rve took a few deep breaths, gathered her courage, and made her way toward Corey.
"Do you like it?"
Corey turned toward the voice and he held his breath when his eyes landed on rve. She has light makeup on, and her hair is braided and lifted up, and her yellow one-shoulder gown makes her look like a fairy. She is the most beautiful girl he ever saw, standing less than two steps away and she made a painting of him.
"Is that ?" Corey asked the obvious.
rve smiled. "Yeah."
She glanced at his hand which is holding a rose, and he caught that mont.
"This is for you." Corey said and extended his arm, offering her the flower while hoping that she will not notice how his hands are shaking.
rve lowered her head shyly and accepted the rose. "Thanks."
Corey looked at the portrait of himself. "I like it very much. You are exceptionally talented. I've seen many of your works, but this one tops them all. I want to buy it."
"This area is for the artwork which is not for sale." rve explained.
Corey frowned. She didn't ntion the price, and he got outright rejected. Maybe he is not the richest kid, but he is saving from his allowance, and if he does not have enough, he can ask his Cousin Charlie for a loan because this is important. "Why? Did soone buy it already?"
The idea of soone else holding onto his painting made him restless.
"No. This one is not for sale." rve responded.
"Not even for ?" Corey persisted.
"It's not about who wants to buy it. It's about not willing to sell it. For , this is more than just a painting. Too many emotions were poured on that canvas. I can't bear to part from it."
Corey swallowed hard and turned toward rve. "Emotions? Like what?"
rve gestured while explaining: "You see here… these sharp strokes. They are made in anger. Or maybe disappointnt. And these round ones are happiness… here is excitent… anxiety…"
Corey was not sure from where to start. "Anger? Were you angry at ?"
"Yeah." rve admitted and saw that his brows furrowed, obviously expecting an explanation. "That was a Saturday. You told that you will co after lunch and we will study together, but you ended up helping Pari and Antonia with their math assignnts... and you left without saying goodbye."
Corey could not rember the incident. Why would he leave without seeing rve unless she was busy with sothing? He knows that rve is often busy and unless she gave him her permission, he didn't dare go to her room and disturb her because she might be resting or showering or doing sothing secretive. He noticed that kids at the Cliffside Villa have their secrets and he always respected that. After all, they are all exceptional, like they belong to a private club for which he is not qualified.
This particular incident that made rve paint him in anger, disturbed Corey, and he wanted to know more. "When was that?"
rve lowered her gaze. She wondered if she should respond or not. rve told herself that he already saw the painting and maybe this is the right ti to clarify their relationship because she can't go on like this. What is the worst case, they stay friends? Or he stops talking to her? He might start ignoring her. After all, he is a Smith and she… is soone Sarah and Aiden accepted into their ho. But he gave her the rose and that ans that he cares about her, so they will probably still be friends even if he has no special feelings for her.
rve inhaled more than necessary and forced words to co out of her mouth: "You neglected so many tis that you can't rember all of them. That is why I painted this. This Corey is there for whenever I need him and you can't have him."
Corey panicked. Just what is this? He ca here to confess his love and to ask rve if she wants to date him, and it turned out that he is neglecting rve and hurting her in the process to the point of her creating his clone to comfort her? How can he confess now? But… can he leave it like this?
Corey was not sure what to do, so he decided on the first thing which ca to his mind.
He extended his arms and pulled rve into a hug.
rve stiffened and her arms were next to her body awkwardly. She and Corey are good friends and they are spending a lot of ti together, but they were never this close. This is closer than dancing! Definitely closer than dancing! Does that an that he likes her? No, he probably felt guilt because her mood fell and he is comforting her.
rve told herself to calm down. There must be a reason why Corey hugged her suddenly, and she is confident that he will explain himself any minute now… any minute… almost there.
Corey took a deep breath and her sweet scent filled his nostrils. "rve, the truth is that every ti I ca to the Cliffside villa, I wanted to see you, but others were asking for help and I can't say 'no'. There is nothing more to it. I am sorry that I hurt your feelings. Next ti, I will reject everyone with an explanation that I ca to see you."
rve exhaled. "There is no need to reject anyone. You are a kind person and you don't need to change."
Corey inched away and observed rve's expression. "But I want to change. If I'm hurting you, then I want to change."
rve smiled. "Thanks. Hearing that, makes happy."
rve realized that Corey is still holding her. They are so close that their noses are only a few inches apart.
"You can let go of now…" rve said awkwardly.
"Why? Are you uncomfortable?"
rve was not sure how to respond. Is she uncomfortable? She had many thoughts of Corey hugging her, but now that it's happening, she does not know what to do. Is this an I-like-you hug or we-are-friends hug? "Well, not really. But aren't we too close?"
"What if I want to get closer?" His voice was barely audible.
rve's eyes widened when she saw Corey inching closer. Two inches away… one and a half… one inch away… Oh, God! She closed her eyes and hoped that her heart will not jump out of her chest while waiting for the kiss to co. The real one, on the lips, which will prove that he likes her more than a friend and that she didn't imagine things… but the kiss didn't co. A few seconds passed and there was no kiss. Just what is this?!
rve opened her eyes, unsure how she feels about this situation. He is still close.
"rve, do you want to be my girlfriend?" Corey's breath splashed on rve's lips.
rve's head was buzzing. She is not sure if she responded, but she rembers that she smiled. And she probably responded because, in the next mont, Corey kissed her on the lips.
It was a short kiss. A small peck. And then he inched away.
"rve… you should hug and return my kiss. Otherwise, people will think I'm forcing myself on you." Corey said in a half-whisper. It sounded cool, but actually his insides churned from anxiety, and he was unable to muster the strength to speak properly because this is rve, the most beautiful girl in the world, in his arms, and he kissed her, and she didn't slap him. Great progress!
rve's arms moved robotically and wrapped around Corey. She repeated in her mind not to squish the rose which is still in her hand. That is the first ti Corey gave her a flower, and she wants to preserve it.
rve realized that she and Corey are hugging in the art gallery where many others are present and suddenly she beca aware of how tall he is, and how his body is firm. It felt nice and her belly was full of butterflies and rve rembered nurous tis she caught Ade and Hande hugging and being too close, and how much she scolded them for indecent behavior, but now she knows how good it feels and it's no wonder that those two youngsters are defying her persistently because this… there is nothing better than this.
Corey smiled and inched closer… and this ti, rve kissed him back.
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