sent {krii7y} ✓

xix

~*~ s m i i 7 y ~*~

the quiet ding of my phone sent a smile to my lips. i rolled from my back to my stomach and grabbed the device from the end table, clicking it on.

john k.
i'm here :)

i didn't bother responding, rather, rushed to grab my letterman jacket and make it to the door. "bye momma!" i shouted as i closed the front door, seeing the white car in my driveway. i saw john smiling and waving to me, which brought a smile to my face as well. i got into the car and was greeted with a minty smell.

"hey, lucas," john smiled, shifting into reverse. "i just wanna ask that you don't hate me for my art. it isn't the best, but you also have to promise not to be mad, okay?"

i let out a single chuckled and looked into my lap. "i promise, j. no need to apologize about your art."

the ride was fairly quiet, but it was a good quiet. after a few minutes, my hand slowly made it's way to john's knee, which attracted his eyes.

"i uh... is this okay?" i whispered, worried that i overstepped my bounds.

"no, i like it," he smiled, taking a hand from the wheel and resting it on top of mine. "is this okay?" i simply nodded.

when we arrived to the school, it was a lot more packed than i originally thought it was going to be. i knew people liked art, but i didn't realize it was this many people. we got out and met at the front of the car. our hands slid together naturally, and for once, i wasn't worried about anyone seeing us together.

"no no, this way," john chuckled, pulling my hand toward the opposite hallway i was headed. "that's where the band is performing later tonight."

"right, i knew that."

each painting was done so precisely, no mistakes. i could never imagine making anything close to the pictures hung up. who knew that there were so many artistic people in our classes?

"okay, please don't laugh, and please don't be mad, okay?" john mentioned again, looking away slightly.

before i could respond, we reached his painting. it was beautiful. a hill with lush grass and a waterfall coming from a cliff. the sunset was mostly pink, orange, and purple, and there was a field of flowers. it looked so realistic that i could have mistaken it for an photograph.

"john, you're fucking crazy if you think i would hate this, oh my god," i almost whispered.

"thanks," john chuckled. "but this wasn't the one i was talking about."

i turned around to his voice. "what do you..."

i audibly gasped. the air in my lungs escaped and it felt impossible to get it back. it was... it was me. he painted me. it was from a time we spent together at my house and he took a picture that i told him to delete, but he refused.

it was... it was perfect. i felt myself getting emotional, which i didn't like to do, but oh my god. it was... i was faced toward the viewer, smiling widely. it was a smile i never really showed to anyone apart from john, to be completely honest. he seemed to capture every single thing about me. as i stepped closer, he got every freckle, every imperfection, everything.

"john, i..." i didn't want to cry, but i couldn't stop myself. tears slipped past my eye lids, but i started to laugh. "oh my god."

"it's okay if you don't like it, i can ask the lady to take it down," john mumbled, rubbing his neck with a blush on his cheeks.

"it's perfect, are you crazy? oh my god..."

"are you sure that you aren't just saying that? i mean it when i say you don't have to lik-"