Chapter Text
“Sydney. Wake up. You have your 9am in like…” I reach over Sydney to grab her alarm clock, waving it around as it shrieks out cries of lateness. “10 MINUTES!?! WAKE UP HOE!” I slap Sydney across the cheek. What the fuck is this girl dreaming about now? What if she’s dreaming about meeeeee- ok that was a stupid thought. My mind continues to race as I set out Sydney’s clothes for the day. A black blazer with her favorite cream shirt. She hasn’t realized yet that I (badly) embroidered a heart and my name on the back hem of it. I’ve been leaving little hints around our dorm for her. I really wish she wasn’t so dense and she would just realize that I am in love with her. I have been for years. The hearts on her clothes, the little notes I put in her bag. She finally woke up… it’s kinda funny seeing her rush to put on her clothes, her hands barely noticing the heart on the hem, her eyes not even sparing a glance at the soft pink threads.
“Thanks for putting my outfit out!” Sydney calls out, just a little too loud. She grabs the breakfast sandwich I put on the counter right next to her student id and her favorite pen.
“You’re wel-” the door slams as Sydney runs out of our dorm, late for class again. 4th week in a row. I think I should take her out somewhere. She needs a break. Eh whatever. I grab my bag, checking to make sure it has my paints, brushes, water cup and bottle and my canvas.
Walking out to campus I see Sydney through the window of the law building, she’s frantically taking notes. As I get to where my first class is I see a note of the door. ‘I’m out sick, your assignment: paint the prettiest thing on campus, I expect a reference photo to be turned in as well, due in 3 days -Mr Smith Apple’ Well that changes my plans… I walk back towards the law building stopping in front of a tree to snap a picture, the building, the tree and… Sydney. She looked out the window at the perfect moment, her face illuminated by the soft golden light of the morning, framed by the window and the tree. Perfect. A picture of the prettiest thing on campus.
As I sit on a bench painting the greens of the tree and the faded red bricks my brush seems to always miss the center of the canvas, her face. My loves face… no I’m not gonna call her that, she’s not mine. She keeps telling me about that green eyed girl with freckled shoulders and cheeks and brown hair with dyed tips. Ironically that girl sounds just like me. My thoughts keep running past my mind, faster than I can hear as I paint. The white mortar in between the faded red bricks, the brown bark nestled under the green leaves, the golden light on her face. My phone buzzes with an alert. A text with a single word ‘HERE!’ I look up to see no person in front of me.
“Heya, Bee” Sydney chirps from over my shoulder, having come from behind me expectedly. I don’t know how the clumsiest girl I’ve ever met has always been good at startling me but she has.
“Hey Sydney. Wanna go get lunch?” My hand instinctively covers the canvas in front of me, obscuring her half painted face.