The next week was just a repeat of the first day. I seemed to be showing the world just how clumsy I could get. I kept on bumping into everyone and got Nathan and Jamie into a fight with Jake Zale's crew. I did a little more research on the guy and found out that he never really hung with them except for at school. When he was at home he had other people to keep him company and very few people from his crew.

Mary and Grace were always by my side; as if they fear that if their eyes drifted for a few seconds I would end up dead. I didn't mind this as it gave less room for chances of me getting lost. Nelly only talked to me in biology as that was the only time we were near each other. He had started going home with Michelle and he would either arrive home late or not at all.

Worst of all, my pen was still missing.

***

"That is marvellous Nelu. Keep your brush strokes light." The art teacher, whose name I hadn't bothered to remember, brushed my hand lightly as he watched me paint. He had done that so many times in the last art lessons that Mary and Grace were suspecting him to have ulterior motives.

"Sorry I'm late." Jake Zale, rushed into the class just as the second art period was starting. He quickly explained why he was late and sat down in the chair on my right. "Hey, I'm Jake."

"Hi, I'm Nelu." He had held out his hand so I hand to put down my paint brush to shake his. When he let go I resumed my painting.

"I have never met a left-handed painter before." He said putting an apron on. I look around the class and noticed that everybody else in the class was right-handed. Everybody except for him and I.

"You must have been the only left handed painter for a long time before I came along." I said just to make conversation.

"Yeah, I was beginning to think that left-handed people didn't have talent." Jake said smiling at me. He had already finished most of his painting in the days before and was just finishing up on the bits that gave the painting more depth. It was a picture a floating girl. I wasn't sure if she was floating in the sky or the sea because the background was a good mixture of blue and green.

"Is that the sky or the sea?" I asked him, curiosity getting the better of me.

"Both and neither at the same time." He said staring at his painting. He looked over at mine. It was a bird mid take-off. "You have a lot of talent. Do you paint often?"

"Actually, no. I never had the time."

"You should find the time. If you can better your painting skills, I'm sure that you can make an honest living off of it. Or just some extra cash that you might never need." Jake had finished his painting and took to the rack to dry. While he was doing this Mary and Grace came over to where I was sitting.

"OMG. You just had a conversation with Jake Zale." Grace said clutching my arm.

"What did you guys talk about?" Mary leaned in extra close to my face.

"About our paintings, nothing else." I said pushing her face away from mine. "Oh look he's coming back."

This had the girls back in their seats in a split second.

"What did they want?" Jake said looking over to where Grace and Mary were pretend painting.

"Nothing much. Just a friendly interrogation." I said smiling. He shrugged and watched me paint. I finished ten minutes before the period ended and he offered to place it on the rack for me while I cleaned up the paint brushes and paint. The teacher came over and showed me how to properly wash the paint brushes, brushing over my hands more than a couple of times. When I looked up at him he would just smile.

"Okay class that is they end of our lesson and the school day. Pack up and enjoy your weekend."

"Hey, can you wait for me outside the school?" Jake said as we walked out of the class. I nodded and he went back in to the class as I went to the front doors with Grace and Mary.

"So what did he want?" Grace said as we pushed our way through people.

"He wants to meet me outside the school."

"Who wants to meet you?" Nathan and Jamie also pushed their way through people to get to us.

"Jake Zale." Mary said to the guys with more enthusiasm than was needed.

"Why?"

"Beats me. We won't know until I meet him."

I waited outside to gate until almost everyone was gone before Jake showed up. When he did he was out of breath.

"Sorry, I took longer than I had expected to take."

"It's okay. I wasn't in a rush to get home anyway."

"I wanted to give you this." Jake fished in his pockets before taking out something pen shaped. He placed it in my hand and I saw that it was my sheep pen, cap and all.

"Oh my... Where did you find this?" I said staring at my prized possession.

"That is not important. I was kinda the one to make you lose it in the first place. It's the least I can do."

"Oh my gosh... Thank you so much." I gave Jake the biggest hug I could ever give a person. I had my baby back and I was never going to lose it again. The hug I gave Jake had caused the cap to fall off but Jake just laughed and put it back on my pen.

"Be careful, I don't want to feel guilty giving back your pen while I know you are just going to lose it again." I laughed with him and scratched the back of my neck.

"I don't know how to thank you for this."

"Nah, don't bother. You have your pen back and you seem happier than usual so I'm all good."

"Thanks so much." I said as I waved Jake a good bye. He went back into the school while I went to the car that was waiting for me.

Grace and Mary celebrated the return of my pen with an ice-cream surprise party and a movie marathon. Nelly hadn't returned until the next afternoon.