𝚒 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞

Ch. 3 ♡

What the hell did I do?
Never been the type to
Let someone see right through

River thanked me for the crying festival and I dropped her back at her aunt's house. She wanted to do something today in the evening, we also exchanged numbers and all other social media platforms.

I regretted not telling her who I was, but it didn't feel like the right time. She was uncontrollably crying about her life- that night was about her and not me. If she ever brings stuff up like that, I'd tell her. For now I'm going to enjoy our time together since my best friend is back for the Summer.

It killed me not being to properly get comfortable with her or talk to her, the fact that my feelings were growing stronger and the possibility of us getting together scared me. I didn't want to make expectations because one; what if I'm not River's type and two; what if she just sees me as a friend? The second one scared me the most because we'd definitely had no chance together.

"Monique come down and eat!" My mom yelled before the front door closed and her car started to pull from the driveway. I trudged downstairs to find some pancakes and waffles to be made, which was weird because she always made fried beans and rice.

"I asked her to make some," Javier said, "just something different."

"Food is food," I grabbed a couple of pancakes to place on my plate and we both sat down in front of the TV to catch up Friends.

The rest of my evening consisted of switching back and forth from Friends and YouTube- my friends were off with their boyfriends again while I rotted at home. I suppose that I could call River and ask to come over, but that's something that scares me too.

Usually I'm the energetic type that always makes impulsive plans, yet when it comes to River I shrivel up like a dry slug and get shy- I hated it. But, I also like River- it's a weird thing.

As if she heard me thinking of her, River texted me and asked if I wanted to come over then sent her aunt's address.

"Javier, I'm gonna go to River's house. Do you want me take you anywhere?"

"No."

I dashed upstairs quickly to get ready and grabbed my keys. Her aunt's wasn't that far, only a 10 minute walk from mine because she lived next to the school. Before my hands could knock on the door, River opened it.

Her left cheek was smudged with blue paints, a white apron that was now colored as a rainbow, and there was a paint brush in her hand.

"Hey, come in," She led me into the garage where she had been painting. It hasn't been long since they've settled it, but there were already multiple completed canvases set against the wall.

"I wanted to paint something different- something unique. A challenge," River had an empty canvas and her easel, "Then a bright idea popped into my head! I've never painted a person. I chose you."

"Me- me?" I pointed at myself, "no offense, but I wouldn't want to paint me."

"Shut up," She laughed and handed me a chair to sit on, "after last night- I don't know. I felt different and now I want to try new things, doing this-" Her eyes widened, "-is new. Please sit."

Like a little dog, I sat on her command. I crossed my arms and legs, my eyes started to wander around the garage. There were dozens of pantings, all depicting some kind of gothic theme; for example, there were multiple paintings that symbolized death or sadness- the flower painting she finishes were rotting flowers on a grave. Not going to lie, River was a talented oil painter, even if her paintings were about death, she made them look real, alive. Now that she was going to paint me, it would probably be my skeleton or my dead body at a satanic ritual.