They met at the art room after school. They had agreed to do the contest there, since it was the place where they had spent most of their time as rivals. The place where they had learned from Ashton’s sister, Kaitlynn, who was the student leader of the club, during their time in middle school.
They brought their sketchbooks, and stationery. They also brought their phones, which they would use as timers. They had agreed to draw each other for one hour, and then compare their drawings. The prizes were already set. If Ashton won, she’d have to go on a date with him. If Angie won, he’d have to get out of her life forever. Both knew this was a risky challenge, but the reward was too good to resist.
They looked at each other with a mix of determination and nervousness. They knew that this was it. The final showdown. The ultimate challenge. The moment of truth.
They said nothing, only exchanging a brief nod every now and then. They set their phones on the table and started the timers. They picked up their pencils and opened their sketchbooks. They looked at each other and began to draw.
They drew each other with everything they had.
And they hoped that it would be enough.
They drew until the last second, until their phones beeped and signaled the end of the hour. They put down their pencils and closed their sketchbooks. They looked at each other with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. They knew that this was it. The moment of truth. The moment where they would reveal their drawings and see who had won.
They took a deep breath and opened their sketchbooks. They turned them around and showed them to each other.
They gasped as they saw each other’s drawings.
Ashton’s drawing of Angie was a portrait of her face, with her eyes looking straight at him. He had drawn her with soft and delicate strokes, highlighting her features and expressions. He had drawn her with a smile that was warm and sincere, a smile that he had rarely seen on her face. He had drawn her with a crown of flowers on her head, symbolizing her beauty and grace. He had drawn her as his princess.
Angie’s drawing of Ashton was a full-body sketch of him standing with his arms crossed. She had drawn him with bold and confident lines, emphasizing his strength and charisma. She had drawn him with a smirk that was playful and charming, a smirk that he often used to tease and annoy her. She had drawn him with a dragon tattoo on his arm, representing his passion and creativity. She had drawn him as her dragon.
She looked at the drawings and felt a pang of confusion and surprise. She saw that they had drawn each other in a way that contrasted with their real personalities. She saw that they had drawn each other with admiration and affection. She saw that they had drawn each other as their ideal partners.
She wondered why Ashton had drawn her as a princess. She knew she wasn’t all that mature, graceful, or beautiful. She didn’t strike herself as the type of girl most boys went head-over-heels for, save for how she ‘looked like a freaking Barbie doll’, as a nine-year-old Ashton would put it.
She knew she was more of a tomboy, a rebel, a fighter. She hated the idea of romance in the first place. She saw herself more of a dragon.
He wondered why Angie had drawn him as a dragon. He knew he wasn’t all that strong, confident, or charismatic. He wasn’t the type of boy most girls swooned over either. In his eyes, his voice was the only thing even remotely crush-worthy about him.
He was more of a nerd, a geek, a dreamer. He saw himself as more of a prince.
A sudden voice broke through their thoughts, startling them both. “Ash, Angie, what are you two doing here?”
As they spun around, their art teacher entered the room. Ms. Garcia was the same as ever, always catching them off guard. The same red hair curled around her face, the same reading glasses perched up on the bridge of her nose, her lips bright red as ever.
“This is becoming a hobby for you, isn’t it?” Angie joked.
“What is?” she asked.
“Scaring Ash and I like that, ma’am! You did the same thing back in the art contest practices!”
Ash shook his head, and nudged her gently with his elbow. He quickly moved his hand across his neck, making a head-slicing motion. He wanted Angie to stop talking before Ms. Garcia heard her. He didn’t want to embarrass himself or offend his teacher.
“You two haven’t changed at all with your crazy antics.” she chuckled.
“Yep. Ash is just as much of a sourpuss as ever.” Angelina added. “He doesn’t know how to have a little fun.”
“Ash was trying to warn you with his hand gesture. He looked like he was saying ‘stop before you get detention’. He cares about you, you know. He doesn’t want you to get in trouble for being too cheeky. Not that I would give you detention just for making a joke, but…” Ms. Garcia replied, looking into her student’s eyes with a caring look.
As Angie was about to confess to the teacher that Ashton had a crush on her, he interrupted her by saying, “Perfect timing, ma’am. Can you please tell us which of these drawings is better?”
Ms. Garcia was taken aback. She had been so focused on what the girl was about to say that she hadn’t even noticed that Ashton they had brought their drawings to her to judge.
“Okay, show me the drawings,”
First was Ashton’s turn. He showed off his blonde-haired princess with as much energy and passion as he showed his dragon drawing on the day they met.
Ashton was first to show his drawing. He held it up with pride, his eyes shining with excitement. “This is mine” he said. “I’ve been working on it for the past hour, with Angelina.”
Mrs. Garcia took a closer look at the drawing. It was a beautiful sketch of a young woman with long, flowing blonde hair. She was wearing a flower crown and had a kind, genuine smile smile on her face. These were the first things she noticed on the character.
“It’s beautiful,” Mrs Garcia said. “You’ve captured her character perfectly.”
“Aw, thank you, ma’am. That’s nice of you to say.”
Next was Angelina’s turn. She clutched her sketchbook tightly and opened it up at the last second. “Here,” she sighed. “I’m ready.”
The teacher began scanning the drawing as if it was an important document. It was a beautiful sketch of a man with short hazel-brown hair. He sported a dragon tattoo and had a playful smirk on his face.
These were the first things she noticed on the character.
The teacher sat there and thought long and hard for a minute. She could recognize that they’d drawn a picture of each other, as each other’s opposite. She examined the pictures closely. She looked up into their eyes, and said, “I think… it’s safe to say that Ashton won. I just think the princess drawing shows more… passion, than the rebel does.” She hesitated slightly in the last part. “I’m sorry, Angie…”
“It’s okay,” Angelina muttered, rubbing her head.
Ashton’s eyes beamed with excitement and pride. He realized what this victory meant for both of them. It meant they would (probably) no longer be ‘just friends’, but more. He thought, ‘maybe she’ll finally come around,’ but boy, was he wrong.
“So… will you go out with me?” he asked, stretching his arm out for her to hold, and accept him.
Angie reached out her hand, and slapped his. An idea struck her mind. “Wait. You said we should ‘settle the scores and prove who’s the better person’, didn’t you? Art is just one part of the rivalry.”
Ashton hesitated for a moment, but knew he couldn’t back from a challenge, lest he should get roasted by her. “Fine, fine…” he grumbled.
“Afraid of getting roasted, huh?” she teased. She suddenly realized, “Wait… that’s it! A roast battle!”
“Tomorrow, during free period, in front of the whole class,” Ash added.
“Most cheers wins,”
They shook hands briefly. “Let’s do this,” they said in unison.
May the roasts begin.
ns 15.158.61.55da2
