writing-exercise

Writing exercise 2 sep 2014. Copyright (c)2014 Neil Fein

"You should draw more," Sharon says, sitting in the cafeteria at lunchtime. "You're such a good artist, you shouldn't waste it."

She smiled all the time. She also encouraged me to play guitar, and I had the biggest crush of my teenaged life on her. I could never stop thinking about her. It would be more than a little embarrassing in future years. In retrospect, I would realize how obviously manipulative she was. But for now, she was a sorta-friend who would always tell me to keep being an artist.

Over the years, a few of my friends in high school would become friends in college. Some would grow closer, some would drift away. That Sharon didn't want much to do with any of us would become glaringly obvious.

But right now, in the high school cafeteria, I grin back at her. "I've got something I've been working on," I say. I eagerly pull out my sketchbook.