Chapter 16: Pictures (of You)

Kairi approached Jack, sitting down in a hallway they had claimed as their spot for the last few days, Kairi approached Josh and said "Aerin is done", Josh got up and walked away, Kairi then began to sit where he had sat, next to Jack. Kairi asked "How was your talk while I was gone" she said to Jack, wondering how the bonding time between males had been compared to the emotional outburst Aerin had given her. "Bloody weird" he replied, startling Kairi. "That guy knows almost everything about Aerin, her diet, her height, her favourite book, her wakeup and bed time routine and more" Jack said, Kairi giggled. "Really?! thats insane...and creepy" She replied, freaked Josh had known the girl for such a a little time and yet knew so much. Jack corrected her "Oh no, he didn't figure it out, she told him. Day 1 apparently, and the guy memorized it all. Apparently she has bunny slippers he puts on her feet every morning. I am not sure if its the worlds biggest crush or a guy at his limit and lost his mind" Jack said, Kairi just had a weird expression on her face, hearing the routine of the petite girl from her class.

"Well from the talk I just had with her, it sounds like the first part, but she was completely oblivious to it all" she said, Jack made a 'wow' expression with his face. "Well, lets hope someone opens up eventually or the guy will work to death, I have seen butlers with a smaller schedule of things to remember" Jack said, Kairi laughing at the absurdity of it all.

In another hallway, Aliesha sat with Tom, both completely silent. Tom grabbed out two tubs and handed the bigger of the two to Aliesha. "I..uh, made you a sandwich, as promised" he said. Aliesha looked down at Tom, her face seeming sad and grabbed the sandwich. "You can have mine aswell if it will make you feel better" he replied but she just ignored it and started eating. Tom sat and ate his, waiting for any interaction from his giant partner, but she just ate in silence. As he finished, he tried to break the silence. "Is..is everything alright" he said, looking up at her. Having finished her sandwich, she just stared at the wall, somewhat ignoring him. Tom got up and approached her, climbing into her lap and moving towards her face. He tried to grab her face and make her face him, she eventually letting him, however the motion caused him to fall back to her lap. "Its just...I felt weird when you were away, and I am not sure how to feel about it" she replied. Tom just sat in her lap, unsure what to say. "Weird how" he asked. "I am not sure, just weird. And now that your back, I still feel it" she said. "Did you want another foot message or something. To feel better" he said but she replied "No, I..I think I will start walking to class, I shall meet you there" she said, getting up and slowly rolling Tom to the floor.

Tom watched as she walked away, unsure what to do. He had never seen her like this, it was a side new to him. One he did not even know she had.


As lunch finished, the students headed to the next class. However just like I.T., science was not much different in terms of study. In fact Ms Eve did not even turn up. Neither did Amy, Jack noted, surprised she would miss a class.

After Science, the class then walked to the Art room. They piled inside and sat down on some nearby seats. In the middle of the room were several blank canvases and paint next to them. The teacher had not arrived yet, but neither had Ms Eve or Amy. Kairi leaned over to Jack and whispered "No Ms Eve, this is strange, too classes now" she said, Jack replied "yeah, and Amy is missing also. Thats very strange and also kinda worrying". Jack then tapped Phil, who sat in front of him, on the shoulder. The timid boy almost jumping out of his seat from the small touch, but did turn around. "You know where Amy is" Jack asked, Phil shook his head "No, not since Lunch, I tried texting but nothing". Phil said, before turning to face the classroom as the teacher approached. Jack was worried what had happened, was Amy another victim of Ms Eve.

Coming from a closet in the back of the room, a tall-ish, skinny 6 armed man approached the class. He looked human but had 6 appendages he used as arms alongside normal legs and other facial and body features. He wore an apron and was holding 2 brushes in two of his hands. He addressed the class "Welcome, welcome. This is Art Class, as you may have surmised from my holding these brushes and the giant sign out the front. If you are not here for Art Class, then you are very, very lost" he said, laughing at his own joke, the class remained silent. Clearing his throat in embarressment, he continued. "Today you will each paint a picture, no pairing up, however your subject is your parner. NO TALKING FROM HERE ON" he yelled the last part "You are to draw a picture your partner would enjoy, either as an intrest or artistic expression. As long as they will like it, its a pass. Fail, and..well you fail, its not rocket science" he finished, pointing to the laid out canveses. "Any questions?" he asked, no hands went up. "Whelp, go nuts, and no talking, that would be cheating, any talking and you fail!" he claimed and then went and sat down, wiping his brow "tough crowd" he whispered to himself, wiping his forehead.

The students all walked to an empty canvas, all separated a fair distance from each other. Placing the apron on provided, they all started painting, all except Jack and Kairi.

Jack was stumped, he loved Kairi and they talked every moment of the day. But those were of the days events, the wacky and insane adventures the classes provided. Well maybe not adventures, more like survival courses. But outside some garbage TV they watched for fun, which was not something he could think of too draw, he was at a stump. He looked over to the beautiful grey girl, who herself seemed to be staring at the empty canvas. Unsure if she had the same problem or just was picturing what she was to paint. He could not tell and it scared him. Was he a bad boyfriend for knowing so little... He calmed himself and thought, something that she would enjoy, something she would enjoy. Looking over at her, he then had an idea. Risky, and bending the rules, but he had no other alternative. He got his paint out and started.

After this, he was going to learn as much about her as he could, feeling inferior to Josh who apparently knew so much about his partner, he could replicate her life.


Unknown to Jack, Kairi had a similar issue. Having similar thoughts, she also had no idea what to paint. They talked for hours in their dorm, or until Ms Eve broke them up. But not much on what they individually enjoyed. She glanced over at Jack, he had not started yet. This at least showed her he might be having the same problem. She had a think and then decided to do something crazy and hoped it worked. She was desperate but hoped her picture would suffice.


After 2 hours, the students had finished. The teacher got them to go back to their seats and await each pictures reveal. Some blushed at this, embarrassed their work would be publicly displayed.

First up was Josh. Jack eagerly awaited what his was, someone with that much knowledge of someone had to have some crazy vision of a picture to please her. And to his surprise, it was just as crazy as he assumed. Unveling the picture, students were almost blinded by the intense pascal colors. The picture itself was a colourful piece depicting a giant pink unicorn being ridden by a girl who looked almost identical to Aerin. It roamed in this giant green paddock and a giant rainbow shone above. In front of the girl stood a knight in pink armour, Jack assuming was a  representation of Josh. It was so colourful and so, very, very pink. Jack had to blink to keep scanning it with his eyes. Aerin jumped out of her seat and jumped in Josh's lap, hugging him "OH MY GOSH ITS SO GOOD!" she squeled before realishing what she had done, jumping off and slowly walking back. She then replied "I love it, frame it teacher" she demanded. The teacher looked at her, replied "no, you can do it yourself later" and moved to the next piece.

In what was a bizzaire replica of the first piece, Aerins piece was not much difference in tone to Josh's. On the canvas was a giant robot with a sword, with a small Josh looking character riding its shoulder, it was fighting a giant three headed dragon that seemed to have kidnapped a princess, which very much looked like Aerin. Josh did not say a word and just did a huge thumbs up to the teacher and then Aerin, who took the compliment very well, clapping her hands in excitment. "Yay you liked it" she said, Josh replying "I love it, perfect replica of Astron and Gogo the dragon". Jack was so confused, what was Gogo and what was an Astron. However the pictures were swapped before he could process the information.


Next was Phils which was a giant picture of a train chugging down a railway. Everyone looked at him and he meekly replied "She likes trains" before slumping in his seat, trying to hide himself.

Next was Aliesha. The teacher displayed an empty canvas. "Hmm, both you and your partner displayed nothing. No worries, you can try tomorrow at lunch. But! the subject will change since you can talk between then. Still dissapointing, the rest have been excellent" the teacher said to the class.

The last two were Jack and Kairi's. Jacks was quite a surprise, in contrast to the rest, his was a full on portrait of Kairi. He had her standing regally, with a giant purple heart in the background behind her. Kairi covered her mouth in shock before turning to him "Its gorgeous! Thank you!" she said to him, giving him a big hug.

Kairi however was nervous, Jack's was a pure vision of love for her, hers was...a bit different. The teacher displaying it, it portrayed a very recognisable Jack...fighting ninjas. Kairi was afraid to look towards him, but when she did, he had a huge smile on his face "Thats freaking awesome!" he said. Kairi had seen him doodle ninjas in his books on occasions as it was the best she could think of. Breathing out in reflief she had made something he enjoyed, she rested her head on his shoulders, him grabbing her hand "Thanks, I love it!" he whispered in her nearby ear.

The teacher then talked to the class again. "Well except for the two who displayed nothing, everyone else seemed to enjoy their pictures, so I guess its a pass. They were all also excellent so I would have passed them anyway, the theme was just a way to get some artistic vision from you. You could have painted a donut and if it was good enough, have passed" he laughed. The class remained silent. "Ok then, fine, just go, gah!" he said, putting his arms in the air. The class then filed out and left.

As Aerin left with Josh, he spoke "I have to do something, are you alright to go back to the dorm alone" he asked. Aerin looked at him confused, where did he have to go? "Where you going" she asked, he replied "I have to see someone, I will catch up later, are you alright to go back alone" he asked. Aerin felt..sad. Was he seeing someone? Who was this person? everyone they knew was already here. "Who?" she asked, curious. "Oh just someone, no need to worry" he replied. She did not know how to take this. However, not wanting to keep him, she replied "oh, yeah, sure, I should manage" she said, lying. "oh good, see you later" he said and walked off. Aerin felt a pain in her chest, was her prediction wrong, was Kairi wrong about their relationship. She walked back to her dorm...alone.