𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎

Chapter 28 ~ Art

Mayella

I'm a girlfriend now... It's crazy, never in a million years would I think that Reece would just confess his love for me like that. Normally you say your 'I love you's' while you're together and not before. But not us. I felt so bad for what I did to Ryland. He was a nice guy and I should have worded it better.

And I still have to walk with him for graduation which is going to suck. I wonder if he will get over it. I mean we aren't together, we were allowed to seek out other people. I just hope that this doesn't affect walking the stage.

I sigh in content as I roll over but get stopped by a body. I smile as the body moves up and down slowly breathing. The big teddy bear snuck in here in the middle of the night. He is still sleeping. I try to get up to brush my teeth but I feel an arm grab my arm and drag me back down to the bed.

I have to stop myself from giggling as his hair tickles my neck. He lets out a deep sigh as he wraps his arm around my back. I let him hold me just so I can smell him for a little while longer. "We have to get up, Reece." Regretting my words since I'm feeling so good right now.

"Nah." He rolls over and brings me with him, making me lay on top of him. I smile as our eyes meet and he gives me his charming dimple smile. "Hey Sagey." He says with a  smirk which makes me grumble.

"I thought we were done with that name." I say but if I'm being honest, if he wants to call me that, he absolutely can.

"We need nicknames for each other." He says as he leans up and presses a kiss to my nose. "How about... care bear. It was your favorite show and it's not the worst nickname." He says getting all excited.

"I can tolerate that." I finally place my lips on his and kiss him with all I have. I pull away and smell my breath and gag. "I have to brush my teeth Reece." I try to get up. "It's fine to just stay here." His grip tightens.

I lay my head on his chest and look over at the time and see we have to be at school in an hour which is enough time. I was worried for nothing. He rubs my hair as I draw circles around the arm that is placed behind his head.

A knock comes to the door but it doesn't wait for me to respond because the door is already open which doesn't give me time to get off of Reece.

"I may be okay with you two being together, but in my house, there is a boundary that will not be crossed until you are ready-" I cut dad off as I faced him. "Dad, we are not going to have sex." I say and dad puts his arms up in defense. "I knew that."

I roll my eyes as he leaves and I get up to get ready for the day as Reece watches me from bed. "I love you." He calls out as I walk in the bathroom. I smile and back up towards him. I grab his face and kiss him. "I love you too, my love."

"That's a basic nickname."

"It's cute!"

🎀

The school day was extra long but now me and Reece are going on our first official date. He is holding my hand as he drives us to the secret location that he refuses to speak of. I can't even figure it out when we park into an empty lot.

I give him a raise of my brow as he just smiles and waves me off. He takes my hand and leads me to the building. We walk in and the smell of roses and paint comes to my nose. I look to my left and see a wide space with easels and a wall of paint.

I gasp as I look at Reece who just gives me a grin. "Graham" He tells the lady at the desk. She nods and leads us to where we will be painting. We then go to the paint wall and decide what colors we want to use.

I pick out a ton of colors to use to paint us in the rain. I think it will be an amazing piece to have forever. Now Reece isn't as advanced as me, so he grabs simple sunset colors so he can draw a beach setting.

We sit back down and I put the paint in the paint holders and dip my brush into it and start working on the black sky that we had that night. I add in some snow on the ground but I focus on the rain that we were in.

Reece can't see what I'm drawing and I can't see what he is drawing so this will be interesting. I add the side of my house and the whole driveway with a car behind us. I then move onto the hard part which is us.

I start with him first, glancing up to get the full picture. "What are you looking at?" He smirks and I laugh. "Nothing goes back to your painting." I say and he does a 'mhm'.

I finished with Reece's silhouette and now moving onto me which is pretty easy since I have drawn myself before. I finish with a time of 3 hours and a half. Getting every last detail. I smile at the finished project.

Reece went to go get us sandwiches because he finished his at the 2 hour mark. He said he is on his way back and can't wait to see what I drew.

To paint the picture, It's just the scene of us kissing with my hands cupping his cheeks and his arms around my waist as the rain falls on us. Because that moment was a moment to remember.

"I'm back!" Reece sings and I smile. Grabbing my food from him and sitting back down in my chair. We talk for a while until our pictures come out dry. The woman gives us a smile and hands us the wrapped up canvas.

We thank her and drive home, well we go to Reece's house for tonight. We both eat some dinner and play games with the twins for a while but I'm getting so impatient so I tell Reece we should open the pictures.

He agrees and we go upstairs and we both sit on his bed. I'm holding the drawing he did, while he holds mine. We open it at the same time and I can hear us both gasp as each other works. He did do the beach. But a scene from my birthday.

I'm playing in the ocean with Amara. I look up to him and he looks up to me. His eyes were full of tears. "How do you remember this?" I ask in a low whisper. "I took a picture of you two." He whispers back and looks back down at my painting.

"It's beautiful Mayella. Can I hang it above my bed?" I bite my lip and nod. Telling him I will hand mine above my desk. He takes a tac and hangs up the piece of work. We lay down on his bed facing the painting.

"I love it, I love you." He smiles. "I love you too, my love."