The Art Contest

I can’t wait for this class to be over! Mr. Smith is especially chatty about molecular something or others today. Science is my worst subject. I just wish I could drop out and focus on my art. Smith looked my way and scoffed. 

“Harper! You looked at that clock ten times within the last few minutes! You clearly have somewhere urgent to be after school today. I will make you a deal. If you can tell me what I just talked about I will let the whole class out five minutes early.”

A pool of stress washed over me as the entire class turned to me with eager eyes. I have no clue what he was talking about! I never pay attention in this class and he knows that. 

“Um. Well Mr. Smith you were uh just talking about... science.” 

The class gave me pity laughs when it was just genuine hints of embarrassment. Mr Smith walked up through the class and sat at the edge of my desk.  

“I’m going to need you to be a bit more specific Harper,” he said with a smile.

I began to fidget at my desk. The kids in the classroom were starting to get impatient. 

“Hurry up Harper,” yelled the school's quarterback Jack the douchebag Johnson. 

“Shut the fuck up Jack!” 

Mr. Smith stood up and raised his hands towards us.

“Enough! Jack, since you’re apparently even more eager to get out of my class how about you tell me instead.”

I had an immediate feeling of relief. Jack straightened up in his chair and looked towards me with a smile on his face.

“I would love to Mr. Smith. You were talking about the process of cell division.”

The whole class went from looking at Jack to patiently waiting for Mr. Smith's response. 

“That answer… is… correct.”

The class began to cheer and celebrate as they began to pack up their stuff. I got up from my desk, grabbed my backpack and headed for the door. Just as I was approaching the doorway Mr Smith stepped in my way. 

“Harper, you can’t continue like this. I want you to be successful and pass my class. I want you to try harder. I have bugged you enough today and I know you’re sick of hearing me talk. Have a good spring break.”

As he stepped out of my way I nodded and left. Once I got to the parking lot I leaned up against my car door and waited. Now that I have extra time I can prepare for my car ride with Sadie. Should I mention to her about the art show I entered? It was her idea. She should be happy about finally convincing me to enter my paintings. Sadie doesn't know that the painting is of her. I was planning on winning the contest and using the money to take her on a trip. I know it’s selfish to believe that I would actually win a state contest but I have high hopes I guess. I reached in my window and opened my glove box. 

“Ahah! Still have some cigarettes left over.”

I lit a cigarette up as the school bell began to ring. Sadie's last class is writing so she's coming from the other side of campus. It will probably take her a while to get here. That's fine with me. I need more time to rehearse what I am going to say anyway. I began to walk back and forth in front of my car talking to myself. 

“Sadie, you’re such a great- no no you’re the best person I know and you mean the world to me. I-”

A rock slams into the side of my car where I was about to walk. I look over to see where it was thrown from and it’s Sue Carter and her brat pack. 

“Wow ladies I’m impressed that you have an aim like that. I genuinely thought the only thing you could throw was your daddy's money.”

Sue and her friends proceeded to take a picture of me so I decided to pose up against my car and give them the middle finger. 

“Harper, you know my daddy’s a preacher. Maybe you should come down to the church some time and he can help you with that homosexual problem.”

A crowd begins to form with all the commotion that we’re making in the parking lot. 

“I’ll pass. Ya know church going doesn't stop you girls from being whores so what makes you think it will reverse homosexuality. I mean didn’t you have three abortions just this year Sue? What about you Sarah? You’ve slept with every jock in the school. You are a bunch of hypocritical morons.”

The crowd laughs at the girls and they leave with embarrassment. Sadie emerges from the parking lot full of people and heads towards me with a smile. My heart begins to beat fast. I put the cigarette out on the pavement. As she approaches me I grab her stuff and open the passenger side door for her. 

“Oh wow treating me special today huh?”

“Always babe,” I said with a smirk. 

I got in the car and we drove off. She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. Sadie had the most beautiful blue eyes; they were like the ocean. She had her hair in a long braid and wore the custom made jacket I made her. 

“So how was your day Sadie?”

“Oh well same old I guess. I uh.”

She paused and looked out into the distance. I looked over at her and she was beginning to cry. I pulled over and put the park in park.

“Hey what's wrong?”

“My Mom and Dad found out.”

“Found out?”

“That I’m seeing you. That I’m gay. My Dad was more understanding but not happy and my mom well you know how she is. She basically yelled at me for two hours and kicked me out. ‘No daughter of mine will act that way! You will leave my house!’ and then threw me out.”

With my arm around her I began to rub her back and comforted her as she began to break down. I looked around and almost wanted to cry with her. 

“Hey you know I would have you stay in our house my with my grandma and her caretaker”

“I know Harp and it’s ok.”

“My grandpa's cabin is up the road from us. We cleared it out a week ago after he passed. You can settle in there until things cool down.”

“Are you sure Harper I don't wanna mess things up with us”

“It’ll be fine. I promise,” I said with a smile as I brought her head down to rest on my shoulder. 

After a while we hit the road again. We finally got to the cabin. I’ve never seen Sadie so depressed before. She’s always optimistic and hopeful. I am really worried about her. It started to rain a little bit so we got inside and settled in. 

“I’m going to stay here with you tonight. Is that alright?”

“Yes of course Harper. I would like that.”

“Ok great! I’m going to get some firewood for the fireplace. I will be right back.”

I grabbed an axe as I left the cabin. My raincoat was immediately soaked. I began chopping wood. There were so many thoughts going through my head. Will she be ok? Is her Mom going to let her back in? Should we find a place together? No, I can’t leave my Grandma all alone in that house. God this is all so frustrating! I threw the axe into the woods in frustration then began to break down myself. Whatever happens we will be fine. She will be fine. Sadie and I will be fine. I gathered the firewood and began to head back to the cabin. As I approached I saw smoke coming from the structure. I began to run towards the door and swung it open. Sadie was passed out on the floor. I ran over to her and picked her up. 

“Hang on Sadie! Hang on!”

I got her to the car and put her in the passenger side. The neighbors were running up the dirt road towards us. 

“Hey are you girls ok!? Anyone else in the house?

“No it was just us.”

“I just called this in and they should be here soon. Emergency services for her too.”

“Thanks and yeah she must have collapsed with all the smoke in there.”

The whole house was engulfed with flames. I drove out to the street farther away from it all. The fire department arrived and immediately began working to put it out. The ambulance got Sadie loaded up and I followed behind them to the hospital. I finally arrived at the hospital and went up to the room Sadie was in. She was awake and smiled when she saw me. 

“Hey Sadie are you ok?”

“Yeah they said I passed out because of smoke inhalation. They fixed me up and said I can leave in the morning. Is the cabin?”

“Burnt down to the ground? Yeah it is. How did it happen?

“Harper I have no idea I went to the restroom and came back to it basically engulfing the living room”

“Wow that’s strange.”

A moment later a sheriff deputy came in and told us it was arson due to the evidence they found. He also said they caught a few suspects down the road from the cabin with the materials they used still on them. 

“Your neighbors security footage also got them on camera leaving the scene moments before the smoke began to rise.”

The deputy excused himself for a second as he got a call. I looked at Sadie with pure shock. She held my hand and squeezed it. 

“Harper I could have died today. Thank you for saving my life”

“I would do it a thousand times over.”

I leaned in and began to kiss her. We were interrupted by the sound of my text tone. I leaned back and smiled at Sadie.

“I’m gonna go get some air. I will be right back.”

I walked outside the hospital room and sat down. I’m so relieved that she's ok. That was close. It could have been really bad. I can’t believe the cabin is gone! So much for having a place for ourselves. My phone went off again as I got another message. I looked down at my phone and saw it was my representative for the art contest. I immediately went to the text to read what it said. 

“Harper is my honor to tell you you have won the state art contest! Your artwork will be showcased in New York in three days and we are going to fly you out all expenses paid. You also will be receiving the ten thousand dollar check for finishing first in our competition. If you have any questions please text or call me. We can’t wait to see you Harper!”

My jaw dropped. I read the text over and over again. I actually won. I won the competition! I ran back in the room and went over to Sadie. I gave her my phone and had her read the text. I had to have another person read it anyway because I was just in genuine disbelief. 

“Harper! Harper! Oh my god!”

“I know right! You and I in New York, what do you say?”

“Hell yes!”

Sadie pulled me in and gave me a hug. So much emotion went through me. Despite all the bad things going on in both our lives. We both finally got a break. We can meet people in New York and make a fresh start there. We can find our happiness together. 

Today is the day. Sadie and I packed our things and headed to the airport. I looked over at her smiling and back to her normal self. I'm glad she's back and feels better now. We got checked in and made our way onto the plane. I reached over and held Sadies hand and smiled.

“I love you Sadie.”

“I love you too Harper”

The End