Fearless (The Story of Samantha Smith #1) (32 page)

 
I’d have to power through class on adrenalin and memories of Christos.

On my way to Fundamentals of Accounting, Madison nearly bowled me over, knocking me into two students who scowled at us like we were the bane of their college experience. I nearly dropped my drawing pad, but now that I kept the pad clipped to the clipboard, it was easier to keep a grip on it.

“Sam!” Mads screeched comically while hugging me. “Where have you been!
 

“Hey, Mads!”

She shoved a coffee into my hand. “I bought you this on the chance you weren’t dead in a ditch somewhere.”

“Thanks, Mads.” I swigged the liquid crack caffeine. “You have no idea how bad I need coffee right now. Oh, and the
perfect
amount of half-and-half.”

“
Half
half-and-half, right?” She winked.

“You got it.”

“You have some ‘splainin’ to do, chickie-boo. I texted you all weekend and you totally blew me off. Jake told me Adonis was going surfing with us Sunday morning, but he never showed up.” She arched her brows theatrically. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

I couldn’t hide my smile.

“You do!”

“What can I say? You’ve been so busy with Jake on the weekends, I had to find a distraction.”

“Man distraction?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I call bullshit! Don’t try to hide it from me, girlfriend! I have informants everywhere. I finally talked to Romeo Sunday afternoon and he told me you went out for drinks with Adonis Saturday night, after some gallery show?”

“
His
gallery show.”

“Who? Adonis?”

“Yeah. And his name’s actually Christos.” I figured since Romeo and Kamiko knew, Mads should too.

“Really,” Madison said, flabbergasted. “He’s an artist AND hot AND rides a motorcycle AND is super nice?”

“Yeah,” I said shyly.

She frowned. “He didn’t get you shot at again, did he?”

I repressed any comments about the Bigfoot attack in the back of Xanadu. I was pretty sure getting chased by a crazy biker gang was not what one thought of when imagining the ideal man.

Madison scrutinized my face. “Whatever drama there was, Sam, I don’t want to know about it.” Was she reading my thoughts? “But you can tell me all the juicy good parts after class,” she smiled.

We walked into the lecture hall together. Another mind-bending session of accounting principles. I did my best to not think about Christos. I was lucky I had a laptop and not a notebook. Otherwise, I probably would’ve spent the entire class doodling sketches of his beautiful body in the margins of my notebook, instead of actually taking notes.

After accounting, Madison and I went to the Student Center to meet up with Romeo and Kamiko.

“Hey, Sam!” Kamiko smiled.

Romeo ran up and threw his arms around me. “We thought you were dead!” His voice shook with fake sobs. “Madison called Sunday and told me you had been abducted by aliens. Did they probe your behind?”

“No butt probes,” I giggled. “Sorry, Romeo.”

“What about man probes? You
did
leave with Christos, girl. Don’t try to deny it! Tongue or schlong probe? Which was it?”

Madison and Kamiko blurted out laughter, exchanging horrified stares.

“Subtlety, thy name is not Romeo,” Kamiko mocked.

Romeo shot her dirty daggers. “You
so
want to know what happened, Kamiko. Even though Christos doesn’t have a cartoon penis.”

Everyone was shocked into silence.

“What?” Romeo protested. “We all saw his cock months ago!”

“I didn’t!” Madison protested.

“Kamiko has a great drawing of it in her clipboard, if you want to see what you missed,” Romeo sneered.

“Okay! No!” Madison blushed. “General verbal details will suffice. Measurements are not necessary! Sam? Care to tell us what happened, before Romeo spoils the mood?”

All eyes were on me. They wanted answers. “We sort of spent the night together.”

“Which night?” Kamiko demanded.

“Saturday.”

They nodded appreciatively.

“And Sunday,” I said bashfully.

“Schlong probing, ladies and gentlemen!” Romeo said triumphantly. “There’s no other possible explanation.”

Madison snapped her fingers. “That’s why you didn’t have coffee this morning! I should’ve known!”

“We didn’t, you know.” I blushed. “There was no probing,” I shot a warning glare at Romeo. “We just slept together,” I said timidly.

“You are such a LIAR!” Romeo shout-whined.

Madison cocked her head thoughtfully. “I’m going to say the evidence weighs in favor of the prosecution.”

Kamiko nodded. “It’s okay, Sam. People do have non-cartoon sex now and then.” She leveled a dirty look at Romeo. “If they didn’t, there wouldn’t be any newborn baby cartoonists and animators!”

Romeo rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Kamiko.

“I swear, I didn’t have sex! No probing of any kind!” I didn’t mention our kissing tongues. Did that count?

They all cocked their heads doubtfully.

“Aren’t we late for class or something?” I pleaded.

“We want details, darling,” Romeo demanded, folding his arms across his chest.

“Yeah,” Madison chimed in, “we’re not moving an inch until you dish some dirt.”

“Okay, okay! There may have been some nudity involved. But that’s it! I promise!”

“What say you, the jury?” Romeo asked.

“All right, Sam. We’ll let you off the hook. For now,” Madison sighed. “But come lunch today, you’re taking the stand, and swearing on bibles.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you guys more over lunch. Now can we go?”

“See you guys at lunch,” Madison said before walking to her next class.

Romeo, Kamiko and I went to Life Drawing together, drawing pads in hand.

We made it to class with time to spare and set up. I was now comfortable in this environment and started warming up with sketches from my imagination on my drawing pad. Such a difference from the first day when I thought I was a complete poseur.

“Who do you think the model is today?” Romeo asked.

“I hope it’s Genesis,” Kamiko said. “She’s got those super long legs and wasp-waist that looks totally anime.”

“Yeah, she does great poses,” I said. “I think she must be a dancer.” Genesis was by far the best model we’d had, and she’d posed on three separate occasions already.

“Okay, class! We have a treat today,” Professor Childress said. “We’re going to have two models posing together. This will be a unique opportunity for you to study how the lines of one figure flow into the other.”

Two models? At the same time? I was a little worried. It was hard enough drawing one at a time.

“Don’t worry about finished drawings,” the professor said. “Focus on long lines and the basic gesture.”

Okay, I could do that. I really liked the gesture part.

A minute later, Genesis walked in. Cool. Her poses would be awesome. I wonder if the other model would be a dancer too? I think one of our other models, Zoey, was also a dancer. Maybe it would be her.

Genesis undressed and started with one minute poses on the dais in the center of the room. Her hair was up in a tight dancer’s bun.
 

Where was the other model? I didn’t have time to worry about it. I started sketching. It was such a wonderful feeling to realize that I’d made a lot of progress in only a couple of months. I had a confidence, due in part to Christos’ instruction, that I’d never imagined myself capable of. I really enjoyed drawing.

I was so into it, almost missed the knock on the door. Professor Childress walked over and opened the door a crack. He whispered to someone in the hallway, then closed the door again. Who was he talking to? The other model? I guess the model would have to wait until Genesis took a break.

After twenty minutes, Genesis put on a silk robe and walked around the room. When she got to my pad, she stopped. “Wow, nice drawings. I remember your work from the last class. I can tell you’re getting better super fast.”

“Thanks, Genesis! That’s sweet.”

“What’s your name?” She offered her alabaster hand.

I shook it. “Sam.”

She smiled warmly. “Nice to meet you, Sam. You drawings have a natural flow to them. Really nice.”

“Do you draw?”

“I have, but it’s a struggle. I think dancing’s my calling.” She smiled. “But I can tell your calling is drawing.”

I blushed. She smiled, then walked around the room, looking at the other student’s work.

Professor Childress unlocked the door and went outside. I was chatting with Romeo and Kamiko when the professor returned.

With Christos.

Why was Christos in drawing class?

“Our second model was a little late, but here he is, as promised. Everybody remembers Christos Manos?” the professor asked.

The two flamingo girls, Hourglass and Breasticles, who had been in class since day one, were still here. They both started preening the second they saw Christos. I was surprised they didn’t drop the class weeks ago, when Christos didn’t come back. I guess they really were taking the class as an elective, even though they were bitches.

Wow, why was I so worked up all of a sudden? I think it was the fact that Hourglass licked her lips when she looked at Christos. Yes, bitch for sure.

Christos stepped onto the dais and stripped. I didn’t have a reaction anything remotely like I’d had last night, or even the first day of class.
 

Christos was naked. In front of a room full of people, half of which were girls. Two of which were the preening flamingos, both of whom where busy flipping their manes of hair at the man who had spent the night in
my
bed. And one very naked Genesis, who looked like a super model and was now standing completely naked next to Christos.

W. T. F.

“We’ll start with one minute poses, so let’s see something dynamic,” the professor said.

Genesis briefly conferred with Christos in a low voice. Although her tone sounded business like, did she have to shove her nose in Christos’ ear?

Christos nodded.

Genesis took Christos’ hand in hers and they leaned back from each other, counter-balancing each other’s weight.

They were naked. And they were holding hands.

I believe at that moment I completely lost the ability to draw. The sensible solution would be for me to pack up and walk the F out of the room.
 

Okay. Pause. Breathe. No, I wasn’t going to be that way. It’s not like they were holding each other in their arms.

Okay, fine. I started drawing. Then they changed poses. And they were holding each other in their arms.

My charcoal stick snapped in two in my fingers. I had to dig out another one.

Romeo glanced at my pad. “We’re not drawing the invisible man and woman,” Romeo hissed. “Put some lines down, Sam.”

I glared cruise missiles at him.

His eyes popped. “Sor-
ry!
” he whispered.

To be fair, the pose had a very ballet vibe to it. Not porn, or even R-rated love scene. But stylized and classical.

Maybe I could do this.

Christos leaned over, supporting Genesis in his arms. Her back arched dramatically, her head turned elegantly to the side, and her arm extended into delicate outstretched fingers.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say they had practiced this routine together. But when? I was with Christos most of the weekend. Hadn’t he spent Saturday preparing for his show? Or had he slithered off to be naked with Genesis? I’m sure they knew each other. How could they not, considering how fluidly they posed together?

I frowned and looked at my drawing pad. All I had was black scribbles. They looked angry and spiteful. Was I jealous?

Duh.

Christos and Genesis changed poses again. Now his arms were around her waist in another ballet-style pose. I glanced over at Hourglass Flamingo and she was literally chewing on her lower lip. All she needed to complete the ensemble was to massage her own breast or shove her fingers down her pants. Grrr.

Oh my god. I secretly eye-rolled her for that, shook my head in disgust, and fumed.

I had two choices. I could either stab Hourglass Flamingo in the eye with a pencil, or stab Genesis in the heart with one.

Why was I being so possessive? I mean, it’s not like Christos and I were dating. He’d spent the night at my house. We’d kissed. We’d slept naked together. Now he was naked and practically on top of Genesis. Crazy voice:
why would I have any reason to be angry?

I inhaled deeply, trying to pull myself out of my bitchward spiral. Genesis had been super cool to me during the break, and she didn’t even know me. Plus, she was obviously focused intently on her pose. She wasn’t drooling over Christos like Hourglass Flamingo was.

I exhaled my anger.
 

Christos was also focused on what he was doing. His pose was part of a complete story that the combination of his and Genesis’ body language told together. His head was turned away from Genesis, and he stared at the floor, forlorn. He appeared to be pulling her by the waist in a direction opposite the way she wanted to go. Genesis appeared completely open and surrendered in Christos’ arms, yet a certain confusion tightened her features, as if she were contemplating escape.

They were distant in their closeness. She tried to flee while he pulled her into the unknown.

Two lovers united, yet in conflict.
 

It felt annoyingly symbolic and relevant to what I was feeling right at that moment. When I made this connection, I set to drawing and scribbled down some lines.
 

I finally appreciated the beauty of the pose. My lines were no longer black and angry, but light and flowing.

The poses continued for twenty minutes. I realized Christos never looked at me the entire time. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended and hurt, or impressed by his professionalism. Because Genesis and Christos made an amazing team.

When they finished, Genesis put on her robe and Christos pulled on his jeans. He glanced around the room. Moment of truth. Which way was he going to go?