In My Art

Chapter 13- Stalker Alert

Song- La Vie en rose by Edith Piaf

…/…

There’s a heaviness to every step I take. I’m so lost in my thoughts that my brain assumes I would want to paint, as it’s arguing with my heart about what we think we saw versus what actually happened. So my brain controls my legs, and soon enough, I’m staring at Art Space.

I sigh when I remember seeing Mystery Guy with a girl at the fair. I’m about to turn around when I hear, “Leaving so soon?” “Oh, hi Tobi”. “She knows my name,” he says, shock lacing his tone. It dawns on me that he never told me his name and now, he’ll know that I asked Mystery Guy for his name.

I’m about to defend myself when I realize that I could use this opportunity to my advantage. I could finally find out Mystery Guy’s real name. “Yeah uhm, I think your friend mentioned it the last time we were in the building together,” I said, both defending myself and getting answers.

He tilts his head to a certain angle, probably trying to think of who I was referring to, and I can swear his eyes changed color from light brown to gold because of the sun. How does he even manage to keep clear skin like that? I don’t know whose skin is better between his and Mystery Guy’s.

“Oh, Asher?” he says with so much levity, but he doesn’t know it’s me he has freed from the b*****e of this mystery. “Bro, what are you doing?” Asher says from behind me. Maybe Tobi remembered because he saw him walking towards us from behind me, but I’m grateful because now I know.

“Hi Ash,” I said, turning around, with a big smile on my face. “Your smile is way too broad,” he said. “And I think we both know why,” I replied. He looks at me and then I blink multiple times. This was going to be the beginning of a new era of frustration for him and I sincerely hope for his sake that he’s ready.

I face the man who made it all happen, and say, “Thanks, Tobi. You truly are a man of integrity!” “You’re welcome? I’m so confused,” he finally admits. “Up until you blurted out my name, she didn’t know it,” Asher explains.

“You didn’t know his name and you hung out with him? You didn’t know his name and you followed him to the back of the building?” Tobi says, confused. “I know how it sounds, but trust me, it wasn’t like that. Ash here, was a gentleman the first day I met him”.

“It’s Asher”. “It’s Ash, and I think you gave up the right to correct me when you refused to tell me your name yourself,” I replied. “I remember when May wanted to start calling you Ash but then she stopped”. I watched Ash’s eyebrows go up as if to say ‘Really?’

“Sorry,” Tobi said, almost immediately. “Who is this May we speak of?” I asked, acting as though I wasn’t bothered, like I didn’t practically avoid him at the fair, because his arm was over a girl’s shoulder, or was that May?

“Wait, was that May you were with at the fair? Is that the girl you like?” “Stalker alert,” Ash replied. “I wasn’t stalking you, I just happened to see you when I was with Bryan”. Oh, gosh, Bryan! I had forgotten that I put my phone on DND when I walked out of the hall. He must be worried sick.

I took my phone out of my pocket quickly as Tobi said, “Bryan huh? Is that the name of your boyfriend?” I could see numerous texts and missed phone call notifications. I texted him that I was fine when I read the message, “I couldn’t find you after I greeted my cousin and I was really worried”.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I responded to Tobi. “Yet,” Asher added. “Yet, huh? That’s a good thing, right?” Tobi asks. “Yup, it is. I guess”. I could reply to them positively now because Bryan had clarified the misunderstanding he didn’t know we had.

Maybe I wouldn’t have been fine with Asher not denying that May was the one he was with at the fair if Bryan hadn’t cleared things up, but now, I’m happy for Asher. I just have to focus on Bryan now. “So, you came to paint?”

“Yes, I did and I gained a lot more, thanks to you, Tobi”. I knew the more I laid emphasis on the fact that Tobi told me Asher's name, the more pissed he got, but I did it anyways. “I have to go now though, I’m supposed to meet up with Bryan to study. We have this quiz tomorrow”.

“You should bring him to the Art Space one of these days,” Ash says. “Yeah, maybe. Maybe, I will,” I said, as I adjusted my stance to leave them. Tobi opens his arms wide, and I hug him. His cologne engulfs my entirety and I find myself staying in his embrace for longer than usual.

“In my next life, I'll go out with you,” I whispered to Tobi, which made him chuckle. I pulled away and hugged Asher. His hand finds its way to my hair and gives it this soft massage. What is it with these boys and the level of comfort I feel whenever I’m with them?

“Alright boys, don’t miss me too much”. “Of course. We’d try not to,” Ash says. “Especially you,” I say, pointing to Asher.

On my way to meet Bryan, I thought about taking him to the Art Space the next time I decided to go there, but then I didn’t want things to be weird. Bryan can be a very jealous person, and I don’t want him to start overthinking when there’s nothing.

…/…

“Why is it so hard to understand this review?” Bryan and I are the only ones in the suite and we decided to study in the living room so we’d be more serious. I made him sit on another couch, different from the one I was lying down on, so there wouldn’t be any physical contact and we wouldn’t be distracted.

“Maybe if you stopped complaining, it would actually sink in,” I said. “Or maybe, I need physical contact. We could actually cuddle and study, you know?” There was an amazed expression on my face. “You can’t be serious, Bryan,” I said in utter disbelief.

“I have never been more serious before,” he said. “Well, I don’t believe you, and if you are serious, maybe you need to take a walk, to clear your head,” I replied, as Lexie entered the suite. He looks between Lexie and me, then he kisses my forehead, grabs his coat, and mutters something along the lines of “I’ll be back”.

As Bryan shuts the door, Lexie starts pacing. “What’s going on?” I asked. “Oh, I’m supposed to wait for the others to be back but I don’t think I can do that”. “What’s going on? Tell me,” I said, curiosity eating away at me.

“You have to promise not to scream,” she says, sitting on the couch. “Cole asked me out”. “What!?” I shouted as Jane and ID opened the door to the suite. “How did you guys get here so fast?” Lexie asked. “You said it was an emergency so we left immediately after the class ended,” ID explained.

“You ran here?” I asked in disbelief because I could never picture Jane running. “What are you, crazy? ID drove us back here and I walked up the stairs quickly to get to the suite”. “That makes a lot more sense. So is that why you’re panting?” I asked again.

“I think we’re losing sight of what’s important here,” Lexie interrupts before Jane could respond. “Yeah, what’s the emergency?” ID asks. “Cole asked me out,” she says again. “Are you being for real?” ID asks. “I know, that was my reaction too,” I say. “You have got to be kidding me,” Jane says, as she drops on the couch in frustration.

“How did it even happen?” Jane asks. “I don’t think that’s very important right now. Do you like him?” ID asked. I just couldn’t picture Lex going out with anyone even though I know Cole is really sweet. “Yeah, do you like him?” I asked again to lay more emphasis on the question.

“I mean I have tried to picture us going out and being a couple and all that stuff,” she starts but trails off. “There’s definitely a ‘but’ somewhere,” Jane says. “But what,” ID asks. “Yeah, come on, spill”.

“But…”