Page 8 of Voices

Grabbing a pen, I contemplate leaving him a message to find later. I don’t want to come on too strongly in case he’s not into guys, but I need to do something to get his attention. I tap the pen on my lip trying to think of something.

I know just what to do.

Closing the book, I put it back on the nightstand so I don’t forget to grab it. Tomorrow, I’ll drop it off at the art building after my first class.

I turn off the light and fall asleep dreaming of the boy in all black with beautiful eyes.

Chapter Three

Charlie

“Where the hell did I put it?”

I rake my hands through my already messy hair, pulling on the ends. There’s no way I lost my sketchbook. It has part of my portfolio for this semester with some of my best drawings in it. I brought it to class yesterday to add details to a sketch I’m currently working on, and I swear I put it in my bag before I left.

Drawing is a safety net for when my mind gets too busy or too loud and my anxiety spikes. That book shows just how often my mind spins out of control.

Ineedit.

“FUCK!”

I hear Katy Perry’sFireworkcome from somewhere in this mess. The song is annoying as hell, which is why Lily chose it as her ringtone. She knows I’ll answer to make the song stop.

The song ends before I can find my phone, but the silence doesn’t last long as the song starts up again. The woman is persistent when she wants something.

I finally find it under my bed after the third call.

“Yes, Lily,” I huff standing up.

“What took you so long,” she says with enough sass that I can practically see her with her hand on her hip with a eyebrow raised.

Rolling my eyes, I continue moving shit around. “Couldn’t find my phone.”

She lets out a tsk noise. “Well, I was calling to see if you wanted to meet up with me and Noah for lunch.”

Looking at the clock, I have about ten minutes before my first class starts.

Shit.

“Yeah, I’ll meet you guys in the café. I gotta go though. My class starts soon and I’m still at home.”

She doesn’t say anything.

Stopping my search, I pull the phone away from my ear to check if she’s still on the line. “Lily?”

“Why are you still at home? Are you ok?”

Letting out a frustrated breath, I grip my hair again and pull until my scalp starts burning. She knows me too well. I’ve never been late to a class, and she knows how anxious I get if I’m cutting it close.

“I lost my sketchbook,” I whisper, closing my eyes.

I hear her breath hitch. “Just grab one of your smaller books for now and Noah and I will come over after class and help you look for it.”

There’s a pause and I know what she’s going to say before she says it. “I had to take it to class yesterday and no, I didn’t go hide in the woods with it either.”

“I know you wouldn’t just leave it laying anywhere. But it’s not like you to not have an iron grip on it when it’s not in your room. I’m just concerned, Charlie. That’s all.”

I’m an asshole.

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