Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ The Final Chance ❯ Chapter Two: The Face in the Mirror ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Same as last chapters, go look there if you must XD

 

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Chapter Two: The Face in the Mirror

 

Ryleigh shrugged her carrier bag onto the ground and sat at one of the room's many easels, perching her feet on the stools single bar and bracing herself with her hands placed on either side of the smooth surface. She watched people fill in around her with a happy grin played across her lips, head bopping ever so slightly to the music playing on her MP3. This would be her fourth and final year in this class, and she intended to enjoy every moment of it.

 

Sighing as she remembered that she would be graduating at the end of the year, she wondered briefly if her parents would be there.

 

Ryleigh grimaced.

 

She hoped not; she didn't need any more contact with them then was necessary, seeing as they were still slightly ticked at her for running away and taking a good amount of money that she had withdrawn from their bank account with her. What else was she supposed to do? Her parents had become over-controlling ever since her older sister had been murdered in a deliberate car-crash, and she refused to let them plan her life for her.

 

A gentle shake on her shoulder brought Ryleigh back to reality, and she blinked, looking up at the smiling face of her professor.

 

“Professor! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to space out I…” Ryleigh began apologizing immediately, the older woman laughing and patting her on the shoulder reassuringly.

 

“Stop worrying so much Ryleigh, class hasn't started yet. It will in one minute, however, which I why I thought I'd better snap you out of your trance,” Ryleigh blushed, looking anywhere but the prof's face.

 

Patting her once more on the shoulder, the woman made her way to the front of the class and turned to face her students, half of them still standing around and chatting.

 

“Everybody, sit!” Her voice turned deep so suddenly that practically everyone jumped and raced to find an empty stool. Ryleigh snickered mentally; those who hadn't had Professor Deveau before were in for a rough start.

 

Deveau gazed around at her students with a blank expression before a smile tilted her lips and she laughed.

 

“Well, now that all the new students are afraid of me,” Ryleigh muffled her giggles; she was the only returning student in the class, “welcome to Painting 101. I'll be your host-erm, professor, Mrs. Deveau.

 

To those of you whom I have taught before,” a wink was sent in Ryleigh's direction, “you will know that I am strict but fair. Now, on to business.” Deveau moved to her desk and ran a manicured nail down her list of names, reading them out one by one.

 

“Derrick Blanchester?”

 

“Present.”

 

“Kylie Marin?”

 

“Present.”

 

“Ryleigh Owen?”

 

“President!” Ryleigh chirped cheerily, earning laughter from both her fellow students and her teacher.

 

Finishing off the list of names, Deveau took a look at her schedule and smiled before turning back to the class.

 

“Alright, I'll explain how this class works now; this is not a class meant to teach you how to paint, this is a class to teach you how to paint on command. This means that, at the beginning of every session, I will give you a single word or phrase, and you will have the rest of the period to paint whatever it is that first comes to mind. Everyone get your brushes and paints ready and we'll begin shortly.” The rustling of bags and zippers filled the room as people reached for their supplies, Ryleigh one of the first to get set up.

 

She stood in front of the ease, brush in hand and paints spread along the bottom of the canvas. Glancing around her, she hoped that no one would notice the `trance' she would go into when they began painting; she didn't need to be called a freak on the first day of class.

 

Ryleigh couldn't remember when it had started, but for as long as she'd been in painting classes in university, she'd gone into trances and `awoken' from them with a painting of whatever she'd seen on the canvas.

 

“Alright,” Deveau called out, checking her schedule once more before turning to her students, “today's word is freedom. Begin painting.” Ryleigh took a deep breath, clearing her mind of all other thoughts and focusing solely on the word, feeling the familiar relaxation taking over her body. Had anyone looked at her closely, they would've seen that her blue eye had become the same colour as her green one, and her pupils disappear as she raised her brush to the canvas.

 

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Ryleigh opened her eyes and was immediately met with the sight of three people engaged in what seemed to be a heated discussion. The blonde elf from before sat on an ebony stallion's back, another elf speaking quietly but sternly while a black haired neko-jin* stood by silently.

 

She was unable to hear the words, but when the younger elf suddenly hugged the male and hopped back onto her stallion, she got a general idea. The neko-jin also mounted her horse, galloping quickly after the elf's stallion as they headed for the large white gates guarding the city, the male elf sighing and heading off towards the city with slumped shoulders.

 

Ryleigh couldn't help but notice a strange familiarity about the elf before the world once more turned black.

 

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When she opened her eyes again, Ryleigh was staring at her finished painting, vaguely noting the comments of her fellow peers as they looked at her art.

 

The picture must have happened after her vision, she mused, as the elven girl was galloping full speed away from the white gates, a smile drawn across her lips. Deveau came up behind the girl, clapping her on the shoulder.

 

“Well done once more, Ryleigh, I see you've continued to paint the same person,” Ryleigh nodded, only vaguely acknowledging her professors words of praise. When Deveau wandered off to look at what others had done, Ryleigh gathered her paints and brushes and made sure they were clean before sticking them back into her backpack, carefully lifting her painting from its place on the easel and moving it to the back shelf where it would sit for marking.

 

Blowing to make sure the paint was dry there; Ryleigh whipped out a black sharpie marker and scratched her name on the bottom corner of the picture, dumping the marker back into her carrier just as the bell signaled the end of class.

 

Saluting good-naturedly to Deveau on her way out, Ryleigh hummed to herself as she headed out to where she would be meeting Nathaniel for lunch. After that, she would head home and catch up on some sleep.

 

Ryleigh grinned to herself at this thought. Sleep sounded pretty good right about now. Caught up in her thoughts, Ryleigh didn't notice anything around her until she, quite literally, ran into someone. Both girls fell on their butts on the side walk, Ryleigh hissing and rubbing said area. That would leave a bruise.

 

“I'm sorry about that,” she apologized, looking at the girl she'd run into, “I wasn't paying attention!”

 

“It's alright,” the girl replied, pushing pale blue hair away from her face as she picked up her books (Ryleigh had to double-take at her hair colour), “I wasn't really paying attention either.”

 

Standing, the girl offered Ryleigh a hand, the blonde accepting it gratefully and managing to pull herself back to her feet, smiling at the girl.

 

“I haven't seen you around here before; I'm Ryleigh Owen,” she stuck her hand out, the silver eyed girl taking it shyly.

 

“Kaelyn Connelly,” she replied, blushing slightly when Ryleigh stared at her cheek.

 

“Birthmark?” she asked simply, Kaelyn nodding as she ran a hand over the arrow shaped mark on her cheek.

 

Feeling that she ought to do something to make up for knocking Kaelyn over, Ryleigh tipped her head to the side, “Where are you headed Kaelyn?”

 

“Oh,” Kaelyn paused, as though she'd forgotten, “Just to get some lunch…”

 

Ryleigh perked, “Why don't you join me and my friend for lunch then?”

 

Kaelyn hesitated, “I don't know…”

 

“Oh come on,” Ryleigh whined, “It's the least I can do for knocking you over.”

 

Kaelyn thought for another moment, then nodded, smiling slightly, “Alright.”

 

Ryleigh cracked a grin, chatting lightly with Kaelyn while they walked, soon reaching the park where Nathaniel was waiting.

 

Spotting him, Ryleigh's eyes sparkled when she noticed the tray sitting on the table beside him.

 

“COFFEH!” she squealed, dashing away from a surprised Kaelyn to literally pounce onto the table and grab the ice cap, sipping it happily.

 

Nathaniel rolled his eyes at her actions, spotting the uncomfortable looking girl standing a bit off.

 

“Hey Ry, I think you forgot something,” Ryleigh blinked, then snapped her fingers, waving over at Kaelyn.

 

“Kaelyn, come here! Sorry about that!” she called, laughing embarrassedly as the other woman walked over with an amused smile playing on her lips.

 

“Love Ice Caps?” she asked simply, Ryleigh nodding enthusiastically.

 

“They're my drug,” she admitted, taking another long sip of said beverage before blinking again, “Oh, Kaelyn, this is Nathaniel, Nathan, this is Kaelyn.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” Kaelyn greeted, doing her best to ignore the way the male looked her up and down.

 

“Same to you,” he replied, giving her a charming grin before frowning when Ryleigh bopped him on the head with her first. He glared at her, the blonde simply whistling innocently.

 

“Kaelyn, what kind of coffee do you like?”

 

The bluenet blinked before answering. “Just normal, two sugars and cream.”

 

Ryleigh nudged Nathaniel in the ribs, the male having been gazing at Kaelyn.

 

“Go get her a coffee, Nathan, we need to have some girl talk.” Nathan sighed in resignation, getting up and heading off to the nearest Tim Horton's.

 

Kaelyn sat herself beside Ryleigh, raising an eyebrow at her, “He always like that?”

 

“Yup, but don't let it bother you. It's just in his nature.” Both girls shared a laugh, chatting idly till Nathaniel returned with Kaelyn's coffee.

 

The three sat and talked for a bit, learning that the class Kaelyn had next was Water Colours, the same one that Nathaniel would be heading to. At the end of the hour, Ryleigh glanced at her watch and stood, arching her back like a cat and stretching her arms out over her head.

 

“Well, time to head home and get in some more sleep before tomorrow.” Nathaniel stood and poked her in her side, cause Ryleigh to squeak and jump while Kaelyn laughed at their silliness.

 

“How did you manage to only take one class anyways?” Ryleigh shrugged.

 

“Donno, they just let me.” Nathan cocked his head at his friend.

 

“What do you plan on getting a job in anyways, Ryleigh?” she shrugged again, then grinned.

 

“I'll be a freelance artist, I guess. Prof. says I'm good enough to be professional already,” was her reply before she gave each a shove on the shoulder, “Now get going or you two are going to be late!”

 

“Oh alright, come on Kaelyn, I'll show you to class…”

 

“Nathaniel you lay one hand on her and I swear I'll…”

 

“Chill Ryleigh, jeez, don't listen to her.” Standing back, Ryleigh watched the two head off and waved when Kaelyn glanced back before heading in the direction of she and Kayley's apartment, trusting Nathaniel enough that he wouldn't pull a move on Kaelyn… yet.

 

Walking down the side walk, she shivered when a sudden chill ran up her spine, glancing around to try and find what had caused it. Once more not paying attention to where she was going, Ryleigh yelped when her toe caught on a crack in the side walk and she tumbled to the ground, cursing.

 

“Not again…” she muttered, pushing herself up to a kneeling position, freezing when her eyes caught sight of her reflection in a store window.

 

Staring back at her was the blonde elf from her dreams, left eye green where hers was blue. A siren in the distance caused her to jump, and blinking, she saw that her reflection had returned to normal. Standing, she shook off the strange feeling and continued walking, trying to push her mind away from what she'd just seen.

 

`What the heck was that?'

 

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*neko-jin -cat person

 

Another chapter done, woot! I'm enjoying writing this story! And now there's another character added in; can yah guess who Kaelyn is? XD

 

Amaria

 

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To those who are wondering, pronounce that “Kay-lynn,” not the traditional way `ae' would be pronounced, which would maker her name “Kee-leen.”

 

Snowy