Far or Near?

Part Thirteen

Devan's POV

It happened so quickly. It felt like yesterday when we just met at Starbucks. Suddenly, we're in that part where we're still best friends but we still like each other more than that. We're on the stage where we don't want to be boyfriend and girlfriend but yet we like each other. I glanced at Emma and caught her staring. She blushed hard and looked down which i find really cute. Well, i think everything about her is cute. I smiled and continued eating my food. 

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After we all finished our food, dad and Collins said that they have their own agendas to attend to. I told them for me and Emma's relationship a secret for now. They promised they won't before leaving me and Emma in the art store. A kind lady welcomed us and we awkwardly smiled back at her. Suddenly, i felt her hand snake to mine and intertwined them both when we were in between two tall shelves of art stuff. I smiled wide and looked down on her. She looked back at me and smiled wide as well before resting her head on my shoulder. I rest my head on top of hers as i look on the set of art materials that were in front of us. 

"I remembered when you mentioned that you needed a new canvas."  She said when she spotted a corner filled with canvases in different sizes. I nodded and went over there. "Yes. I remembered that i do." I say as i look for the perfect size of the canvas i had. "What happened to the other one? i remembered you have an unused canvas in your house." She said, eyeing the canvas that was in the easel, touching it gently.

 "Well, as you know, my brother can be a psycho most of the time," I paused, chuckling and she chuckled too. "I told him to pass me the bottle of blue paint to me. He yeeted it, if you know what i mean, to me. Little did the both of us knew that the lid of the bottle of paint was unscrewed." She laughed, already knowing what happened next. "And the paint splattered all over the canvas and... you?" She concluded. I nodded, laughing at the memory. "He even took a picture of me and the canvas and captioned it with, 'he is one with his painting'." She laughed, making me laugh as well. Oh God her laugh is more contagious than a yawn.

"And that was the story of 'Collins, Yeeting an Unscrewed Bottle of Paint at Devan'." She said, making the both of us laugh more. She shed an invisible tear and we sighed contently. I then scanned the place for the right canvas and finally found it after a few moments. I pulled it out from the far back of the corner like someone hid it there. If someone did, he or she must have the same taste in this kind of sizes  when it comes to canvases. "I'll take this. I'll just have to look for some paint." I say, Emma nodding and taking it for me. I insisted to bring it myself but when i tried to pull it from her, she didn't budge. I groaned playfully, earning a giggle from her. 

I went to the paint section and took the paint that makes skin tone. Red, yellow, blue, white and a small bottle of black. I took them and placed them on the shopping basket that i found lying on the floor. I picked it up and went back to the brushes. I picked the ones i remember that were shredding or how ever you call it and placed them in the basket.

When i made sure that i had everything i need, i went to the counter. I was about to grab my wallet from my pocket when i remembered about Emma, paying everything. I looked down at the stuff i took and looked over my shoulder at the canvas that little stubborn kid was still holding. She caught the wary in face and walked over to me. "What is it?" she asked, placing her hand on my shoulder, looking me in the eye. "Nothing. It's just that, after you pay for my stuff, can we go to my place so that i could at least pay the half it? I think all the stuff that are here are really expensive." I said, looking down, blushing because of the fact that i seemed to be abusing Emma's kindness even when i'm not. 

She shook her head. "Nope. No way. I am paying them full and no charges from you. Just let me pay back for the days, or maybe even weeks that i never hung out with you." She said, a little frown formed on her lips. I sighed and nodded. She smiled and placed the canvas along with the basket on the counter, pulling her wallet out and paying for the stuff once the cashier lady was finished.

"Now, i command you to bring your own stuff because i said so." She said in a playful commanding tone, trying to keep a straight face. I let out a giggle and took them before playfully bowing in front of her. "Yes, your majesty." I played along. Now she was the one holding in a laugh because she was biting her lips. "Very well, soldier. Now come along, we have a bus to catch." She said, with her accent. I laughed and followed her just behind.