10 Feet Down (Original Version)

Chapter 25

"Eva, stay still!"

"It's so hard too!" I laugh at Sam's exclamation. She rolls her eyes from behind the canvas that she's working on and then giggles.

"I can't sketch you if you don't stop moving," she says and puts down her pencil on the small table next to her. She crosses her arms and jokingly pouts.

"You try not being able to move for two hours," I tell her and she chuckles.

"Hey, I've had to be a model for class before and I was able to stay still, so girl, please stop moving so much. Otherwise I won't be able to sketch you accurately."

"Okay, okay, I'll try to be still," I say once I get my giggles out. I try to keep my body in the same position while also keeping the same facial expression I had before I had started laughing.

I couldn't help but laugh because I feel silly sitting in silence and not being able to move at all for hours. Right now, Sam's only doing a rough sketch and then she will go back in later with her paints. I asked her earlier if Reina was easy to sketch and Sam said she was awful because she kept forgetting that she had to stay still in the same spot. She also kept singing along to the music they had playing so now Sam doesn't play music when she has someone modeling for her.

The small metal stool I'm sitting on is uncomfortable and the art studio is pretty cold, but I manage to sit completely still like a statue while Sam quietly sketches me, her pencil scratches being the only noise in the room. My head is slightly tilted and the corners of my lips are turned up some in a smile.

"What are you thinking about?" Sam questions after 15 minutes of silence and her sketching.

"I'm thinking of happiness," I say, trying to not move my mouth very much.

"Anything specific?"

Not really," I answer. "Just in general. I'm really happy with everything."

"I'm glad."

Without turning my head, I move my eyes towards her and she smiles. "I only ever want to see you be happy."

"Thanks Sam."

My lips turn up a little bit in a slight smile at her and then I move my eyes back to the local art exhibit poster on the wall that I had been staring at since we started. The studio then becomes silent again, Sam concentrating on her sketch and me starting to replay the memories from last weekend that make my eyes shine bright with happiness. Sam is sure to get a good perspective to capture on her canvas from the happy emotion that covers my face as I think of a great moment.

"Come on give me it back, babe," Tre said, holding out his hand to grab the sack of flour from my grasp.

We were in his kitchen and I wanted to bake chocolate chip cookies, but Tre had other ideas once I got out all the ingredients and was starting to measuring out everything. One little flick of flour and it was now a full blown battle, the cookie agenda completely forgotten about.