Drawn To You (GirlxGirl)

Part 45

Jessie's P.O.V

Two weeks. Two long, aching weeks had passed since Allie walked out of my apartment, and I hadn't seen her since.

I kept telling myself that the space was what I needed, but the truth was, I was still sore from the goodbye.

Every moment felt heavy, like the weight of her absence was always on my chest. I'd been trying to push it down, move on with my life, but it kept creeping up when I least expected it.

"Are these ready to go?" Liam's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

He was standing next to a pile of carefully packaged paintings, all bound for London.

Some of them were older pieces, but others... others were newer, the kind of pieces that carried too much of me in them. Especially the three-painting series of Allie. I had packaged them up days ago, not able to look at them anymore. Once they were gone, maybe then I'd finally be able to forget.

"Yeah," I told him with a small smile, trying to act as if everything was normal. "They're ready."

Liam nodded and started carrying them out to the van one by one, while I grabbed the last painting, feeling the weight of it in my hands like a final tether to everything I was trying to leave behind.

I helped him load the last one and waved him off as the van drove away, watching it disappear around the corner. A heavy sigh escaped me. It was done. They were gone.

I turned back to the studio, walking inside and locking the door behind me. The space felt empty, like the absence of Allie had left a hollow echo in the air.

I sat down on the chair in front of the blank canvas in the middle of the room. I stared at it, knowing I'd never be able to paint like I did with those pieces of Allie. I put my heart into those paintings, and now it felt like a piece of my heart was gone with them.

Staying in Glasgow, walking through the streets we had walked together, lying in the bed we had shared... how could I stay here when everything reminded me of her?

Moving back to London seemed like the obvious choice. But I had left London for a reason. I needed to escape the chaos there, and I loved Glasgow. I thought I could make a life here.

"I need a drink," I muttered to myself as I grabbed my coat and keys.

Drinking alone didn't bother me. Right now, it was exactly what I needed.

I made my way to the first pub I could think of, walking inside to escape the cold. It was a small, cozy place with old wooden beams and a soft glow from the lights. It was busy, but not too packed. Just the kind of place where I could zone out and forget everything for a while.

"Rum and coke, please," I told the barmaid, paying for the drink before settling down at the bar.

I stared at the wooden bar top, lost in my own world. The noise around me faded, and for a moment, it was just me and the emptiness.

"Hey." The voice startled me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked up and saw a blonde girl standing in front of me, probably around my age but a bit shorter. Her face was kind, though she was wearing more makeup than I would have expected. She was dressed up, like she'd just come from a night out, wearing grey skinny jeans, black heels, and a sequined blouse.

"You're the artist, right?" She asked and my eyes widened in surprise "In that studio down the street? What's it called again?"

"Creating Freedom with Colours," I replied automatically, still caught off guard by her approach.

"That's it!" she said, her face lighting up. "I always love seeing your paintings in the window when I walk to work. You're really talented."

"Thanks," I said, a little shocked that my work had caught her attention.

I wondered if she'd seen the ones of Allie, but I didn't ask. I couldn't ask. Not when I was trying so hard to forget.

She didn't walk away like I had expected her to. Instead, she eyed my drink. "Drinking alone?"

I felt myself flush slightly, embarrassed.

"Yeah," I admitted with a small smile.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked, her tone casual but warm.

I hesitated. I wanted to say no. It felt like I was betraying Allie, sitting here with someone else, even if it was just for a drink.

But then the memory of Allie walking out hit me like a punch to the gut, and I found myself nodding.

"Sure."

She sat down beside me, her smile broadening. "Maggie," she said, extending her hand.

"Jessie." I shook her hand, feeling strange about the whole situation.

The night went on, and somehow, I managed to converse with her for hours. I didn't even know what about, but the words flowed easily enough.

For the first time in weeks, I found myself laughing at something someone else had said. The weight on my chest lifted ever so slightly, and for a brief moment, I forgot. I forgot about Allie, about the goodbye, about everything.

"Last orders!" the barmaid called out, and I blinked, surprised at how quickly time had passed.

Maggie looked at me with a playful glint in her eyes, the kind of look that told me she didn't want to say goodbye yet.

As we finished our drinks and stepped outside into the cold, the tension hung in the air between us. Maggie pulled her jacket tighter, looking at me like she was trying to gauge what I was thinking.

"This might be too forward," she said with a slight laugh, "but would you like to come back to mine for a drink?"

I froze. My mind was racing, caught between the past and the present. I didn't know what I wanted, but before I could say anything, Maggie leaned in.

Her lips met mine, and for a second, I almost kissed her back. Almost. But as our lips touched, my heart sank.

There was nothing there. No spark, no butterflies. Just emptiness.

I pulled back, and Maggie looked instantly regretful. "I thought that would help you make up your mind," she said with a laugh, "but now I just feel stupid."

"No, no," I protested, shaking my head. "This is going to sound so cliché" I sighed, "It's genuinely not you. It's me. Actually... it's someone else entirely".

Maggie looked at me with understanding.

"Sounds like you've got it bad."

I let out a small, sarcastic laugh, but I didn't respond. She was right. I did have it bad.

Maggie flagged down a taxi, and when it pulled up, she looked back at me. "Come on, at least let me drop you off?"

I laughed and climbed into the taxi with her, grateful for her kindness.

Back to my empty apartment, I guess.