I'm For You

-11-

The week after the gallery exhibit flowed like honey, slow and sweet, with moments so tender that they felt almost fragile. Crystal and Gigi had fallen into an easy rhythm, as if all the tension that once plagued them had melted away. Crystal's studio became their sanctuary, where the chaos of the world could not intrude, where time seemed to stretch out in lazy, unhurried moments.

There were candlelit dinners in the studio, meals they cobbled together from whatever they could find, not caring much about the food itself but about the company. Crystal would set the table by the window, letting the city lights outside cast a soft glow over them. Gigi would laugh as she arranged candles around them, making the space feel magical with her light touch. They spent hours talking, the conversations flowing with ease, no longer guarded or tense, but filled with genuine curiosity and warmth. The walls between them had come down, and for the first time in what felt like forever, they were seeing each other, truly seeing each other.

"I missed this." Gigi said one night, her voice soft as she leaned over the table to touch his hand. "Just us, just this. No schedules, no flights to catch. Just…being."

Crystal smiled, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I did too. It feels like we're finally getting back to what matters."

And for a while, it was enough. The world outside could wait, and they allowed themselves to be wrapped up in the sweetness of those moments, falling asleep together on the couch, waking up tangled in each other's arms, laughing at nothing and everything.

Late-night adventures became a thing again. They would wander the city, hand in hand, Gigi in one of Crystal's old jackets, the night air crisp against their skin. They found hidden corners of the city they'd never noticed before, small parks tucked away between buildings, quiet alleyways lit by string lights. They would sit on park benches, shoulders pressed together, staring up at the stars in comfortable silence, or sneak into all-night diners, sharing milkshakes and fries like teenagers.

One night, as they sat on the rooftop of Crystal's building, legs dangling over the edge, Gigi leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed, a sound so content that Crystal:s heart swelled.

"I wish we could stay like this forever..." she whispered.

But as much as they tried to hold onto those moments, the real world eventually crept back in. And with it came the reminder of what they both knew was coming. The modeling gig in Paris, Gigi's sweet opportunity, was calling her back. And this time, it wasn't just for a week or two. She'd be gone for months.

The day the call came through, Gigi was sitting on the studio floor, flipping through one of Crystal's sketchbooks. Her phone rang, and she answered it without thinking, her agent's excited voice filling her ear with news of the Paris job. She smiled, at first, listening to the details, but as her agent rattled on, her heart sank. The job was perfect, an incredible opportunity. But it was going to take her away for longer than she'd expected.

When she hung up, Crystal was at the easel, working on a new piece. She sat there for a moment, staring at the phone in her hand, the reality of it hitting her in waves.

She didn't say anything at first, unsure of how to break the news. But Crystal could sense the shift in the air, the way her silence stretched on. He set his brush down, wiping his hands on a rag, and looked over at her.

"Everything okay?" he asked gently.

Gigi met his eyes, her heart tightening. "I…I got the gig."

Crystal smiled, coming over to sit beside her. "That's amazing. What's the job?"

She took a deep breath. “It's for a high fashion brand in Paris. It's…it's big, Crystal. Really big."

His smile faltered slightly, but he didn't say anything, waiting for her to continue.