"Are you sure?"
Ari wrung the towel she had in her hands together nervously, confusion flashing over her face.
She'd just been cleaning off her hands from some paint when Zakou and an unfamiliar girl had approached her.
Ari was a little surprised, normally Zakou was accompanied by the same taller boy, but he was nowhere in sight.
It'd been a few weeks since Zakou had started showing up, he'd never bought anything, but has shown a lot of interest in a few of her paintings.
Including a painting in which he claimed to have found with paint scratched off.
It was a more pricey painting, but it was because of how long it had taken Ari to paint and how proud of it she was. And this one in particular was a favorite of hers.
"Yes, I'm quite positive that this one is damaged." Zakou said deadpan, looking at Ari like she was an idiot.
She flushed a bit in embarrassment, shaking her head before taking a deep breath.
"I-I can see that, I just mean, are you certain it was like this when you found it?" She asked, tilting her head slightly as Zakou glared at her, the girl next to him showing no emotion as she flipped her long black hair over her shoulder.
"Yes, Tessa and I were just looking around today and stumbled upon this... lovely painting, with some of the painting scratched off. It was laying flat on the ground. Probably the gravel."
Zakou crossed his arms, just staring at Ari as she set down the rag she was still holding and narrowed her eyes, looking at the painting.
She crouched down, looking at it closer and running her fingers along where the scratches were.
"How odd..." She muttered standing back up, and looking to see Jay walking up behind Zakou and Tessa, a scowl on his face.
"Are these two bothering you Ari?" He asked, his voice dropping threateningly low as Tessa faced him and tightened her grip on the painting.
"What? No, oh no Jay it's fine! they just brought to my attention that one of the paintings I put up for sale has been damaged a bit." Ari said nervously, clapping her hands together as she plastered a fake smile on her face.
"Did they now? Let me see the painting." He demanded, his gaze never wavering from the two of them as Zakou hesitated, before reluctantly telling Tessa to let him see the painting.
She stared him in the eyes as she slowly held out the painting, in which Jay took from her hold and held it up closer to himself.
"Hm, you see I'd just rearranged some of Ari's paintings this morning, and this was one of them. I clearly remember this having no scratches on it." He said, glaring coldly at Zakou who crossed his arms, steam was practically coming out of his ears.
"Maybe you knocked it over when you weren't paying attention, you seem like the type who isn't very... graceful." Zakou said, looking at him with a forced smile.
Jay returned the forced smile before glancing back up at Ari.
'No.' He mouthed, shaking his head slightly as Zakou's smile fell.
He whirled back around to face Ari, smirking this time as the painter in front of him gulped nervously.
"It really would be such a shame if I couldn't get this painting... or anyone for that matter." He said, stepping a little closer to Ari as Tessa giggled a bit behind him.
"W-what?" She stuttered out, looking at him in disbelief, and a bit of disgust. He wouldn't do that to her though, right?
"Oh you heard me, we both know how easily you could just... lose customers. I mean, such a small shop you have here, It'd be a waste for a talented painter to not be able to sell any paintings!"
He smiled, looking at her with feigned innocence as Jay fumed behind him.
"Am I right, Ari?"
She felt her mouth fall open with a shock, her eyebrows furrowing as she felt her anger being pent up.
After standing there for a moment, she slumped a bit in defeat, as everyone knew Zakou could ruin her without lifting a pinky.
"..yes, you're right."
Zakou smiled, and snapped his fingers. Tessa then snatched the painting away from Jay who couldn't seem to form words as the same boy who went everywhere with Zakou walked out from seemingly nowhere.
"So, about the paintings price..."
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Unedited
Word Count: 790
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Panic Room
HorrorZakou went rigid in his seat, pain twisting in his stomach as he felt bile rising up in his throat. He coughed, doubling over in pain as he wiped his mouth, the dim light revealing dark red blood. "Poison..." He mumbled, seeing his now spilled drink...
