8
I didn’t take Lily’s words too seriously.
The first thing I did back at school was drop
the art club and join the dance club.
I handed in my withdrawal form to the
teacher. The other members were there,
<
One of them asked, “Why is Riley quitting?
Doesn’t she know it’ll affect her grades?”
Another girl answered.
“What do you expect? She’s been trying to be
like Amy, but she can’t keep up. She’s
cracking under the pressure.”
The girl was Amy’s roommate, so she was
obviously on Amy’s side.
Amy looked pleased, but not too pleased.
I knew she didn’t want me to quit.
<
Because this was her comfort zone.
The one place she could always beat me.
Amy had been drawing since she was a kid.
She was good.
I was just a dabbler.
When I started dating Jamie, he said it was
elegant and refined if a girl knew how to
draw.
So, I gave up everything else.
I focused on art.
L
But I hadn’t been doing it as long as Amy.
There was no way I could compete with her.
College clubs are brutal.
Especially when activities are tied to your
GPA.
Amy was one of the best artists in the club,
so she could arrange everything for herself.
One time, she asked me to go get the art
supplies, and I ended up getting splattered
with paint “by accident.”
L
Pictures of me covered in paint ended up on
the school forum, and everyone laughed at
- me.
Of course, she didn’t want me to leave the
club.
She couldn’t help asking.
“Does Jamie know you’re quitting the art
club?”
“Who gives a flying fuck?!” I answered.
