Body Art

2 | touché

"It's Dana, right?"

I jumped, banging my knee under my desk at the sudden voice at my ear. "Fu-- Ow!" I hissed and rubbed at my knee, ignoring the people who turned to throw me a look for my outburst. Mr. Paulson shot me an unamused look before returning to preparing for his next class.

I glanced to my right and found none other than Taz giving me an apologetic look. "Sorry," he whispered.

"Did you need something?"

"Just wanted to make sure I got your name right," he answered casually. "It is Dana, isn't it?"

"It is."

"Great." He added as an afterthought, "D-A-N-A?"

My face scrunched in frustration and confusion. "What? Why are you spelling it?"

If Connie were here, she'd be making snide comments about how my so called 'anger issues' are getting the best of me in this situation. I'd probably be too heated to argue with her.

"I wanna make sure I've got it right," he said innocently. "Like I said."

I gave him a skeptical look, but didn't push. Just turned around and went back to my homework. "Okay then..."

"Are you free after school?"

My brows drew together again and eyes narrowed. That was so random. "Why?"

"I'd like to spend time with you," he nearly chirped.

Setting my pen down, I pivoted in my seat so that I could see him fully. I expected him to have some stupid look on his face, like it was a joke and the punchline would be my believing him. Instead, my skepticism settled to curiosity when I saw how genuinely his eyes shimmered. "Why?"

His head cocked, mouth upturning ever to slightly. "You interest me."

Is he serious? "I interest you?" We're barely whispering now, but it's study hall; everyone's talking anyways.

He nodded, coffee irises lazily going from place to place on my face. "I'd like to paint you sometime."

My jaw went slack and a full blown grin bloomed on his face.

"Sorry," he said around a chuckle, "I know that sounds kinda weird. I'm actually embarrassed to have said it but, uh--"

"You want to draw me?"

"Paint."

I cringed. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I like your face. And I need a muse."

Wow, his bluntness is unnerving. I feel like one of those Studio Ghibli characters when their hair stands on end because of all the magic in the air. Is disarming honesty a type of magic?

I turned back around and hunched over my work before he could see the blood rushing to my face. "Anyone ever tell you you're a little too forward?" I mumbled.

I heard him laugh. "All the time. I'm told it's one of my best quirks."

"And who told you that?"

"My friends," he said simply.

"You have friends?"

"Don't you?"

"Touché."

There was a pause, then the sound of chair legs scraping across the linoleum classroom floor. A folded bit of paper was placed by my copybook. "Just think about it."

The bell rang and he was gone before I could even unfold it.

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Can't say this wasn't random.

Tbh I've just been playing around with this idea for a few months, adding to it whenever... I can't believe I published this last night without realizing 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

Oh well. Vomment if you liked it or want to see more :)