so smart!"

"Charles! Look at me! I'm dying to see your eyes!" True, Charles' eyes weren't the usual ones. One of his eyes was brown and the other blue. He's not your regular zoo monkey! I turned back to see if he heard her. But his eyes were just scanning his shoes. He probably did and refuses to look at her. Well, I understand. Who would if anyone asked that way?

"Rex! Take me to date!"

We kept heading to the council room. The girls were occupying the whole way to the premises. Michael was already waiting in front of the door for the rest of us.

"You're a bit late, president." His voice was as cold as ever.

"We were already discussing things on our way. Shall we?" I asked him, showing him to the door as we stopped there. The main decision bodies were present for the student council to start the meeting.