I heavily regret majoring in painting as I carry my two big ass canvases to the studio, along with my bag, and drink in hand. Why did I think painting in my dorm would be a good idea, especially when the studio is a fifteen minute walk away?
"Ellie Rose!"
I turn around and almost drop everything as I see Oliver jogging towards me with a huge smile.
"Need some help?" He asks, and I nod. He grabs both of my canvases, which I'm extremely glad to get off my hands.
"Thank you," I sigh, and continue walking.
Oliver shakes his head, getting hair out of his eyes. "No problem. Why are you carrying so much, Ellie Rose?"
"Because I'm stupid." I take a sip of my water. "You can just call me Ellie, by the way."
"Okay. I like Ellie Rose, though. Plus, that's what Mark and Ryan called you, so..."
I grin and look at him. "Uh, alright then. Did they talk about me, or something?"
He shrugs. "I mean, I asked about both you and the other girl when y'all left. Was a bit weird having strangers see me in just a towel."
"Right," I give a small laugh, and kick a pebble across the sidewalk. "So, what did they say about me? I'm curious now."
"Umm, they said you're 19, an artist, have a little sister named Cora, your last name is Carter, you're single, you're bi, and you have this guy in London who's obsessed with you."
I widen my eyes. "Wow, they really told you a lot."
"Yeah," Oliver chuckles.
"Well, I wouldn't say the guy in London is obsessed with me. Just likes me a lot. But the rest is true."
"Ryan said he cried when you left. After two months. I'd call that obsessed."
"I just met you yesterday and said, like, one word to you, yet you know a lot of personal stuff about me. Is that really fair?"
He smirks and places my canvases on the metal table once we're inside the studio. "Maybe not. You could get to know me better, though."
Is he proposing a date, or something? I raise my eyebrows, always wishing I could look cool and raise just one. "How?"
Oliver shrugs and scratches a small scar on his jaw beneath his lips. "You could go to Mellow with me tonight. Discuss my whole life story, from birth to now, over a nice pizza."
I've rejected a few people in the past month, since I don't feel ready for a relationship yet, but I somehow feel that Oliver is different. I know, that sounds so stupid and cliche, but it just feels right. "I could go for some pizza. What time?"
"I'll be at your dorm at six." He grins at me, his tall stature hanging over me.
⁘⁘⁘
"Why the hell are you wearing a sweatshirt? It's, like, 90 degrees."
Sofia sits at her desk, the chair spun around and facing me. Clairo softly plays from my speaker as I stare into the mirror, feeling self conscious.
"I like it. And it'll get cold later. I want to put on pants, too, but I'm scared he'll think I'm weird if I do." I pull out a few framing pieces of hair from my messy twin braids, then walk to my dresser. I put on my mini-pearl necklace, a few dainty rings, then go on my knees in front of Sofia.
"If he thinks you're weird for wearing jeans," She grabs my makeup bag and shuffles through it. "That's his problem."
I bat my lashes as she applies mascara, then a bit of concealer and lip gloss. "I guess that's true."
