Opalescent ●ADIYA VERSION●

●Part Four●

Aditya had spent numerous minutes knocking on doors of the apartment complex to find the woman who'd given him more in minutes than anyone else had in years. His hand was wrapped firmly around her white stick as he knocked upon another door, his hand dropped the second she finally opened it. Inadvertently running his gaze across her body, he stopped where her baggy shirt did- on her thighs that were covered in paint- her once white shirt had seen better days and by the looks of it so had her face which was lined with streaks of paint from the back of her hand she'd made a palette upon and then used to brush strands of hair back into her messy bun.

Running the back of her hand on her cheek, she scrunched her nose up at the sensation of paint now colouring the side of her nose. Pulling at her shirt, her ankles crossed "May I help you?"

Smirking, he cleared his throat "I brought your cane".

"Oh," Zoya held a hand out, "Thank you, Officer".

His smile dropped "No it's-".

"Aditya" she nodded, "I know, but unfortunately ex-officer doesn't have quite the same ring to it" huffing, she pulled the door back a little more, "Would you like to come in or have you just come here to tell me off for what I said to your Ma? If that's so, then know I'm not sorry and she deserved everything she got" she warned, hoping her smart mouth wouldn't break up a friendship that had barely begun.

Running a hand from the back of his hair down to his neck, his lips pursed, he did want to come in, but the closer he got to her the more likely he'd be hurt when she let him down just like everybody else. "I just wanted to give you your stick" he shrugged.

"Okayyy" she bit her lip, "Well, I want you to come in, so" grabbing his wrist, she yanked him toward her, used his back to slam the door then grinned up at him as he made a hmph sound. "You wanna see what I've done? Come on" not allowing him to respond, she dragged him over to her canvas in the living room, stepped over a black sheet and swayed as she awaited him to comment.

"It's-".

"Good? Bad?" She shouted near his ear in impatience. "You can tell me honestly, I won't be offended" picking up a doughnut from the desk she'd placed it on, she chewed loudly "Bleh, think I ate some paint, not nice, should've washed my hands" her giggle echoed across the bare walls.

Turning to face her, his eyes narrowed "Zoya, it's beautiful" taking a sharp inhale, he looked back at the painting quickly. "The colour is very vivid, I like the hues of green".

"You do?" Her hands smacked her cheeks, realizing what she'd done, a pout filled her lips "Whoops, I've made a bit of a mess".

"A bit" he guffawed, "That's an understatement".

"Well, you can always help me clean up?" Her eyes widened as she looked up at him much like a child would their teacher before they got told off.

"Excuse me?" Aditya stepped back.

"The mess, help me clean the mess, not, not clean me" she shrieked, "Unless um".

"Unless?" His brow hitched as he stepped toward her.

"Uh, unless" her chest rose with each breath, stepping back, she turned her head to look down.

"Unless?" Dropping his tone to a lower baritone, he stepped a little closer.

"Unless you um" she stepped back, screeching when she nearly toppled over the sofa, staring back up at him, she gulped.

"Unless I um?" A coy smile twisted the edges of his lips. He couldn't deny the fact that he was really beginning to enjoy being around her.