Panic Room

Flashback 2- 'The Art Scammer: Pt 1'

"Jay!" Ari called out, wiping her forehead quickly before dusting her hands off. It was a hot summer day, Ari and her assistant Jay were both currently outside, Ari working on a painting as Jay sat nearby, writing in a journal.

"What?!" He yelled back, turning his head to look back at her as she crossed her arms, still smiling. "Could you come help me with this canvas? It's really heavy and I just finished it so I don't exactly want it to break just yet!" She giggled, Jay rolling his eyes at her sarcasm as he stood up, setting his notebook down in the grass.

"Anything for you baby." He laughed and winked at her, Ari snorted and smacked his shoulder.

"Jay don't even, you're to caught up on that singer girl to flirt with anyone else." She joked, walking to one side of the huge canvas as Jay stood on the other.

Jay nodded, smiling slightly. "True, true." He responded with a laugh, looking over at Ari.

"Ok three.. two.. now!" Ari said loudly, her and Jay both quickly lifting the canvas. Jay started slowly backing up, Ari cautiously walking forwards and towards her open studio.

"I don't understand why you can't just work in the studio all the time. It's too hot out here to be doing anything."

"Um sir, you were sitting out here with me! You're only complaining cause I'm making you do labor." Ari said as they slowly made their way to where the rest of her painting and projects reside.

"Whatever." Jay half mumbled, whining as he gently helped Ari set down her painting and lean up against the closest wall so it could dry.

Ari wiped her forehead and stepped back a bit so she was in the shade. Her gaze floated around her studio, a sense of pride filling her as she looked at the corner of painting that had already been asked for. She was just waiting for people to come back and pay.

Suddenly, her and Jay both turned around as they heard people approaching.

She looked at the person on the right curiously, him seeming vaguely familiar to her. Jay then hit her arm and she glanced at him. "Ohmigod, that's Zakou. What the fuck is he doing here?"

"Lets ask dummy." She said through gritted teeth before smiling and taking a few steps towards the two young men in front of her.

"Hi there! Interested in a painting? All of them were made here in this studio by yours truly!" She said, using her more 'perky voice', as she was tired from working all day.

"Uh, yeah. That's why we're here. My place needs a little more life to it." Zakou said with crossed arms as the taller guy next to him stayed quiet.

"Great! Feel free to look around and please don't hesitate to come to me with any questions you have about any of the pieces! Clearly this isn't normally where you'd come to get painting so I understand if it's a bit confusing."

Both boys stared at her for a second, Zakou fighting off a bit of a smirk. The taller one then cleared his throat a bit. "Right, we'll make sure to do that. C'mon Zakou." His voice was deeper and quieter than Zakou's, him not exactly making eye contact with Ari.

Jay, who was watching the whole ordeal happen, narrowed his eyes a bit at the two. He sensed something was off.

As they both walked away from Ari to look at the painting, Jay pulled her to the side.

"What's up?" Ari asked, slightly confused as Jay made sure they were out of earshot.

"I don't know, I just feel like something is off with those two. Let's keep an eye on that, you know every painting here, right?"

Ari nodded, still kinda confused. "Well yeah, I did paint them." She joked, glancing back at the boys again as they quietly talked.

"Good, let's make sure they're all here before they leave." Jay nodded towards them again, Zakou looking back with a small glare as he noticed Jay watching them.

"Uhh, okay, I guess." Ari laughed a bit before walking towards the other two, leaving Jay to glare at them suspiciously.

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Word Count: 729

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