Ugh. Not only was Harmony battling a slight buzz, but trying to draw an animal on the top of her head? She'd be lucky if it turned out to be more than onegiantblob.
All around her, participants were getting to work. A quick glance at Dominick showed he'd already started. He had mixed red and white together tomakepink.
She bet he was doing a pig. Smart choice. There were only so many animals that color. It wouldn't matter if there were three legs and the curly tail was larger than the rest of the body. People would know whatitwas.
Harmony then realized Dominick had never completely answered her question about being competitive, nor had he asked her if she was. If he had, she would have answered with a resounding yes. Contests were exciting to Harmony, and she hated the idea of losing. Second place was just the first loser. And she did not want to lose to Dominick or any of the other people intheroom.
Did she care about the voucher? Hell no. The class was cheesy, and she doubted she'd be able to drag anyone to one with her—not if they were paying full-price for their spot. But she likedtowin.
"You'd better get started. Time's almost up." Dominick's voice knocked her from her silent musings. All around people were setting down theirbrushes.
"Crap! There was a time limit?" sheasked.
Dominick's brows lowered as he looked at her. "Janice just gave the one-minutewarning."
Oneminute?!
Harmony quickly dipped her brush into the black paint. She made what she hoped was a passable circle on her plate before returning the brush to the paint. Continuing to move quickly, she drew a couple of squiggly marks on the plate. Just as she finished the last stroke, the instructorcalledtime.
Talk about yourclosecall.
"Alright, folks. I want you to lower your plates and look at them." Laughter rang out all around the room. Harmony was less than amused byherwork.
Just to punctuate the fact that it looked nothing like she'd intended, Dominick leaned over and asked, "Whatisit?"
"It's an octopus," she answeredevenly.
His smile returned. He must have looked at all of this like a game. The thought irritated her more than it should because of course it was a game. "Now I see it, with the eight tentacles. Wannaguessmine?"
Harmony looked down at his plate. "Dolphin?"
"No, it's…" Dominick's smile fell as he hesitated briefly. "It's a pig. I thought for sure the color, and the curly tail would have been a deadgiveaway."
Harmony let out a puff of air. "I know it's a pig. I bet the whole class will know it's a pig." She sat back against her chair and crossed her arms over her chest, forcefully keeping her gaze on the front of the room waiting for the instructor to say something else. Janice was walking around the room, giving everyone far too much time to look at their plates. Harmony had the strong urge to pick her paintbrush up and make her blob into something that actually resembled anoctopus.
Just as she was reaching for it, a chuckle from beside her caused her to drop her hand. She turned to see Dominick's eyes wide. "You're a soreloser!"
"Am not." She kept her eyes from meetinghisgaze.
His finger poked her arm. "Yes, you are. You're mad that I didn't know what your drawing was. Well, don't be. I have a terribleimagination."
"I'mnot—"
But her words were cut off by the teacher. "I've walked around the room and have chosen three people to bring their platesuphere."
Janice pointed to two girls on the other side who both squealed in delight as they walked to the front of the room. When the instructor's eyes moved in their direction, Harmony felt her heart sink. She didn't want her painting to be judged by a bunch of drunk people with no skill. Maybe she could persuade Dominick to claim it ashisown.
He is still trying so hard to impress me, it could be considered an act of chivalry, she thought. He seemed obsessed with the idea of being the perfectgentleman.
But when the woman up front pointed to Dominick instead of her, Harmony felt sick. What was worse than having your work rejected? Having your date's crappypigwin.
Dominick smiled at Harmony before standing up. "Don't worry, if I win, I'll let you have thevoucher."
"I don't care," she responded rollinghereyes.
"Of course youdon't."
The next several minutes consisted of each contestant telling the class what they painted. Harmony didn't care. And now that she knew she was out of the running, she twirled her brush in the black paint and got to work on heroctopus.
