Between The Sketches (discontinued.. )

Six Something : Four.

*Picking up right where we left off. Re-read if you need too.*

Such a dumbass.

Those three words circled Zinnia's mind for the past ten minutes. She locked herself out of the apartment. Sad, but what makes it ten times worse is she left her phone; so she has no idea if her parents called her or not. By the flickering lights in the hall, it's a definite assumption that the storm hasn't ceased.

Zipping up his raincoat, it'd be insane of him not to take photographs of the sky tonight. Summer's thunderstorms are so beautiful.

He already finished he's sketch of the beautiful stranger. He's very pleased with his creation but also very disappointed. He feels weird and creepy for even creating that masterpiece. But she is a masterpiece, and he can't hang her on a wall or staple her to his sketchbook.

He grabs his polaroid camera as well as his digital camera. He walks towards the door in a haste. He unlocks the door and walks out to the flickering lights.

And down the hall there is his masterpiece. He's knees become weak and he felt his cheeks becoming shy.

Turn around, go back inside, he thinks to himself. But the view from his window can't compare to the view from outside. He holds his head up high, thinking maybe I'll walk super fast, because she hasn't noticed me yet.

Yes, if he walks super fast he'll make it to the elevator without any eye contact, like the one in the lobby. Her eyes saw right through his facade and he hated it but loved it simultaneously.

He begins to walk forward and his sneakers make a squeak sound and Zinnia raises her head in his direction. She couldn't hold back her smile as he looked down at his feet. He looks everywhere, and around and quickly walks past her.

Her eyes follow him and she frowns, say hi. Say something! She pushes herself in her mind, but it's not working. Her lips won't open. Why bother him. I talk way to much anyway, he probably thinks I'm weird and stupid.

Just say hi, do it! Do it! "H-hi... Hi!" She croaks out. He stops in his tracks, shakes his head and continues walking towards the elevator.

Egg on her face, she mumbles to herself. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." She turns to face the wall, banging her head slightly.

The elevator door opens with a ding, but instead of walking inside of it he feels the need to talk to Zinnia. He turns around slowly and sees her banging her head on the wall. He smiles in his mind and approaches her.

Slowly, but surely he's right beside her. He opens his mouth and the words get caught by the wind. Zinnia is way to busy giving herself a concussion to realize mister mysterious is beside her.

He inhales. "Zinnia?" He says in a tone equivalent to a whisper, but she hears him. She stops what she's doing and looks up at him. He's breathing heavy out of nervousness.

He clears his throat and looks down then back at her. "You said your name is Zinnia?" Her name, his words, sound foreign to her ears.

She's imagined how his voice sounds plenty of times, but imagination and real life are two different things. She stares at him. She stares way to long and he starts to regret talking to her in the first place. Was this a mistake, this was a mistake. This is a mistake.

"Yeah." She says, then smiles. "Yeah, that's me." Way to go, who do you think you are That's So Raven. "It's weird isn't it, my parents—"

"Zinnia." He repeats. "Like the flower?"

This conversation only started minutes ago, but it feels weird. But his presence. It's so intriguing to her. And his voice is so masculine yet so soft.

"Uh-huh." She looks down at his hands, seeing a few tattoos. He quickly shoves his hands in his pockets and she looks back up at him. "What's—um. You have a name? Well of course you do, everyone does. Gosh I'm so dumb." She pauses, and wets her lips nervously. "What's your name?"

It's unbelievable to the fact that he even started a conversation. The words weren't even thought of, they just eased out. Now this question she asked, oh that question of hers, will never be answered. His name was dropped awhile ago, from his idea of memory. It's on papers and bills, but to him it's nothing but letters pushed together that he refuses to be labeled by. 

"Don't have one." He shifts his eyes around. She laughs and he connects with her gaze again.

"Well, of course you do. Everyone..." She stops herself. Her parents taught her a thing or two about comparing people. Even though they compare people all the time, she learned not to. He's not everyone, clearly. "Okay. So what can I—"

The lights flicker on and then off, again. And that quickly reminds him that he has picture to take before the storm disappears. He opens his mouth to say bye, but then shuts his lips. He gives her a downward head nod and turns around to walk towards the elevator. Finally being able to breath again.

She watches him for a moment as he walks awkwardly away towards the elevator. Ever get the feeling of wanting more, wanting to know what's the feel but the wall of a demeanor so cold and unwelcoming is shutting you out. Shutting you out as if you're peaking through a window and the blinds shut that second.

The flow of his words replayed in her mind over and over, his lips opening and moving is all she could see. This is more than some conversation, this is meant to be. Not him and her, well it is him and her.

The storm causing her parents to not be home. Locked out of her apartment, no phone or anything to keep her distracted. From the very first moment she engaged conversations and interest with him, everything had a reason. Everything had a reason leading up to this very moment. Hello opportunity Zinnia hears you knocking.

She's seen him before, but this this is different. She's older, a little wiser. She feels the need not to judge a book by its cover anymore. And this connection she's feeling she just can't ignore it.

Oh, yes wait a minute opportunity. When the elevator opens the only ding she hears is an idea brewing.

"Hey!" She calls out. "Hey, um..." She jogs over to him, and he pauses. "You um, have the time?"

The elevators doors shut. He has no choice but to stand here with her. He pushed his sleeve up a little and reveals his wrist. She glances at the time, as well as his tattoos.

6:44. It's 6:44 p.m.

"Okay..." She breaths. Zinnia seconds thinks this chance, but who is she not to be adventurous. "Okay, look. This is weird, I'm weird but." She looks back her door, then at him again, nervously moving around. "It's weird, really really weird of me to even think this." She moves her hands in the motion.

He nods waiting for her, anxiously he's waiting, for her to speak.

"I'm locked out, and I'm kind gonna' be here for like—I don't know— really long." She laughs nervously. "Let me shut up and cut to the chase." She sighs and keeps in mind what Rachel told her something new, something new. "I would like to get to know you, if that's okay... With you?"