An Artistic Duo

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Thursday, August 8 thru Friday, August 9

"Students, if you have not yet picked up your cover sheet for your piece, please do so by the end of tomorrow. Also make sure that your piece is in the Center House by the end of tomorrow. I hope you're all finished with your pieces..."

I glared at Eli as the intercom finished. "We don't even have until the end of camp," I said.

"Well," he said and smiled at me, mischief in his eyes. "I guess we're pulling an all-nighter."

"Eli, we're in the school. If we get caught, we're dead," I reminded him. "You may have forgotten about the strikes but Marcus probably hasn't."

He shrugged. "But we gotta get a move on this," he said. "And I'm sure it'll be fine."

I nodded with consent and looked back at my painting. He was right, we needed to work. For a couple more hours we worked, but with talking and laughing too. Somewhere along the way we stopped whispering, as no one had come to check on us yet. It seemed that the school was completely empty except for us.

"Hey Eli..."

"Yeah?" He asked and looked at me.

"I think I'm painting a portrait," I muttered. I hadn't realized it before, but I was drawing someone, and I'm pretty sure it was Eli.

"Thank God," he said, breathing a sigh of relief.

I turned to him and raised my eyebrow. "What?"

"I don't know when it happened but I'm painting you, Lace," he explained.

That sparked my interest. How did Eli see me? Was the painting good?

My curiosity was too much. "Maybe it's time we see each others painting..." I suggested, trying my best to seem cool about it.

Eli half smiled. "Are you ready for this?"

I smirked. "I think you should be asking yourself that same question."

His eyes sparkled and he stepped closer to me so that our chests were barely touching. "Are you challenging me?" He whispered.

I made sure to keep my gaze focused on his; I could show no sign of weakness. But it was so hard. I was literally breathing him in, and I get intoxicated by his smell. How did he smell and feel so good?

"No, I'm just saying, I'm good at what I do. I don't want you to get blown away," I glanced at his lips. No! I needed to stop. I focused back on his eyes (not much better but focusing on his angel lips was worse).

He noticed me look though, and instead of saying anything he leaned down. My eyes fluttered shut to kiss him, but after awhile I realized he wasn't moving.

"Eli, I'm almost begging-"

"You're right."

"Huh?" I asked. He was going crazy. But then I realized he was looking at my side, bedazzlement etched on his face. He liked it.

I smiled like an idiot. I don't know why but for some reason I thought that maybe he would think it's terrible, and think we had no chance. Yeah, I'm confident in my skills but there was still that seed of doubt. His approval made all of that go away, though.

I breathed a sigh and looked at my side, trying to see what he saw. The edge of my painting started out with splashes and patches of colors, mostly purple and red and angry colors. The strokes were hard and fast looking, like I had done them in a hot rage.