CHAPTER 7

*A/N - Watch for change in POV in the chapter*

"Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable."

-Cesar A. Cruz

It was lightly drizzling outside, making the air frosty and the ground icy, I could see the fog around the street lights on the driveway. I shivered and turned up the heater, wearing a comfortable loose T-shirt and sweatpants I got in to bed. After trying every position possible for the next 35 minutes, I got up to grab some water and swallowed a sleeping pill, then jumped back under the covers, closing my eyes. I prayed I would see my family again tonight.

And I did.

I found myself standing by a lake, my feet bare and my hair open flying around with the light wind. Someone walked up behind me, I turned and smiled as mother intertwined her hand with mine. I remember this lake, it's Lake Thompson. We would come here to watch the beautiful sunsets.

"It's so beautiful, mom."

"It's little things in life honey, you have to appreciate them. Be thankful for them. And always treasure the love you have."

"I will. Always."

"Then why didn't you?" Another voice asked, I turned around and I saw my father. He looked... dissapointed. "Why didn't you treasure your loved ones? Why didn't you appreciate them?" He asked angrily.

My mom's hand in mine vanished, the lake vanished and all I could see around us was fire. Mom was now beside dad and she wore a hurt expression. "Why'd you abandon us sweetie?"

The fire was only getting larger and I started to panic. "I'm sorry, mom, dad. I'm sorry, please we have to go. We have to run."

"They won't go anywhere with you Scarlie, they're dead." He whispered obnoxiously in my ear. I jerked back out of fear, Logan stood there, he walked up to me, grabbed my face and turned it to face my parents again. The heat of the fire started making my head hurt, the fire started taking them away. "And you killed them." He snarled.

"NOOO!" I bolted upright in my bed, screaming. I could feel cold sweat running on my back, and my throat felt dry. I glanced at the clock, it read 4.43AM. I grabbed the water bottle on my bedside and quenched my thirst, and fell back on the bed.

After ten more minutes tossing and turning, I knew wouldn't fall asleep anymore. I gave up and went to brush my teeth. Looking in the mirror, I almost cringed at my dark circles, I've had them for the past year but they were starting to fade with the sleeping and depression pills putting me to sleep. But they looked like they were growing again. My hair looked messy and I looked as pale as a ghost.

After freshening up and a few morning stretches, I went down to the kitchen to have some cereal and coffee. I flipped on the TV and watched some cartoons, trying to get my mind off the dreams and the light ache in my chest.

♡♡♡

ALEXANDER

"You better get your ass down for breakfast Alex! Quit stroking the walls all the time." I genuinely felt bad for the guy that got stuck with Mary, my older sister.

I walked out of my room holding my dirty paint brushes. "At least I'm not stroking Ethan's-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence young man, go wash up for breakfast." Said Ma with a stern look. I grinned sheepishly and walked towards the sink letting all the colours from my brushes drown with the water. I washed my hands that had dried splotches all over them and put away my utensils.

As I sat down at the dining table and Ma slid a plate filled with omelettes and toast towards me. I dived in my immediately, Ma's cooking is magic. Mary sipped her coffee while texting someone, and Ma nibbled on her toast.

"So, when will you show us your masterpieces Picasso?" Asked Mary, setting down her phone.

"Not today, tomorrow doesn't seem great either. How about never?" Some people keep a journal, some talk it about their problems, others also shop. Me? I paint. So, it's personal, forget Mary, even Ma hasn't seen my paintings.

"Well you've got to show someone, what's the point of being cooped up in your room all the time doing God knows what. Ma, I bet Lexi here doesn't even paint." She threw me a grin.

"You're right, I probably don't paint. But you know what, I will show those paintings to someone one day, but it sure as hell won't be you Cooper." I teased her with her middle name and she stuck her tounge out . I finished up the food off my plate, and stood up. "I'm off Ma, see you afterschool."

"After detention you mean." She frowned. "You've really got to stop fooling around in school Alexander. I expect more from you." Mary snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Him and not fool around?" She was texting her fiancee Ethan who's pretty cool, but I still thought 22 was way too young to be engaged, I'd want to live my life a free man first. It's way too much to commit to one person anyways, besides its not like marriages ever last for long. Ma was still looking at me sternly.

"Of course Ma, today's the last one anyways. And my suspension will be over, I just have to convince coach to convince baldy." I've already started practicing lines in my head to convince coach.

"Have a good day, hun."

"Bye guys." I left the kitchen and went back to my room, where my painting was still drying. There were harsh strokes of paint on the bottom side, where I had painted bottles of beer, cigarettes and ash. The top side strokes gradually become softer where the smoke of the cigarettes rise and the empty room is on fire. The colours were angry, red, black, brown and grey. The empty room isn't white though, there's no white in this painting, like all my other paintings. The rooms walls are ashen, they're a mixture of gray, yellow and a dull green.

If paintings had lively smells, this one would give off a stench of an old smoker, an old room, a stench that makes you frown in disgust. Maybe others would perceive it differently though, because that's what art is. Art can be felt or viewed in a million different ways, through millions of different eyes, through millions of different minds. What each colour represents is up to the individual, their ideas, their feelings, their memories with the colour.

I packed up my paint bottles and cleaned up as fast as possible. Then I grabbed my keys, bag and jacket, locked my room and went down to my car.

♡♡♡

"Coach, you know I'm a great player, I'm early for practice, and I'm not failing any of my classes. Just because I accidentally spilled a little paint doesn't mean I should be suspended for this long!" Coach had his hands folded over his chest and his cap sat backwards on his head. I was walking out to the grounds with him, trying to reason with him.

"Evans, I've told you, unless you get your shit together, I can't help you. And I recall something along the lines of a paint bomb. Its not your first time Evans."

"Right, but it's my last time, I promise. Let me back on the team, you need me, the team needs me." I tried to keep us with his pace.

"Evans, today's your last detention, eh?" He stops walking and faces me.

"Yes, sir."

"Then come back tomorrow morning and ask me again, we'll see then."

I hesitated before agreeing. "Yes, sir. See you tomorrow morning."

♡♡♡

Second period was when I first spotted her, in Chemistry class. Scarlett. She sat in her usual seat with her best friend, the talkative one. She was wearing a frown, she looked exhausted and pale.

"Class, we're getting our first major assignment today, please pay careful attention to the instructions, we are in mid September, so we shouldn't have a problem with the format for this class. If you've forgotten and we're too lazy to take notes ask your classmates, or I'll take off marks." Ms. Hamilton announced.

She came around and handed us our assignment packages, to be done individually and handed in next week. I looked back at Scarlett and saw her head was down on the table, her friend also looked worried for her. I think her name is Zada or Zay or something.

The rest of the period was given to decide topics and brainstorm, but I couldn't get Scarlett of my mind. She used to be like this most of last year after the whole thing with Eric. People weren't too nice about the whole situation either, they bullied her about it since Eric's in the popular circle. I would've helped her out I guess, if I wasn't too busy being angry at her and avoiding her, says something about me, huh. 

I think seeing Scarlett happy again at the start of the year made me realize I liked her smiling better, and I also like irritating the hell out of her.

I played my music and got back to the assignment, hoping she'd be fine and it was just girl issues.

♡♡♡

I've been in detention many times before due to my various stunts and pranks, which I'd gotten amazing at since I've been pranking Scarlett since we were 14. In my defense, she started it off by sharing that embarrassing video of me, which was totally uncalled for.

I asked her for a clean slate, because whatever happened with Eric was all our faults, not just Scarlett's and forget everyone else, she seemed to have punished herself enough over it last year. I don't think anyone deserves that, everyone just gained up on the one person, it's unfair. 

So I told myself to stop being such a dramatic pussy, and told her straight up. And today, I wanted to do the same again, only this time, ask her out ... maybe. Not that I like her ... just to become good friends again, yeah. 

And just then, she walked in and waved towards me, towards me! And so, without getting too excited, I casually waved back. 

  ♡♡♡    

A/N 

This chapter is not edited, but I'll go through it again tomorrow.  I hope it's good because it's the first time I did Alex's POV and I tried to think like a guy as much as possible lol. 

BUT I HOPE SO MUCH SO SO MUCH THAT Y'ALL LIKE IT! <3 

Alex's eyes (MY LOVE WITH FANFICTION CANDY APPLE GREEN EYES- YOU ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHO I'M TALKNG ABT)