Chapter 32

Audrey & Third Person

Audrey's POV

The classroom was mostly quiet, save for the low murmur of conversation and the scratching of pencils on paper. At the front of the room was a model sitting in the nude on a velvet stool, posing with one arm draped theatrically over her head.

With one last final stroke of my pencil, I leaned back from my sketchbook and held it up to the light. I pressed my lips together as I turned it this way and that, noticing tiny details that needed fixing on the intricate figure drawing.

"Are you all finished, Audrey?" Professor Daniels, a woman with long, curly dark hair and warm brown eyes, said as she swept over to me.

I nodded and shrugged at the same time. "Yes. No. I don't know, actually..."

Professor Daniels chuckled, her skirts rustling as she walked up to my easel. "May I?" she asked and pointed to my sketchbook with a finger that wore several rings.

"Of course." I handed her my drawing. She inspected it for a moment just as I had, turning it this way and that in the light. Slowly, her eyes widened and she pushed a dark curl out of her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I blurted out, growing a bit worried. "Is it the head? I was having some trouble with the proportions

"No, no, nothing's wrong," the professor said. "This is lovely, Audrey. Truly. You have quite a gift for figure drawing." "Really?" I breathed.

She nodded hastily. Before I could protest, she was suddenly turning to the rest of the class with my sketchbook still in hand. "Everyone, I'd like you all to take a look at your classmate's work," she called out, holding the sketch over her head. "This is the sort of work I'm looking for."

into my chair, shielding my eyes with my hand, as a ripple of murmurs worked its way around the room. But I could only shield myself from so much; and there was one person in particular who there was no hiding from. Across the room, seated at

into my skull, her seething hatred a palpable force even from where I was sitting. She despised me-every inch of me. And now that the professor was showcasing my work, she despised me even more. "No need to hide your face, dear," Professor Daniels said, her sing-song voice pulling me out of my reverie.

you," was all I could manage, still carefully avoiding Linda's

keep this sketch?" she asked. "I'd like to hang it up as a demonstration piece for some of my lower-level

glancing around nervously; all eyes were on me, even the model's. And all the while, Linda was practically growling at her seat. Even though I didn't look directly at her, I could see her hand trembling with fury out of my peripheral vision. "You

moment of hesitation, I finally nodded and let

Chapter 32

notebook, handing my notebook back to me. She swept away to pin the drawing up on the wall, and all

Third Person POV

Linda was furious.

head to toe, her blood boiling just beneath the surface of her skin,

dare Audrey strut around like a cock in a henhouse after what she had put Linda through. How dare that good-for-nothing phony get her drawing showcased to the entire class. It wasn't even good! It was mediocre at best, and that was only

Linda was so full of anger.

out on the table, and Linda just had to pick up the pen. All the fame

had likely used her body to convince him to vouch for her, and now Audrey was the one

that wasn't even the worst of

"Linda?"

her to snap her head up, grinding her teeth together. Maggie, Avis's replacement, looked like a rabbit with her giant, stupid, wet eyes and her two front teeth bigger than all the rest. "What do you want?" Linda snapped. Maggie gulped and pointed at the clock. "Class is over," she said. It was only then that Linda noticed that the other students were already getting prepared to leave. Audrey, of course, had scampered out nearly a half

dean?" Maggie asked, knowing well enough not to look Linda in

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