My throat goes dry. The air between us shifts, charged with unspoken thoughts and feelings. “What do you like about this one?”
His voice dips, low and quiet. A shiver runs down my spine. “I like that it makes mefeel.”
“And what does it make you feel?” I ask, my voice lowering to match his. The conversation suddenly feels intimate and forbidden. I shouldn’t have asked him that. The way he is looking at me now… carefully, like he’s on the edge of a cliff, about to topple over… makes me think I’ve crossed a line.
He exhales, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Like I shouldn’t be here, talking to you like this.”
His words feel like a warning. But the way he says them, well… it doesn’t feel like he’s pushing me away. It feels like he’s just as caught up in whatever this is as I am. My heart hammers in my chest, and I swallow, dropping my gaze.
“Maybe we should keep moving then.”
He nods once, stepping back and giving me space. I wish he wouldn’t.
And yet, as we continue walking through the gallery, I feel it there, between us. The pull, undeniable and electric. Like a brushstroke on canvas, messy and unplanned. But maybe, just maybe… becoming something beautiful.
19
SOPHIE
We spend another two hours in the gallery, moving from one piece of art to the next. I’ve never felt so free with someone, never enjoyed someone’s presence so thoroughly, besides Sal. But this isdifferent. He sparks joy in my soul. He makes me feel seen, appreciated, and valued.
We discuss everything from art, to music, to movies… just getting to know each other in the most natural way. His love for cult classic horror movies both surprises me and makes me like him even more, as a movie girl myself. His music taste is a bit questionable, though. But that can be forgiven.
The best part is his laugh. I’ve never seen him truly laugh until tonight, and when he does, the whole room lights up like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s contagious. And he has a good sense of humor. At this point, I’m convinced I must be dreaming.
The whole thing is surreal, that I’m here, with my teacher, having the best night of my life. I don’t want it to end. As the event begins to wind down, we hear a man calling Theo’s name.
“Theo, wait up!”
We turn and find him striding towards us. Dirty blondehair, lean, and fashionably dressed. A warm, friendly smile that quickly has me giving one in return.
“Gavin! Great to see you, man.” Theo gets pulled into a hug, but this time, he doesn’t seem to mind. The smile on his face is huge.
“And who is this stunning woman?” Gavin asks, taking my hand and placing a gentle kiss on the back of it. “Finally got yourself a date?”
Theo clears his throat, caught off guard and clearly unsure how to respond.
“This is Sophie. Sophie, meet Gavin.” My stomach erupts with butterflies. He didn’t introduce me as his student, didn’t correct Gavin’s assumption that we are here together.
“Nice to meet you, gorgeous.” He winks, in a cutesy way, and I decide I already love him. “Where the hell have you been, Theo?”
“I’ve actually moved back home.”
“Well, damn. We miss you around here. Don’t be such a stranger.”
Theo chuckles, “I won’t. How’s work?”
“Ah, you know, same old. It’s application vetting time, so that keeps me busy.”
At that, Theo’s eyes shift to me. I see a spark of something alight within them. “Actually, Sophie is an artist. A quite talented one at that. Sophie—Gavin works for the admissions department at SCAD.”
My eyes go wide. “No way! That’s a dream school for me.”
Gavin’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “Wait, how old are you?”
My eyes flit to Theo, before I answer honestly. “I’m eighteen. I graduate in May.”
