ATLANTA

Chapter Nineteen

Durk Derrick Banks

"Stop! You're going to get paint on me!" Kehlani squealed moving further away from me.

I hold the paint brush out acting like I'm going to put the wet paint in her but right before it touches her skin I sit back and attend to my canvas and put the black paint there instead.

"Relax. You being dramatic for no reason." I tease her putting my blunt between me lips.

For my date day I decided to do something I've never thought about doing before. Even with India. It took a little thinking because when you're in a long term relationship so many of your firsts go out the window but I was determined to still have some with Kehlani.

We were at a studio called Under The Influence. It was a place where you could make art if any kind while indulging in weed or drinks. It was perfect for us because we each had our influence of choice. Kehlani liked drinking rather than smoking and I liked to smoke weed.

Kehlani had taken a few puffs of my wood since it was early in the day and she didn't want to get too drunk during our date. It was cute seeing her smile since she literally never does it without a good reason.

"I'm not dramatic. I'm just wearing white, baby." She tells me as she switches brushes.

"My bad. I should've told you not to wear something you wouldn't want to get dirty." I apologize as I look back at my work so far.

Currently we were painting canvases. Although we were next to one another we couldn't peek at it before we were finished. It was going to be a big reveal at the end.

Kehlani waves me off. "I'm not trippin. I know my dates are supposed to be a surprise, you saying that might've ruined it." She tells me honestly.

I smile to myself. Kehlani was so understanding that it was hard to believe it sometimes.

I know it sounds crazy because of how she was acting about our girlfriends but you have to think about it like this. If you want someone and you're giving them your all you want the same in return.

Kehlani understood that our relationships were easy to end but she also wasn't going to allow herself to be  played or pushed to the side. I have the upmost respect for her just because of it.

"If you mess up your shirt I'll take mine off for you don't worry." I assure her. I take a pull from my blunt.

"You don't have to. I'm really not trippin about it." She shrugs.

She takes a sip of her red wine then set the cup on the little stool that was just set up just for her glass.

I finish my second blunt and ash it in the tray that I had set up. I pick up my brush and dip it in the light blue paint first.

"Durk?" Kehlani calls out to me.

"Yes ma?" I ask looking over at her.

"Nothing you just look high as hell." She laughs but her eyes are low and red too.

I chuckle shaking my head, "I actually do have something ask you. Are you having fun?" I ask her.

"A lot of it. What made you pick this place?" She questions not looking away from her art.

"I just thought you would like to do something that's interesting and artistic." I try to keep it simple.

She has a big smile on her face like she was happy with my answer so I went back to my own work.

"I really love it. I don't think I've ever painted on a canvas bigger than a thumb nail." She jokes and we share a laugh.

"What made you start doing nails and lashes?" I wonder.