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I smacked him on the shoulder with my sketchpad. “Hey, speak for yourself. I’m only a wannabe artist compared to you.” I snagged one of his purple pencils and rolled it between my fingers before reluctantly returning it.
“I wouldn’t worry about your teacher. If you don’t like her, drop the class.”
“Um, no. I couldn’t get into any others since I signed up late.” It was already second semester. “I’ll deal and try your class next year.”
He slid over a small tin of colored pencils.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a welcome-to-Thane gift.” Then he pulled out a couple of small paintbrushes, a bottled water, and a small dish. “They’re watercolor pencils. After you finish your drawing, you can turn it into a watercolor picture. I thought you might like them.”
“I love them.” I tore the cellophane off and opened them. I would work on that this afternoon. Screw sticking to charcoal pencils. I leaned over and wrapped my arms around Jaxon. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He squeezed me back before letting go. “I’m glad you decided to come to Thane. You’ll love it here.”
That remained to be seen, but I kept my skepticism to myself. “Oh! I forgot.” I pulled out the sandwiches and handed him one.
Jaxon groaned when he opened the extra-meat-and-cheese sub with bacon I’d gotten him. “Okay, you’re forgiven.”
“The way to your heart is definitely through your stomach.” I giggled. “Does Max know that yet?”
“Probably,” he said around a mouthful. “How’s the new roommate?”
“You’ll never believe it.” I filled him in on how Piper had been one of my sister’s friends, a year older than me, and that I’d also been on friendly terms with her because of Summer. “I recognized her right away. It was so weird.”
“Are you okay living with her?” Concern darkened his eyes, and he watched me closely.
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I don’t have a problem with Piper. And having a roommate, putting myself out there, and getting to know people is sort of the reason I transferred here. Well, that and to dig into my past a little.”
His eyebrows rose, and he lowered what remained of his food. “So, you’re going through with that? Have you read the letters yet?”
My stomach clenched painfully. “No.” I looked away, studying the students and faculty that walked past. “I still can’t bring myself to read them.”What could my mom say after what she’d done to us?
Jaxon situated himself so his back rested against the tree we sat under, mirroring my pose. Our shoulders brushed against each other’s as he drew up his knees and balanced his sketchbook, creating an easel of sorts. I did the same. It was how we worked sometimes when we went outside back home.
“I’m here for you, Winter. Don’t forget that.”
I rested my head on his shoulder for a second. “Yeah, I know. Thanks.”
“Brooke stopped by early this morning. She said she planned to see you right after.” Maybe I should’ve taken him up on rooming together, or incognito because Thane wouldn’t agree to it. “Hey, you never said how you got a private room.”
“My roommate transferred. He was from Colorado and missed his family. He’s going to Colorado State instead.”
“But you didn’t get another one?”
“I asked Mom and Dad if we could swing the extra cost for a single. I wanted more space to paint and draw in my room rather than always having to go to the studio.”
“Um, we’re working outside. What’s the big deal?”
“You’re well aware that I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and want to paint, and if I don’t, I can’t fall back asleep.”
“Oh, right. I forgot about that.”
It hadn’t affected me because his parents had set up an extra room at home as a studio for Jaxon. I’d stumbled across him one night when I’d had a nightmare.
We fell into silence, the only sound between us the scratch of the pencils against the paper. I’d chosen to draw a section of the building across from us. The architecture was intricate and drew the eye. I altered it slightly so it was even more old-world looking. As it took shape, I toyed with putting someone in one of the windows. I might still do that.
“Do you still draw him?”
