Jace turned and leaned against the desk lightly, watching with sharp, intelligence eyes that glistened with unshared pain and something hidden. He hardly spoke to anyone anymore, and supposed his social skills were a bit rusty. He didn't quite know what to say, and he kept quiet until Wynne was completely done speaking. Maybe that had been a bit rude, but the professor seemed to keep coming up with more questions, more things to say. He moved slowly and fluidly to a seat two desks away from the professor, pulling it out and sitting in the same position Wynne was, sitting backwards. He rested his chin on his forearm, studying the professor. He almost smiled, more of a smirk really, as it only tilted the very edge of his lip up, but it was only more of a twitch, before it faded just as quick as it had appeared.
The black haired boy looked down, looking rather sorrowful. "I suppose no one here knows anything mch about me," he said, blowing a heavy sigh through his lips. He spoke carefully and slowly, like he had to think about his words before he spoke them, to carefully edit everything he said. In class, professors and teachers got a quick, soft respose from a kid who never looked up at them, but while he was talkng to someone face to face he still did not look up, but his words were slow and careful. No one coul dhave called him slow minded though, as he was not. He was certainly brilliant- just lacking in the social department. He did not often speak to nayone much anymore, and felt when he did, he needed to be respectful and careful, else they leave... "I wouldn't know what to say..."
Reaching up, he rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, still gazing right down at the floor. He was trying to answer each question in order, trying to remmeber what they were. He had been more distracted by the professor's voice than anything esle. IT had a nice lilt to it, an unfamiliar one that made you want to listen more... He shook that thought out of his head, giving another, almost silent sigh. "I'm sorry, I hadn't any idea of what to do today, I should've been working... I'll keep my attention on my work next time," he said softly in apology for what Wynne had mentioned about him zoning off. Hw wasn't sure whether the professor was just concerned, or if he wanted an apology... He thought going with an apology would be safer, so he did.
"Oh... The mural..." he murmured, his eyes lighting up like they always did when he got to talk abou art. Usually, he did not like to share his art, but, he didn't have a choice right now. He leaned to the side to slde his bag close,r openingit and digging aorund for his portfolio, taking it out and setting the cream folder on the desk next to him. He flipped it open, quickly flipping to the page he needed, only allowing fleeting glances at the gems this folder held. Sketches, full paints, shaded workds- he had it all. "This is just a sketch but... I've ran it by the music teacher there and she said it would be delightful," he said, gazing down at the sketch as he slowly and slightly reluctantly held it out to be taken and looked at. Arrows flew here and there to point out colors and shading, and flaws. It was three swallows in flight, in amazing detail. "She wants it to cover a whole wall, and bright colors so.... I think I can do it." Shrugging slightly, he reached back into his folder, pulling out another sheet of paper- actually two.
He handed tose over two, eyes down. "The barn that I currently board at needs a mural too, on the long wall of the isle. There's two sketches, I've had neither looked at. It's a much larger space but... I need the grade, I can't get my funding pulled... I wouldn't be able to afford college if I did."
These sketches were smaller, so there were many more things on the page, representing the area was much larger, and would need many more things. One was a very fine, mysterious looking horse that stood looking off a cliff, rain and lightning lashing the forest farther to the side. IT was a more mysterious looking piece, but if he could pull it off well, he thought it could look quite good. The other was a track, with th horses and jockeys drawn in great detail and the crowd too, were much more than faceless ovals. It had taken him a great while to draw that, but he was happy with it.
The boy cleared his throat lightly and ran a hand slowly through his hair, looking just a bit uncomfortable. "I am looknig for a cheaper, possibly hiring barn to switch too," he said, but his voice was almost strained- like he didn't like admitting it. "I would like to stay with my current one, since it's right next to my home, but they are not needing help, and I need the extra income... I understand they need the money too, but I need somewhere I can afford..." He sighed, pushing his hair back again. If he couldn't find a place, he may have had to sell his horse, something he was definitely not willing to do. It provided short times of relaxation that he didn't get elsewhere.