Linked By Art

5-Linked in An Old Antique Shop

I bit my lip and shuffled my feet in the biter awkward silence.

Eli glanced at me a few times before saying. "So about that fun thing." He walked over to a small stool in the corner and picked up two paintbrushes, handing one to me and taking one for himself.

He bent down to one of the paint pallets and squeezed each color into a separate section. He placed the pallet on the stool and turned to face me with a look of mystery in his pale eyes.

"Here's a game I like to call." He took a challenging step forward and towered above me. "Picture Paint. The rules are simple, I have to state my favorite memory and you do too. Then you have to paint as fast as possible that specific memory. When you're done, the fastest or the best gets to cover the other opponent in paint." He crossed his arms behind his back and whispered dangerously close to my ear.

"And since you're a newbie to the whole art thing, I will let you chose the color I paint you in." I narrowed my eyes challenging at Eli. So he thought I was a rookie huh? Well I'll show him.

"Game on art boy."

"I like your attitude. Okay my memory would be, making my first best friend."

"Mine would be my first job."

"Alright go!"

Swiftly, I turned to face my side of the wall before going into deep thought. He did say I could either be fast or good. I'll be good as hell then.

I started by turning around and facing Eli, carefully studying the way he painted. He seemed like the kind of guy to become friends with a total troublemaker. So I started to paint.

A half an hour later and I was only half way done while Eli had been done a while ago. I decided to create a port stir of two handsome boys sheepishly smilling ahead while trying to cover the sand castle they knocked over. Cute.

I put my brush down finally and brushed a few sweaty hairs away from my face. Slowly, I turned to face Eli with a large grin on my face. "Finally done darling?" I nodded my head eager for him to see what I've created. "Let's see it."

I took a shy step away from the painting keeping my nervous eyes on the ground. Eli approached the painting with eyes of amusement. Raking the piece up and down, identifying each little detail in the boys face. He let out a whistle and my head snapped up to his.

"Points off for being slow."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't contain the smile on my face. "At least it's good, right?" He slowly nodded, still admiring my work. "So you still think I'm a newbie, even though I am my fathers daughter." I grinned.

"So you're the artist one."

"The one and only. But enough about me, lets see yours."

He stepped out of my way with a curt bow that made me giggle. Slowly i approached the old walls and came into view with something beautiful. A scenery of an old shop filled with all sorts of antiques. Jewelry, pots, old portraits, and a few clocks.

Obviously it wasn't Tanya's art studio, but it was somewhere if dream of working. "So is this it?" Eli asked eagerly. I turned to face him and he was closer than I had expected. Our faces were only inches apart and his goddamn scent was making me fly.

"My first job was an art studio." I said in a hushed whisper. Why was I whispering?

Eli's expression changed from giddy to disappointed in a matter of seconds. Although the sad puppy look was adorable, it also made my heart ache for him. "But, this is where I'd love to work so let's call it a tie?"