Fearless (The Story of Samantha Smith #1) (6 page)

Professor Childress folded his arms across his chest. “How was your final drawing?”

I sighed heavily. “Not so good.”

“Can I see it?”

I was reluctant to unveil my failure. “It’s not very good.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Let me see it.”

Great. Now he was going to judge me.
Have at it.
I lifted back the pages until I revealed my final drawing.

The professor stroked his goatee thoughtfully. “Mmm-hmm. Mmm.” He cocked his head. “Mmm.”

What the hell did that mean? “It’s horrible, I know.”

“Horrible? Is that what you think?”

“You don’t have to say anything.” I hoped he didn’t hand me a bunch of b.s. fake praise. I hated the “everyone’s a winner” syndrome. Not everyone could take first place. Or second, or third. Or twentieth.

“Have you done much drawing in the past?”

“A little. Sometimes I draw in my sketchbook.” I fidgeted.
Get this over with already!

“Your line work is very strong. See your s-curve on the extended leg over here? It’s confident and true.”

“Yeah, but the rest of the drawing’s terrible!”

“It’s fine to take note of your failures. In the beginning stages we have many. Don’t forget to celebrate your successes as well. That one line shows me you have talent. You have only to develop it.”

“But everyone else’s drawings are so much better than mine. Kamiko’s—”

“You’re referring to the young asian girl?”

“Yeah.”

“She showed me her sketchbook before class. What about her?”

“Kamiko’s drawing’s are
so
good. I can’t compete with her.”

“You’re not competing with her. You’re competing only with yourself. Kamiko has had years of vigilant practice. Your goal is not to best her. You goal is to improve. Remember the beautiful s-curve you drew on the extended leg?”

“Yeah?”

“Next time, strive for two beautiful lines. That’s it. Let the rest of them be messy and terrible. It’s through the process of making countless mistakes that we approach, but never achieve, perfection. We get better one step, or in this case one line, at a time.”

“Really?” Was it that simple? Maybe it was. “Thanks Professor Childress!”

“See you next class. What was your name?”

“Samantha Smith. People call me Sam.”

“Pleased to meet you, Sam. I expect good things from you. I’ve been doing this a long time. You have what it takes, I know.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Wow! I didn’t suck!

Chapter 5

Romeo, Kamiko, and I went to the Student Center for lunch. I was ready for a distraction. I texted Madison where we were going, but she didn’t reply.

Romeo introduced me to fish tacos. I had no idea you could put fish in a taco. I loved the white sauce! So good.

I munched on tortilla chips while Kamiko talked about Adventure Time. I learned more about that cartoon than I ever thought I would. She was so enthusiastic about it, I couldn’t bear to stop her.

Romeo dipped a chip in his salsa. “So, Sam. I was worried about you during Life Drawing. I was ready to call 911. You were dangerously close to paralysis.”

“Yeah, I think I have PTSD,” I said.
 

“That guy was Muy Caliente!” Kamiko laughed.

I was surprised. “You noticed? I thought you were too busy drawing to care.”

“I’m not blind! That guy was super hot! And he was totally checking
you
out.”

“No he wasn’t,” I scoffed.

Romeo wiped his hands on his napkin. “You are totally in denial, Sam! His eyes were glued on you.”

Great. Not what I wanted to hear. “Then why did he leave with that girl? She had her arm around him.”

“Well, he sure acted like he wanted to get to know
you
.”

I winced. “He kind of already does.”

Romeo almost jumped out of his seat. His monocle swayed from the button on his coat. I noticed he hadn’t worn it once since we met. “What!” he shouted. “Have you been holding out on us? I want to know everything!” He propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his cupped hands. “Details.”

“Fine. I’ll tell you.” It’s not like this could get any more awkward. “This morning, on my way to campus, our model totally saved my ass.”

Romeo did a double take. “Stop! Rewind! The art model
saved
you?”

“Yeah. I was waiting at a red light and spilled my coffee. This fat guy in a gold Mercedes got out of his car and started yelling at me. Our art model—whose name is Adonis—was there, and he punched the fat guy out.”

“You know his name?!” Romeo’s jaw dropped. “That is
so
not fair! I wish I could be a damsel in distress.”

“Poor baby.” Kamiko patted his arm reassuringly. “So let me get this straight, Sam. Some random hot guy saves your ass this morning, and two hours later he’s totally checking you out in drawing class? How lucky are you?”

Considering that Madison, my only other friend in San Diego besides these two, was crushing on him, I would say not lucky at all. How would she feel if she knew Adonis had his eyes all over me while I had my eyes all over him? I felt like a total jerk.

“Do you have Sir Lancelot’s phone number?” Romeo pleaded. “When do you think you’ll see him again?”

“Uh, probably never.”

“Or right now,” Kamiko murmured, staring at her plate.

“Samantha?”

I whipped my head around. Adonis stood behind me, holding a plate with a sandwich and chips on it.

“Uh, hey, Adonis.”

Romeo stood up, eyes sparkling, and pulled out an empty chair. “Care to join us?”

“Looks like you guys are almost finished.”
 

“Oh no, we’re just getting started. Join us!” Romeo picked up a fistful of chips and shoved them in his mouth. He jawed them nervously. Crumbs rained on his lap.
 

Adonis sat down and set his plate on the table.

I made a mental note to kill Romeo later. In the meantime, I’d have to satisfy myself with stomping on his foot under the table. Too bad I was wearing sandals and not stilettos.

Romeo’s eyes popped and he stifled a grunt. I smiled back at him innocently. He coughed several times on his chips. Served him right.

“You okay, buddy?” Adonis asked.

“I’m,
cough,
fine.
Cough
,” Romeo gagged.

When Romeo’s choking spree subsided, everyone at the table stared at Adonis like idiots. I guess introductions were up to me. “So, um, Adonis, these are my friends, Romeo and Kamiko. Everybody, Adonis.”

Adonis saluted everyone with his sandwich pickle. I was pretty sure Romeo was remembering him naked.
 

“So, how’d everyone’s drawings turn out?” Adonis asked.

Romeo nodded mutely.

“Excellent!’ Kamiko tittered nervously.

“They usually do,” Adonis replied. “Considering the subject matter. How could anyone possibly do a bad drawing of me?” His dimples winked at me sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and laughed in his face. “Don’t be bashful, Adonis. Tell us what you really think.”

Adonis’ luscious lips spread over his brilliant teeth, revealing that perfect smile again. Stupid dimples. He was un-hatable. But I could still give him a hard time.

“Are you going to be able to fit your head in your motorcycle helmet later?” I sneered. “I think it’s twice the size it was this morning.”

Romeo’s jaw dropped. He stomped
my
foot under the table.

“Adonis!” A young woman I’d never seen before pranced up to the table on dancer’s legs. She had bouncy auburn hair. Her dress was what I’d describe as nouveau hippie. It seemed like an affectation. Somehow I imagined her paying top dollar for what was supposed to look thrift-store vintage.
 

I suspected the two man-magnets bouncing on her chest were artificially enhanced. She immediately started massaging Adonis’ shoulders with both hands.

Oh my god, how many women were wrapped around this guy’s fingers?

A slow smiled spread across Adonis’ face. “Hey, Skylar. How you doing, babe?”

“Better, now that I tracked you down. You’ve been M.I.A. since our last date.”

“Date?”

“Don’t you remember? Onyx? The club downtown? We danced till they closed? My place afterward? The kitchen table after breakfast?”

Adonis squinched his eyes thoughtfully.

Oh, Lord. Did he even remember having sex with this woman? Guys like him were all about the fuck and run. What a nightmare.

“Oh yeah.” Adonis grinned thoughtfully. “I remember now. That wasn’t a date. We were just hanging out.”

Jesus, what did a date involve for this guy? A sex swing with an audience?

Skylar was undeterred. “When can I see you again? It’s been weeks.” She draped her arms over his shoulders and rubbed his chest. Had she no shame?

“I’m pretty busy.”

“Come on, Adonis,” she begged. “I totally need to see you tonight.”

“You don’t
need
to see me. You might think you do, but you don’t. There’s plenty of other guys out there.”

“Yeah, but none like you, Adonis.”

“That’s true.”

Oh, God. Barf. Did he really talk like this? Or was I trapped inside a bad porno movie?
I shot to my feet. “Okay! We have to go now. We’ll leave you two in peace. Come on, you guys.”

Romeo hadn’t heard me. I smacked his arm and he jumped. “Oh! Right! Let’s go, Kamiko.”

Adonis was too busy with Skylar to notice our departure.

None of us had class until the next hour, so we emptied our trays into the trash, and the three of us walked to the Central Fountain. Lush green lawns surrounded it. Shade trees dotted the grass. We collapsed beneath one of the trees.
 

My phone jingled. It was Madison. “What up, Mads?”

“Where you at?”

“I’m over at the central fountain with some new friends. You wanna join us?”

“Yeah, I’ll be there in five.” She arrived a few minutes later holding a soda. I introduced her to Romeo and Kamiko, and explained we met in Life Drawing class.

Madison sat down and pulled a bag of mini peanut butter cups out of her backpack. “I brought treats! Anyone want any?”

We all fought to jam our hands into the bag at the same time. A chorus of “Thanks, Madison!” followed.

 
I was so glad I’d met her. She was so thoughtful and generous.

Madison sipped her soda. “So, how was life drawing, you guys?”

I had hoped she wouldn’t ask anything that would lead to the topic of Adonis. So much for that. Well,
I
didn’t have to say anything. No matter how hot Adonis was, I wasn’t going to let him come between me and Madison.

Romeo swooned. “I declare, I’m absolutely in love with the model.”
 

Madison frowned. “Model? I don’t get it.”
 

“The Life Drawing model,” Kamiko said. “The one who posed for us today.”

There was no getting out of it.
 

“Wait, so you guys drew a model, like a live person?”

Romeo popped a peanut butter cup into his mouth. “Yup. And he was quite dashing. Winsome, if you will.”

“Romeo means he was hot,” Kamiko translated.

“And naked,” Romeo grinned.

Madison sputtered on her soda. “Holy shiznet! For real? Naked? Like, birthday suit naked?”
 

Madison looked at me. “Yeah,” I answered dismissively. “He wasn’t that hot,” I lied.

“Liar!” Romeo shouted. “He was
so
hot and you
loved
it!”

Shit. Romeo was not helping.

“Really.” Madison arched an eyebrow. “Do tell. Was he circumcised?” She giggled and swatted my arm.

“I didn’t look that close!”

“I did.” Romeo grinned. “And yes, he is cut.”

“Eww, Romeo.” Kamiko grimaced. “T. M. I.”

I
really
needed to steer the conversation away from Adonis, for Madison’s sake. If I couldn’t manage it myself, a sudden earthquake or swarm of killer bees would suffice. “Can we change the subject?” I pleaded.
 

“I think not,” Madison said. “You spent class time drawing a hot naked guy. You have to give me details. What did he look like?”

“Kamiko,” Romeo said, “Show her your drawing. It totally looks like him.”

No, no, no. There was no way I could stop this. Where were those bees? Crap.

“I don’t want to drag my drawings out, Romeo,” Kamiko moaned. “They’re terrible.”

Thank god for Kamiko’s false modesty.

“Come on you guys, now I’m totally curious,” Madison said. She set her soda on the grass.

“He was tall, like a warrior,” Romeo mused. “He had dark hair, sculpted muscles, tattoos, and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen.”

“Hey, that sounds like the guy I saw this morning when we were at the Student Center,” Madison said.

Oh no.

“Did Sam tell you he
saved
her on the way to campus? Like a damsel in distress?”

Fucktastic.
I shot Romeo a “shut the fuck up” look. He didn’t notice. Where were those damn bees?!

“Who? The model?” Madison asked.

“Yeah. His name is Adonis,” Romeo said innocently. “Sam’s totally into him.”

I sighed. I couldn’t blame Romeo. He didn’t know that Madison had a thing for Adonis.

Madison’s brows snapped up and her eyes flashed at me expectantly.
 

I decided the best thing to do was be honest. “I admit it. I was totally staring at him. But how could I not? I was supposed to, for class.” Did I have to tell her I thought Adonis was hot? Could I leave that part out?

Madison folded her arms across her chest and leveled a shrewd look at me. I think she was reading my mind.

If she was going to hate me, at least I still had Romeo and Kamiko. I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted a blabbermouth like Romeo around at this point. But I wasn’t in a position to be choosy about my friends. I never had.

Madison tilted her head back, waiting for the rest. May as well give it to her.

“Okay, don’t hate me, Mads. I admit it. Adonis is totally hot. But I will stay away from him, if that’s what you want.”

She didn’t look like she was buying it.

“I have to warn you though, he’s probably slept with half the women on campus, and I think he’s working his way through the rest of them. The way they throw themselves at him, I’m surprised he doesn’t tell them to take a number. He probably hosts orgies every weekend.”