Page 35 of Quiet
“I’m sorry! I don’t know my own strength. But I promise to use my powers only for good from now on.” Alice yelped as she was nudged out of the way by an overeager admirer. “Oh my god, people, boundaries. They’re a thing. Learn about them.”
“Too loud.”
Isa turned to see a wall of grumpy Briar standing beside him. Before he had a chance to say anything, Briar bent low, put an arm behind Isa’s knees, scooped him up bridal style, and carried him away.
“Briar, don’t be so possessive. Art is supposed to be shared,” shouted the copper-haired boy. “At least tell me when you’re done with him, okay?”
Briar kept walking without acknowledging the disappointed voices behind him. Isa had thrown his arms around Briar’s neck in alarm as soon as his feet left the ground. Now all he could do was stare at Briar’s thundercloud expression as he was stolen away.
Briar deposited Isa on a raised platform in the center of the room. “Stay.” He turned around and faced the room with his arms crossed. He hadn’t looked at Isa once.
Before the kiss, Isa would have hopped off the platform and joined Briar, getting close enough to whisper, “What the heck just happened?”
Instead, he stood stock-still, hugging himself, and rubbing the spot on his bare arm where Briar’s hand had burned against it while holding him.
Alex clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay everyone, chill. I know Isa is shiny and new, but you’re going to scare him away and we’re not done with him yet. You guys can be replaced, he can’t.” Alex motioned Bea forward and put an arm around her waist. “My lovely lady here will start putting you where she wants you, and I’ll pose you. And Briar, you keep glaring at everyone. Yes, exactly like that.”
It occurred to Isa that he probably should have asked more questions about the process. He’d just assumed he’d pose for a few sittings and then be done. He hadn’t realized there would be other people involved.
“You look confused,” Kit said, when Bea placed her next to Isa.
“There’s a good reason for that. I had no idea there would be so many people here today.”
“And I’ll bet you weren’t expecting to get mobbed either, huh?”
Isa nodded.
“Sorry about that, we spend too much time together and forget that not everyone is as weird and codependent as we are. We don’t mean any harm, really. It’s just, you really are incredibly striking. You know that, right? Everyone here is going to ask you to model for them at some point tonight.”
It wasn’t the first time people had made a big deal about how Isa looked, but it never failed to boggle him. Back home he was shrimpy and too effeminate. Weak.
It had been nine months, and Isa couldn’t wrap his mind around the difference between college and home life.
“I don’t think I’m cut out to be a model.”
“Don’t let him fool you, Kit. He’s a natural,” Alex said as he came over to pose Kit. “Kneel down at Isa’s feet, yes, perfect. You get to be a handmaiden.”
“Are you really going to be able to paint everyone here tonight?” Isa asked.
Alex laughed. “No way, that would be torture for everyone. We’re just going to get everyone’s positions sketched out for the final piece. Living models are more posable than wooden ones, or we’d use those instead. Besides, we have an endless supply of bodies. Everyone here owes everyone else here a favor.”
“Thank god for that,” Kit said. “Tomorrow morning, Alex and Bea are helping my team with a welding project. Otherwise, we’d be screwed.”
Isa scanned the room. Now that he wasn’t in fear of being trampled, he could see past the initial impression they’d made. Instead of a crowd of psychopaths, he saw camaraderie and good friends chatting easily with one another. The atmosphere reminded him of being with his theater friends.
“We can’t do that with you though. Since you’re the focal point, we need to know every inch of you by heart. That’s what all the extra sessions have been about.” Alex winked at Isa and moved Kit’s arm until it was at an angle that made him nod in satisfaction.
“Don’t flirt with him, sweetie. Don’t forget, Isa’s taken already.” Bea called out from the other side of the room.
The air filled with groans and sighs of disappointment.
“Let us know if that changes!” someone shouted from behind Isa.
Kit laughed when she saw the panic on Isa’s face. “Don’t worry, Mr. Popular. I’ll protect you.”
“All right, Isa, it’s your turn. Briar?” Alex called Briar over from where he’d been circling the room adjusting people’s poses as he went.
Briar continued guiding the model he was working on without pause. At first, Isa waited patiently, until he realized Briar had a familiar look of concentration on his face. It wasn’t entirely unlike how he looked at Isa while drawing him.
