CRACKS ON THE CRYSTAL BALL

Chapter 29

It didn't look like a grocery store, no. It was Dex's apartment door. She had meant to get groceries, so why was she there? Nella didn't realize when her fingers took upon themselves to knock, and the door flung open in her face. She was still sour from the rollercoaster of emotions she felt earlier, and her eyes were still heavy with tears begging to flow.

"Oh! Hey stranger. See who finally showed up." Dex teased, with a smirk which faded immediately he noticed her countenance.

"Are you okay?" He asked, moving aside to usher her in. She walked in gently without responding, still trying to understand why she went there. Oh, now she did!

"Yeah... I'm fine." She replied, rubbing her forehead with the back of her palm after settling down on the couch.

The apartment looked slightly different from when last she'd been there. There were a two art boards leaned against the right wall from the TV stand. Paint buckets and brushes sat neatly on the floor next to the boards.

"But you don't look like it." He said, sitting beside her. Closer than he expected he would. The concerned little expression on his face was so charming. She'd seen it before. As a matter of fact, she'd seen it many times.

"I... I talked to Zara earlier, and she finally let me in on the infamous surprise."

"The surprise still stood waiting?" He asked, seeming rather disinterested in the topic.

"Yeah. It's a... It's a place. A business she was about to start."

"Zara was willing to start a business?" He wasn't even trying to hide the shock on his face when she looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah I know. I was just as shocked when she told me about it too."

"So what was she looking to sell?"

"Art. All forms of it I guess. It's an art gallery." She announced, managing to smirk.

"Art gallery??"

"Yeah... She told me she put up a few sculptures in there...And guess what? She needs someone to partner with her and run the place."

"And you're here to...?"

"I'm here to finally see your work. See if you're qualified for the job." She smirked again, this time genuinely. He could sense she was beginning to loosen up, when he stood up.

"Oh is that so? After a month, yeah?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement. She pressed her lips and bowed her head in guilt.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. It's just..."

"Stop apologizing and come with me." He stretched a hand out to her, and she grabbed it standing up with a suspicious smile.

He led her to the bedroom. That too had a few changes to it from the last time she'd slept there. The thought sent her smiling to herself. She'd once lived there. So there was actually a time the room was hers.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked, and she immediately snapped out of it.

"Huh? What?...Nothing."

He went ahead and walked behind the bed, where stood three art boards turned to the wall. He turned the first one over, revealing a portrait of a dark girl. Her smile was broad, revealing her deep dimples on each cheek. Nella looked up at her flawlessly painted eyes.She had an intense stare with thick lashes. Three locks of her brown braids fell on the left side of her face.
She stared at the painting, then at Dex, and she could see the resemblance.

"Stacey?" She asked, uncomfortably.

"Yeah." He replied with a painful smile.

"She was beautiful."