ATLAS
"We are coming up to the end of this year's class. I hope you all have some ideas in mind for the final session."
That's how Ashley started the class. A little while ago, she told me she changed her mind on the theme. Instead, the last session has to go out with a "bang".
"Colourful, wonderful, full of life! Bring as many props as you can, different outfits, blankets to lie on. It'll be a big celebration!"
Again, I am humbled by her thinking I'm totally rich... maybe... possibly. But her request is very on-brand for her because it is almost always too broad. What's the wildest stuff I would wear? What could be "high camp"? Out of this world? Over the top? I could ask Raven for some ideas, since he rebooked the studio session for tonight... no, wait. I have a friend who literally designs clothes for a living, why don't I just ask her? As I'm about to pull out my phone from one of my pockets to text her, I notice Raven. He's waiting by the gallery entrance with his hands on his hips and his head slumped forward. His bag is on the ground, phone in one hand. I send Allie the text before coming up to him.
"You okay?"
He flinches and faces me, probably not expecting me to be right behind him.
"Sorry."
He digs a hand into his neck and rubs it. "No, it's okay. I wasn't expecting you to sneak up on me like that."
It takes me a bit to realize how he looks today. He's disheveled. There's dark circles under his eyes, hair sticking out in weird directions, and lost hands searching for a pocket to nestle in.
"I'm fine. Just..." his gaze goes down to his phone with the screen turned off.
"You sure?" I lean to one side. "I've never seen you, well... so on edge."
"Yeah, I'm just... thinking about the final art piece. What to do."
I reflexively laugh with a closed mouth. He gives me a weird look.
"You're thinking about it?" I say. "I've been thinking about it a lot. Dunno if I should wear boxers or go nude to fit some weird cape-cloak theme."
He bursts into laughter. That attractive laughter. "Did you get the plastic grapes?"
"Huh? Oh... no, not yet."
"Then that's a bust."
He hoists his bag over one shoulder, about to open the door, when he stops and turns to me.
"What about you, though?" His tone has changed. "Are you okay?"
I freeze. Did he feel something off about me today? I clench my fists hidden in their pockets. Trying so hard to not show it. Trying so hard to forget it. But I can't, I know I can't.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say.
He opens the door for us to walk through and we are immediately hit with a cool breeze. A car speeds by, blasting summer hits through a heavy bass. That seemed to have caught both of us off-guard. I see the restaurant we went to when we finished the first class is super busy, a line snaking down past the neighbouring cafe.
"Hey..."
I turn to him with a "hm?"
"You can... come over right now, if you want."
"Now?"
"Because I just got an even better prompt idea I don't wanna go to waste."
I'm intrigued.
He slowly takes off his glasses and folds them closed with a smirk. "You know where I live, so, let's race there. Last person there has to order takeout."
YOU ARE READING
Canvas
Romance"Do you ever notice how much the world sees in black and white?" Atlas, a retiring model, takes one last shot in his dwindling career to pose as a model for an art class. He soon realizes one of his elementary school friends, Raven, is in that class...
