Periwinkle

7| JUST FRIENDS

"You started this just today?"

My hand stopped moving on the easel in front of me as I turned my head.

"Missed me?" Leo was standing behind me, observing every move I made with his hands casually tucked in his pockets and a crooked smile on his face.

Perched on a chair, I was so focused on working on a new piece I'd started just a few minutes ago that I hadn't even noticed when he entered the campus art studio and came to stand so close behind me. I didn't know how long he had been here. I thought I was alone in here and wasn't expecting anyone to come in anytime soon. I could've painted in my apartment, but there was just something about the atmosphere and being in a room filled with other paintings. Plus, the studio was less cramped than my apartment.

I turned back to studying the easel and the work I had done so far. Putting my brush down, I asked, "Where the hell have you been?"

"I just..." I saw him look away from my peripheral vision and run a hand through his hair before he looked back. "I've been busy."

I finally turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. "Well, catch me up on what you've been so busy with that you couldn't even text me."

He flinched at my tone, but I just couldn't make myself care at this point.

"You could've texted me too," he said quietly.

Now it was me who flinched. I looked down at my hands, noticing all the streaks and splashes of paint I'd gotten on them. My hands never really got free of them. By the time the old ones faded, new ones appeared. I'd gotten so habituated to seeing my hands like this that they felt too naked if they were free of all the paint.

"When did you start this?" Leo said, nodding at the painting when I didn't respond.

"About an hour ago." I looked back at the painting. "It's just something I did on a whim."

"It's beautiful."

"Thanks." My lips twitched as I tried not to smile. We both knew he didn't know shit about art and the painting was only half finished. It still felt nice to hear the compliment from him, though.

There was a beat of silence as neither of us met the other's gaze. I shifted in my seat, my eyes going to his neck as he swallowed before they went to his eyes.

I couldn't help but think how those eyes had looked at me that night. Slightly dazed, yet so intense. He'd never looked at me like that ever before, and I doubted he ever would again, but I didn't think I could ever forget that look.

Fuck it, I couldn't do this right now. I couldn't talk to him. Not yet. I pushed my chair back and stood up. "I, uh, just remembered that I have somewhere else to be." I started cleaning the area and putting my supplies away. "I'll text you later."

"Where do you have to go?" he asked without missing a beat. "I'll drop you."

God, he just can't leave me so easily, can he?

I waited until I was done packing my things up before saying, "You don't have to. I have a class right now and it's not that far away."

"Kara." I pretended not to hear him as I slung the bag containing my supplies over my shoulder and speed-walked toward the door. "Kara, wait."

I increased my pace. "I'm kind of in a rush right now."

"Come on, Kara," he called out when I was just two steps away from the door. "We both know you don't have any class today."

Fuck, why did he have to know me so well? And why did I have to tell him my schedule?

Oh, right. Because I can't miss the chance of driving around in a Porsche whenever I can.