paired up

The conversation faded as Professor Runaway began his lecture, but the questions in her head didn't. Did he really not hate her? She glanced back at him only to see him ready looking at her, he held eye contact as he had a small smirk on his face as she rolled her eyes and looked away embarrassed.

After what felt like hours history came to an end. She had one class until lunch, that's how much time she had to figure out how to talk to Xeoy about what Noah said, if she does, back to art, it was the only class without Xeoy but, of course, Chris was there. "why does he have the exact same schedule, if only Axel en Xoey weren't friends, she could have ignored him all day every day.

Ivie walks over to her seat and sits down before Ms. Lorne begins talking.

Ms. Lorne stood at the front of the room, her floral scarf trailing dramatically as she flipped through her clipboard. “Today’s assignment,” she announced, “is portrait sketching. You’ll be paired up—no exceptions. I want you to work with someone you don’t normally choose.”

Groans rippled through the class. Ivie glanced around, hoping to be paired with literally anyone but—

“Chris and Ivie,” Ms. Lorne said, tapping her pen against the clipboard. “You two will work together.”

Ivie’s jaw clenched. Chris looked up from his sketchpad, his expression unreadable.

Ivie plopped down across from Chris, dramatically sighing. “Great. My worst nightmare.” Chris raised an eyebrow and put on a fake smile “You flatter me.”

Ms. Lorne passed by, eyeing them. “Let’s keep the drama on the page, kids.” Ivie rolled her eyes and began sketching. Chris leaned forward, squinting at her. “Is my nose really that big?”

“Bigger,” Ivie muttered.

Minutes passed. Neither spoke. But Ivie noticed Chris glancing at her work. She smirked. “Trying to copy me?”

Chris didn’t look up. “Just making sure you’re keeping up.”

By the end of class, Ms. Lorne hovered behind them. “Interesting. You two push each other.”

Ivie mumbled just loud enough for Chris to hear her, “He’s just trying to match my level.”

Chris looked up, smiling. “Match it? I thought I passed it ten minutes ago.”

Ivie rolled her eyes. “In your dreams.”

She held up her sketchpad. “Here. Try not to cry when you see how good it is.”

Chris leaned in, pretending to study it like a serious art critic. “Hmm… very bold. You’ve really captured my tired eyes and crooked nose.”

Ivie laughed. “That’s just how you are."

Chris flipped his sketchpad around. Ivie blinked. It was her—drawn with sharp lines and a little smirk, like she was about to say something clever. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt… real.

“well- it's a little too good...” she said, surprised.

Chris shrugged. “I just draw what I see.”

Ms. Lorne walked by and looked at both drawings. “Nice work. You two bring out the best in each other.”

“You just got lucky. If I had really tried, I would’ve beaten you and made your artwork look like a pile of dog poop” Ivie said, looking away with a pout on her face.

“So you’re admitting you lost? That’s adorable~” Chris said with a smug smile, leaning his arms on the desk and resting his chin on his hands.

Ivie narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t lose. I just didn’t feel like crushing your ego today."

“Oh, how kind of you,” Chris said, pretending to wipe a tear. “I’ll be sure to thank you in my award speech.”

“You’re so full of yourself,” Ivie said, grabbing her pencil. “I should draw your head bigger to match.”

Chris laughed. “Go ahead. Just make sure you get my good side.”

“I didn’t know you had one.”

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