Drawn To You (GirlxGirl)

Part 32

Allie's P.O.V

As I walked down the quiet street toward Jessie's studio, my heart was racing with excitement and nerves.

I hadn't stopped thinking about Jessie since I left her apartment a few mornings ago, even through all of the madness in my life right now.

But what were these feelings? I wasn't even sure myself. Was it just the thrill of something new? The escape from a life I no longer recognised as my own? Or was it something more? As much as I tried to sort it out in my head, I couldn't deny how Jessie made me feel—alive, seen, understood in ways that Mark never had.

I turned the corner, and Jessie's studio came into view. I stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath.

I thought about how we were going to greet each other. Things between us were surely different now but I didn't know how different. Yes, things between Jessie and I had progressed but we hadn't spoken about it. I wasn't sure if I was ready to speak about it.

Was a kiss too much? Would a hug feel weird? I didn't want to overthink it, but at the same time, I couldn't help myself. With one final exhale, I pushed open the door and stepped inside.

The studio was bathed in soft morning light, and the sound of a gentle piano melody filled the room. It felt calm, almost magical. And there, in the center of it all, was Jessie, setting up a blank canvas, her brow furrowed in concentration. She was wearing those paint-splattered overalls that I found so effortlessly attractive. When she looked up and saw me, she froze for a second, her eyes lighting up in that way that made my stomach flutter.

"Hello," Jessie said, her voice soft and warm.

"Good morning," I replied, a shy smile tugging at my lips.

There was a beat of awkward silence, neither of us sure what to do next. Jessie took a hesitant step toward me, then stopped just a couple of feet away. I could feel the tension between us, a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

"Are you.. ok? I mean, with everything going on?" she asked, her voice gentle but unsure.

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of comfort and nervousness in her presence.

"Yeah, I'm ok" I smiled in appreciation.

"Good," she said, her eyes softening as they held mine.

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. I wanted to step closer, to touch her, but I held myself back.

Jessie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, breaking the silence.

"Umm.. shall we get started?" She asked.

I let out a small chuckle, nodding. "Yeah, let's do it."

We walked over to the canvas, and Jessie turned to me with a playful glint in her eye.

"I need something a little different from you today," she said, and her lips quirked into that smirk I loved. "It's going to sound strange, but just go with it, ok?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're the boss," I teased.

She laughed, walking over to the large windows at the back of the studio and throwing them open. A gentle breeze drifted in, carrying the scent of flowers from the garden outside.

Jessie looked back at me, gesturing toward the open windows.

"I want you to hold onto the handles like you've just opened them," she instructed, "and put one foot forward, like you're about to walk outside."

I gave her a confused look but did as she asked, placing my hands on the window handles and positioning myself like I was mid-step.

Jessie stood back, studying me intently, her eyes scanning every inch of me as if trying to capture something deeper than just my appearance. The breeze from the garden made me catch a whiff of her scent, and I breathed it in.