I stared at the poster where names are listed underneath the title: Art clubs. Sign up today! The pen in my hand was slightly shaking as I debated whether or not to sign it. Art was the thing I enjoyed but the hardest thing was talking and talking leads to people and people leads to...awkward conversations. I was pretty decent at everything except talking. My "get-away" from the world is art. Art doesn't need to be perfect and that's the thing I struggle with the most, being perfect. A low, gentle voice interrupted my thoughts and I quickly turned around. I looked up to meet eyes with a tall, tan skinned boy with dark brown hair and deep oak brown eyes. I froze, not knowing what to do or say. We just kept staring at each other until he broke the silence.

"Are you okay?" He chuckled gently as I hid in my messy black bangs. He tilted his head a little to see my face and smiled. We locked eyes and it felt like he's staring straight into the walls I put around myself.

"I-I'm okay..." I managed to say.

He nodded, "Oh good, I was getting worried there." He glanced at the dark blue pen I was holding and held up a dark red pen.

"Are you going to sign up too?" My mind went blank for a minute, not having a clue what he meant until I snapped back into reality.

"Oh, I was thinking about it. I'm still not sure." I stepped back to let him sign his name but he never did.

"Really? Why?"

I groaned, "My mom said I should sign up for a club or something to interact with other people but-"

"But talking to other people is hard?" He said the thing I was about to say and suddenly I felt flustered.

"Yeah... Exactly." I whispered. He seemed to understand what I was saying

"Yeah, I don't like talking either." I felt surprised. Even though I only met him a few minutes ago, he seemed like an easy-going person to talk to.

"Really? You seem like a nice person to talk to."

He shrugged,"Well... It seems really easy to talk to you, somehow. I don't think I can describe it."

"It's easy to- to talk to me?" I looked at him, in his beautiful eyes, his smile melting my heart like what he just said made cracks in the walls I have around me. The bell rang for class and it made my heart jump slightly. He glanced at the poster than at me before signing it.

"I hope you'll sign it, it'll be nice to have you there."

"R-really?"

He adjusted his backpack and turned to walk but he looked over his shoulder.

"Actually... I think it will be way more fun with you there." He gave me a huge smile and ran off to his class. I gasped, my heart racing in my chest. I quickly picked up my bag and looked at the poster again. Before I knew it, I scribbled my name under his and quickly entered class down the hall.

Art clubs. Sign up today!

Charlie

Stella