Chapter 259: You All
My footsteps weren't exactly ninja-level quiet as I walked in, so there's no way he didn't hear me. Plus, I was right next to him, my shadow practically screaming, "Hey, I'm here!" But nope, he stayed totally zoned in, like nothing else existed.
I checked out his painting for a sec, then plopped back down in my seat. Picked up my canvas and got back to finishing the piece I'd almost wrapped up before heading back to Sunhaven.
This painting had some serious depth, and every little detail was on point.
I poured my heart into this one, drawing from all the masterpieces I'd studied and admired. I wanted it to be as detailed and perfect as humanly possible.
FutureVision's new plan had this painting marked as a key piece for their model room, so the clock was ticking. I'd already lost a few days getting back to Sunhaven, and then the whole drama with Mia and Jenny set me back even more. Looked like I'd be burning the midnight oil for a few days.
Once I get into something, I'm all in. Five minutes with a brush in my hand, and I'm in the zone—nothing else matters.
When I was a kid, I got so lost in painting at home that I didn't even notice when Ronan walked in. It wasn't until my dad picked me up that I realized someone else was there.
Dad thought it was hilarious and even gave me a reward for it.
He'd always joke that while other kids could sleep through being carried out of the house, his daughter could be so into her painting that she'd still be reaching for her canvas even if lifted. That story got a lot of laughs over the years.
I painted for what felt like forever until a bottle of water appeared in front of me. I looked up and realized it was already dusk. The sky was this deep blue, with the setting sun throwing its last bits of light around. The colors were just... wow.
"What brings you here?" I took the water and sipped. Looked around and saw it was just me and Brad; Adam had ghosted at some point.
Adam always gave me a heads-up when he came or left, but today he just vanished. Weird.
I had a hunch Brad, playing the tough teacher, had scared Adam off.
"What are you looking for?" Brad asked, eyes glued to my painting with this admiring look.
I stretched, and Brad, worried I might topple over, put his arm behind me. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for my answer.
"Adam. He was here when I got in. Did you scare him off?" I said it casually, but it clearly bugged him.
At the mention of Adam, Brad's face turned serious, and his words came out icy.
"Is it just you two here every day?"
"Nah, fewer people during summer break. Usually three or four, maybe five. Once school starts, everyone shows up. Adam said there'd be about a dozen."
"Adam, Adam, you can't go a day without mentioning him," Brad grumbled.
"It's just a name. Brad, do you have to be so serious? Aren't you worried the students will laugh at you?" I teased him.
Brad flicked my forehead. "Making fun of me, huh? It's getting late. Ready to head back?"
I glanced at the sky outside. For me, it was still way too early to call it a day. The deadline was breathing down my neck, and I had to hustle. "I'll paint for a bit longer, maybe two hours tops to wrap this up. It's pretty dull here. If you're tired, you can head home and wait for me."
I said that, but deep down, I really wanted him to stick around. Since I started painting at Crystal House, he hadn't hung out with me even once.
But then, Brad started walking towards the door, looking like he was about to bounce without a second thought. A wave of disappointment hit me.
I'd never seen him so compliant before.
Just as I was about to watch him leave and get back to painting, he surprised me by grabbing a chair by the door and coming back. He plopped it down right next to me and sat.
Seeing me staring at him all dazed, he chuckled and rubbed my neck. "Go ahead and paint, I'll keep you company."
The gloom in my heart vanished instantly. Blushing, I leaned over and kissed his cheek as a thank you. To my surprise, he grabbed the back of my head and kissed me on the lips.
My heart started racing, and it wasn't until I was almost melted by the kiss that he let go. In his affectionate eyes, I saw my small reflection. My eyes were bright, and my cheeks were blushed, a mix of shyness and indignation.
"If you want to kiss me back, do it later. Focus on your work," Brad teased with a smile.
Who wanted to kiss you, you self-righteous jerk.
"Jane, dinner's here. Come and eat. I brought your favorite freshly squeezed apple juice." Adam's voice suddenly broke the moment.
Brad, seeing Adam carrying a bunch of bags and talking non-stop about me, got furious.
So that's why Adam left without a word; he went to grab takeout.
He set the takeout on the table and turned to call me, only to realize there was someone else in the room—his teacher.
He paused for a moment, a brief look of confusion crossing his face, but he quickly regained his smile and waved at us. "Mr. Pitt is here too. Have you eaten? I ordered plenty of dinner. Just eat with us."
I glanced at the dinner packaging from afar and couldn't help but feel happy. "Brad, have you eaten? This is from my favorite restaurant, it smells so good."
Brad frowned and said he had eaten with colleagues before coming over. So I said, "Then I'll go eat. It smells so good, I'm drooling."
"You two are going to eat together?"
"Who else? Should we grab someone off the street?"
Brad's IQ seemed to be dropping. There were only three people in the room. If he didn't eat, it would just be me and Adam. Did he really need to ask?
Brad ignored my sass, took my hand, and said, "I didn't eat much for dinner. I'll have some more."
Brad even wanted to compete over this. Fine, eat then. There was enough food anyway, eat!
Although Brad's behavior was a bit childish, his jealousy for me was kinda cute, and I liked it.
I looked up to admire Brad's awkward expression, feeling delighted inside.
Brad carried the chair he was sitting on and placed it in the middle, sitting down first. Adam and I sat on either side of him.
I picked out some food into a small bowl and handed it to Brad while I devoured the food from the packaging bowl.
It was still midsummer in Regalia, and it was hot. The food was both hot and spicy, making me sweat like crazy, with my lips turning red and shiny.
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