Eleven Dates [COMPLETE]

Chapter VI: in which there's a strange painting

I pulled away. "Jake?"

"That's right. Are you ready? Do you want anything to drink or eat?"

I shook my head. "I just ate something."

"Okay, let's go." He offered me his arm and I slipped my hand through it feeling awkward and a little restricted. "I got us tickets for Black Panther. Is that okay?"

"It's great. I've been meaning to see it since it premiered." I'm a huge Marvel fan. There was not a single movie I hadn't seen. I had never been interested in comic books, but the movies were great.

Jake handed the tickets to the lady blocking the entrance and she let us through. The theater was completly empty, but we found our numbered seats anyways. The movie started at 5:30 and it was only 5:15, so we had time to talk. Jake was a year older than me and it turned out that he wanted to be a nurse.

"My mom is a nurse." I commented.

From there we started a back and forth sharing moment of crazy nurse stories. He told me about the weirdest things he had encounterd at his job and I shared the stories my mom has told me over the years. One time there was this girl that had climbed up a tree and slipped on the way up. She ended up impaling herself in a branch. The firemen had to move her to the hospital with the branch inside of her. I loved when my mom used to tell me all about her crazy stories. It was my guilt pleasure.

When the movie started Jake gave me a final smile and we fell silent.

Two and a half hours later the final scene after the credits ended and the lights turned up. I felt the adrenaline from the movie and jumped from my seat. "That was great!"

Jake also stands up and we walk to the exit. "Yes! It had just the right amount of action."

"Killmonger is to die for." I sighed, realizing what came out of my mouth a second later. I looked at Jake from the corner of my eye and found him laughing.

"Do you want to walk around for a while?" He asked.

"Sure." We headed out continuing the heated discussion of the movie. We managed to walk one block before the sky started to fall.

"The sky is falling!" I took a second to feel like Chicken Little before covering my head with both arms.

"My apartment is just around the corner!" He pointed to the street on the right. "We can hang out there until it stops raining!"

I nodded and he grabbed my hand to pull me in the right direction. We ran under the rain for two blocks. Jake stoped in front of a nice building and quickly opened the door.

"It's the third floor." He guided me to the stairs. "The elevator is not working, but we're almost there."

We climbed the stairs and he opened the second door to the left letting me walk in first.

"Bathroom is to the right." He pointed. "There are towels there. Do you want a shirt?"

"No, thanks. I'm not that wet." I walked to the bathroom. "Be right back."

I closed the door behind me and leaned my back against it. What just happened? Why did I agree to come here? He could be a serial killer for all I know. I barely know the guy. Maybe I should text Trevor to let him know we're I am. He would come pick me up. I sent the text with my location and finished drying my arms and face. I opened the door and walked out of the bathroom. From the hallway I could see part of the living room and Jake sitting in one of the sofas.

"You done?" He was still patting his hair dry. I gave up on mine the moment I saw it.

"Yes. Cool place you have here." I commented walking into the living room. It was cozy enough with a touch of college student. I looked around and noticed on my left a huge canvas. It covered most of the wall. With further inspection I realized that it was a face. Jake's face to be more specific. There was a caos of colors giving it a contemporary-abstract look, but it was definitely him. "Whoa, how did you get that painting?"

"I don't know." A dark look crossed his face.

"What?" I frowned confused.

"I don't know." He repeated looking around nervously. A few minutes go by in silence. I studied the painting more closely. I had a feeling there was more to it, but I couldn't quite catch it.

"You really don't know?" There must be a story behind that canvas.

"Yeah." He shrugged dismissively.

"Was it a birthday present or something? Did you have it specifically made?" I was intrigued. Jake could come up with any story but he refused to say anything. "At this point I'll believe anything. There is no way you don't know where the enormous canvas that decorates half your living room comes from. I had a stuffed rabbit when I was five and I perfectly know where it came from. I still have it back at home."

"Well good for you and your rabbit." He stated rudely. "But I don't know how I got it."

I looked at him unsure. My phone vibrated with a new text. Trevor was already here.

"Are you going to let this go?"

I stared at the painting. I could almost feel it staring back. The eyes of his portrait were full of secrets and Trevor was waiting for me.

"I don't think I can." I walked out of the apartment. This was too weird.

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What yo you think? Dakota just walked out without a second thought, lol.

Next update on Monday.

Regards,
A. L. Pecka