[Open] Conceal

She brushed the hair away from her face, to see Hari at eye level. At this point, she felt as though it would be rude if she didn't. Her hand was still drawing behind the sketchbook cover. "That was a bit impolite of me, not asking you for your name beforehand. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hari; my name is Melli." She paused before turning back to her work. There was now a distressed viola player, the fear on his face clear as day, his eyes frozen on his snapped strings.

"I guess you're right," she said, idly watching her hand draw out the viola player's hair. "Lose some, gain some. But you aren't in the best of health in the first place, are you? Fragile body?"

Melli could feel her eyebrows traveling father up her forehead, disappearing into her hair. "I wouldn't recommend staying here; the air is practically flying with dust. You could always ask the teacher for some time out."

Sh realized what she was saying and closed her mouth. What wouldn't she give for some time out, but her art didn't work that way. It was either finish it, or start scribbling on her arm or on the walls. God forbid she be caught drawing on the pristine.

"You... don't have a doctor, do you?" Melli asked, trying to steer her thoughts in another direction.

"I do hope that tea is working medicinal wonders for you, because you do not sound 'okay'," Melli stated, rather sternly. A student two seats away looked towards her in mild surprise, but went back to his work as quickly as he had been distracted. She realized that her voice had risen to a level that wasn't quite wise in a classroom setting, and took a breath before she got any more disruptive.

Her left hand suddenly went limp on the sketchpad. Melli glared with distaste at her finished product; the jagged line was still there, cutting across the viola's neck, but most of it was hidden by a layer of shading. Otherwise, the entire image was a bit too skillfully done for comfort.

"I'll say it one more time, if you don't mind," Melli sighed, snapping the sketchbook shut. "I don't think this air is good for you. Are you sure you should stay in here?"

Melli bowed back as well as she could, without falling forward onto the floor. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Hari." she replied. "I hope do we meet again." She wanted very much to add "Don't take too many risks" to the end of her sentence, but she felt that she had already said too much to remain uninvolved.

She immediately hid herself behind the sketchbook, seemingly engrossed in her work. In reality, she had resorted to glaring at her work, as though she could burn the entire thing to a crisp if she tried hard enough. It looked as though another half hour of clumsy, ugly lines were in order.