Warm

3

Keanu and I have been working non-stop these past couple of days.

Keanu sketches out the clothes, the fabrics, the color, and style. And I get the amount needed to make the prototype and I tell him what would be a good amount to buy to start off. But something is missing. We have a mix of just about everything in the line up. Exquisite dresses, fashionable tops and bottoms, creatively designed tuxedos. It appears to have everything but it's incomplete.

"I don't know what it is but it's off," Keanu says as he stares at his sketchbook. "Do you have any ideas?"

I grab the sketchbook and pencil. My fingers move on their own as the picture in my head begins to come to life on the paper. My mind suddenly clears. The fog that always clouds my thoughts disappears as I sketch out the missing piece in our lineup.

"Our lineup is very dynamic," I say. "Everything has so much thought and it's so intricately designed." I drag the pencil to make the finishing touches. "We have all the crazy but we don't have anything simple." I turn the sketchbook to him to reveal a simple black dress that extends beautifully and simply behind the drawn person. It wraps around the neck but gapes at the chest area. "We forget that simple also has its own beauty."

Keanu smiles ear to ear. "This is it! This is what we were missing!." He then jumps up from his chair. "I love it." He thinks for a second before he says, "Hey, this- this is actually really well drawn. And it only took you a few minutes. I didn't know you could draw so well."

"I took some art classes," I say, hoping to end this conversation.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "But Aurora, this drawing is really detailed for you to have just taken a few art classes." He's quiet as he thinks. "Are you an artist?"

"No."

"Then how is it-"

"Are you going to use it or not?" I cut him off.

Keanu gets the hint and retreats. "Yeah, of course. It's awesome."

We continue to work as I notice Keanu keeps glancing at me.

"Do you need something?" I ask.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me?"

"No." I raise my eyes to meet his. "I feel nothing for you in any type of way."

"I think you do."

I scoff at his ridiculousness. "You can't be serious."

"Okay, I lied, I was just taking my chances." He takes a sharp deep breath. "But I like you."

"You don't even know me."

"I think I'm getting to."

I roll my eyes as If I couldn't care less. But I remember how unraveling his gaze can feel. This is a warning for me. Remember your place. You can't afford to let yourself feel.

This weekend, I have decided to clean my apartment.

Even if I clean sloppily, I need to at the very least, be able to walk around freely. I stare at the mess before me, feeling heavily unmotivated. A sudden knock on my door becomes a welcomed distraction.

I open it without thinking who could possibly be on the other side. And because of that, I instantly regret opening my door and finding Keanu. He dresses casually adding a new charm to the long list. His caramel hair is styled back like my father's was.

"Heyyyy," he stretches his introduction suspiciously long.

"What happened? Why are you here?"