Temptation

Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Austin and I look at each other briefly before returning to our game of sorry. That was weird – and seriously, why the hell are her and Luke still together? I thought she would have broken up with him or something. How could he be so in love with her? I shake my head, and roll my eyes as I move my game piece.

                “Do you know what that was about?” I ask Austin.

                He gives me a small smile, and shakes his head no. I couldn’t – and didn’t understand what was up with Jenna, and honestly, I didn’t really care. She was an asshole – and she wasn’t my friend anymore. “Hey there lazy bones,” Alistair laughs, walking into the living room.

                “I’m not lazy, you just don’t let me work or anything!” Austin gripes, getting up, and leaving.

                “Jeez, what’s his problem…?”

                “He just told you!” I stand up, putting my hands on my hips. How could he give him an answer, and Alistair feel he got nothing out of it!

                “Whatever, I just don’t want him to get hurt – ”

                “Get hurt? Seriously, he already told me he smokes with you guys, so getting hurt isn’t a main concern obviously!” I remark.

                Alistair’s mouth pops open, then shuts. He shakes his head. “Look, you wanna go somewhere else? I have something I want to show you…” I think it over, and tell him to lead the way. He goes left where there is a bookshelf, and pushes it. It was a hidden door.

                I give him in inquisitive look, and he rushes me inside. “The guys don’t know about this.” He mutters.

                He picks up a carosen lamp, and lights it revealing a room full of… art. Paintings left and right here and there, some blank canvases, and a few easels. The ceilings were kind of low, and it was a bit draffy and dusty in here. There was a Victorian velvet love seat right in the middle. I looked around at all the paints. “These are beautiful,” I whisper, looking at a picture of a summery scenery. There was even a picture of a golden retriever sitting on a hill looking so beautiful and majestic.

                “You’re really good at this… you should sell some of your work…” I smile, I look around some more, and notice a picture that was covered up. I begin to remove the covering.

                “No! Wait,” I quickly throw the covering, and I am astonished. It was… me.

                “Well this is awkward…” Alistair says softly.

                It was me… kind of naked. Weird? Like in those really old pictures, like the girl from Titanic when Jack I think painted that girl in a robe or something. Alistair painted me like that. Nothing was shown though, but I looked way prettier than I actually was. My hair was draped around me, and my head was back as I ate some grapes.

                “It’s… nice.” I say awkwardly, covering it up, and smiling at Alistair. He smiles a bit too, but he looks slightly flushed.

Then my eyes flash over a long wide scar going up from his wrist to his inner forearm and up. “What’s that?” I point to his arm. He looks down, and he looks like he doesn’t really want to give me an answer.

                “Nothing,” he shrugs, turning away from me.

                “No seriously!” I grab his wrist, and turn it outward towards me. I gap at it, before looking up at him. “What…?”