Yet You're my Favorite Work of Art

Chapter Five

I stub my cigarette out on the sidewalk before we enter the gallery. Tonight's the night for Melanie's gallery opening. It's a nice turn out, impressive for her first showing. My usual gang with be there, including Brendon, which I'm obviously not looking forward to. We'll be courteous, very professional. If the kid was smart, he'd leave his rebound at home. Ashley watches me think, her phone pressed up against her ear.

"I told you already, I'm not going to make it tonight, I have business. Ugh, mom, I have to go." I hold the door for her, waving at the few photographers and duck inside myself. An older woman I don't recognize smiles and waves at me. Ashley nudges my side.

"Right, just smile and wave." A waiter approaches us and hands us glasses of wine. There's a sliced strawberry on a toothpick in the glass, a little replica of an alphabet block on the top. It was Gee's contribution, based off her favorite painting of Melanie's, 'Alphabet Boy'. I didn't expect these cartoon, child-themed paintings to do well, but boy are they taking off. Ashley taps my shoulder, pointing somewhere in the crowd and making her way over there. I stand there for a moment, shaking hands with another new artist on the scene, Dan, I think his name is. I chat with him for a moment and then pat him on the back in a goodbye, making my way over to the bar in the back.

The bartender comes over and I order a shot of whiskey. I don't bother sitting down, not wanting to look like the asshole who comes to galleries just to drink. I lean on my elbows against the bar, looking over my shoulder to see what's going on. I see Pete and Mikey entering the gallery. I take the shot quickly and hand the bartender a dollar bill, not even sure what I'm tipping him with, and go to see them. The question of why those two came together momentarily crosses my mind, and quickly disappears as another couple walks in. It's easy to guess who it is. Brendon's dressed nicely, the nicest I've ever seen him, in a dark suit and dark red tie. His hair is neat for once, and he looks very professional. Dallon's dressed in a white button-up and black slacks, his shirt tucked in, fitting his body perfectly. Pete smiles widely at me and pulls me into a hug. I see Brendon wrap his arm around Dallon's waist over his shoulder. I let go of Pete and shake Mikey's hand, not knowing him as well as Pete. Dallon makes his way over to me and smiles, offering me a long hand.

"I didn't know you'd be here Ryan, did you?" He directs the question to Brendon who avoids looking at me and shakes his head. Liar.

"Nice to see you again, Dallon. Have you gotten a drink yet?"

"No, not yet, but I'll be sure to." I smile and nod my head towards Brendon in a greeting. Dallon pats my shoulder and disappears off somewhere, leaving Brendon and myself alone in the gallery entrance.

"Wow, you brought Dallon, I guess things are going well?"

Brendon snickers and nods.

"Try not to fuck in the bathroom, it's quite unprofessional."

"Oh, fuck you." I smile, biting my lower lip to keep from letting the asshole remark slip out. He shoves past me, making sure he hits my shoulder with his, disappearing into the crowd as well. Someone clears their throat behind me and I spin around. Gee has her arms crossed, a look of disappointment on her face.

"Oh, shut up."

And she does shut up when I ask her to, for literally the first time since I've met her. I realize a minute later that it's because a woman is standing on the small stage. She's beautiful, dressed in such an exotic outfit. Her hair is half sea green, half black, tied up in two high pigtails. She's wearing a long-sleeved orange sweater, a pair of overalls over that. A pair of baby pink tights with little bows around the knee where they end cover the bottom half of her legs. With that she's wearing a pair of tall, white boots, that are so clean the light reflects off of them. She smiles at the crowd, leaning into the microphone.