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I used to enjoy painting when I was young. The gentle strokes of the brush and mixture of colors that formed on to a blank canvas. I sadly dropped the hobby when I got older, when I got interested in other "adult" activities. But if i'm being honest, it was only childish of me to be doing the things I was doing.
"Okay now rinse off your brushes and head out. This session is over," the blonde (ditzy if you asked me) instructor announces. She smiles at the group, some wandering around in the back of the art room and some actually paying attention to what she says.
"This shit is over, finally," Sadie says, as she grabs her jacket and storms out of the room. The jacket that she recently got back being she ate an entire meal without bitching or throwing up. "Bye bitches," Noah says, walking out with Caleb and Maddie who are deep in a conversation and have been for awhile now.
"Need help?" I hear from behind. "Um no thanks," I tell Finn who leans against the wooden chair I sit in. I know it's him because who else would it be. He's the only one who talks to me regularly in this place. "You sure? I could rinse off your brushes for you," he offers.
"Thanks but i'm gonna continue when everyone leaves," I say, scooting away from the table and getting out of my chair. Finn leans against the table as I walk away, towards the sink. "This is- wow," he says observing my painting.
"You like?" I ask as I walk back with more dark green paint that I took from the cart. "Okay you two i'm leaving. Don't swallow the paint or anything," the instructor says with a smile as she walks out of the room, closing the door behind her. "I hate her," Finn says, eyes still locked on the door.
"Me too," I add and sit back down in my chair, causing Finn to step aside. "No but this is really good," he stares at the unfinished painting of an oak tree. Though I would like to say the tree is symbolic or something, I just thought the idea was pretty.
"Thanks," I say blandly, not wanting to drag his compliment too far. I lean forward over my work, dipping my brush in and lightly stroking it across the canvas, feeling eyes burn in the back of my head. I pull my brush away, laying my arm down on the stained, wooden table before sighing deeply.
"Can you not watch me like that," I say, a hint of annoyance in my voice. "Like what?" Finn asks, trying to sound innocent. I turn around to meet his eyes, his devious smile turning into something softer when I look at him. "Can I not look at you?" he asks.
"Any other time, yes but not right now," I say, attempting to turn my head back around. Before I can turn back to my painting, his hand meets my cheek, gently pushing my face back towards his. I furrow my eyebrows as he runs his fingers across my cheek, studying something.
"You have paint on you cheek," he says and I raise an eyebrow. "I refuse to believe I actually have paint on my cheek," I say, smiling. He holds up a finger that's smudged with a forest green color, proving me wrong. "You still have some," he says, licking his thumb on the same hand. "Right there," he adds before wiping my face again.
"I'm sure you're just smudging paint on my face at this point," I say, brushing off his hand and turning back around towards the table. I hear him scoff and feel him lean away from my chair, his heavy steps walking away shorty afterwards.
I hear some rummaging, then the sound of a match being lit, indicating he's smoking which i'm not surprised. I begin to focus back on my work, raising my brush and placing it onto the canvas. Moving around dark green pant in the shape of leaves.
