"Okay," Sophie breathed. "I think I get it now."
"Yeah . . ." Tam gave a curt nod and hid his expression beneath his bangs. The only thing Sophie could make out was his rosy cheeks. "It's different."
They headed back downstairs, only to find that Linh had finished off the plate of snacks. "Saying it's different is an understatement."
Tam rolled his eyes as they sat back down.
Sophie nodded and bit her lip. "So, I was thinking that we do a canvas with the canvas split into four sections, your style in two parts, mine in another two, to resemble the differences."
"Yeah, sure."
Linh smiled and hopped up, going to grab more snacks.
Their project idea was settled.
It was the weekend, but Sophie enjoyed art. And she really wanted to get a good mark on this specific project.
She sketched out what she wanted to draw, bursts of colour and technique.
Sophie practiced a lot, hoping her hand wouldn't wobble or mess anything up.
The next day, Sophie headed over to Tam's, to get their project done before the due date, so they had time to critique and adjust their work.
She had a bunch of canvases and art supplies tucked beneath her arms, and she clumsily got let in by Linh, who was kind enough to help her carry some stuff.
"You're really into art, aren't you?" Linh smiled as she helped her and Tam get set up in the art room.
"If you want to put it that way . . ." Sophie nodded as she organized a few things on the table and pushed a few strands of her hair away from her face. "I suppose so. But Linh, aren't you doing this project too?"
"I asked her that too," Tam explained lightly.
"I'm not a copycat," Linh said sheepishly, but she wasn't. She was quite the opposite.
"True," Sophie said, smiling as she finished organizing. "Now Linh, you have to go so you don't copy us," She teased.
Linh smiled and playfully bumped her shoulder as she went out the door.
"Let's plan it out then," Tam smiled at his twin as she pretended she wasn't watching them at all.
They traced their designs onto the canvas. It took them hours.
They didn't even get to the painting part when her parents called, wanting her back home.
"I have to go," Sophie mumbled, gathering all her supplies together. She accidentally dropped a pencil, so she bent down to pick it up when Tam's fingers brushed hers as he handed it to her.
Sophie mustered a quick thanks and hurried downstairs and out the door without saying goodbye.
They were just friends. Two friends, working on an art project.
Sophie had gone to bed and cleaned up, deciding to go outside the next day.
She tugged on an itchy eyelash as she got up and changed, staring out her window at the bright, blue sky.
Sophie tucked her phone away and ate breakfast alone while her parents left for work. She finished up her warm pancakes and washed her dishes.
Sophie slowly made her way out the door and locked it, strolling quietly down the sidewalk.
What was it with her and Tam?
It was just art. An art project.
And they were two friends, doing it together. With Linh on backup.
She got lost in her thoughts, and before she knew it, she had tripped and landed on a fellow neighbour's lawn.
"Oops! Sorry, Sophie!" A cold voice sneered.
Sophie got up and dusted herself off as she glared at Stina, who held a canvas in her arms.
"Can you just leave me alone?" Sophie asked, annoyed at her little antics.
"Want to see my art project with Jensi instead?" She asked, ignoring Sophie's question.
Stina turned the canvas around with the smile of a witch, only to show Sophie and Tam's idea, recreated almost exactly.