CHAPTER THREE
Aria's POV
I jumped off him like he was on fire,brushing invincible dust off my shirt. " I would have gotten up, if you weren't holding onto me so tight".
He laughed. Laughed.
Like this was all some adorable joke.
" Are you always like this?' he asked, amused.
I blinked. " 'Always like this?' What do you mean 'always like this?' Do we know each other?".
That smile. That damn tilted head.
And then-- boom.
It hit me.
My mouth dropped open. "You!" I said , dramatically pointing at him.
" As if last night wasn't enough, are you here to ruin my morning too?."
He leaned casually against the wall, like he had all the time in the world. " Why do you think i'm here for you?"
I narrowed my eyes. " I don't know. You tell me!"
He chuckled again, the kind of laugh that said he wasn't insulted in the slightest. The kind of laugh that made me feel seen, which I absolutely did not ask for.
" I work here," he said finally, casually glancing around.
"Ohh you work here." I nodded repeatedly trying to make sure I heard that correctly.
It took me a minute to process that information and finally I yelled... "You...what?"
" You heard it right, I work here" he said as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a small folder. Inside was a visitor pass and a list of pieces--an artist submission.
I froze, clenching on the small envelope I was still holding and looked up at him. a smirk plastered on his face
" You are a painter?" I asked, the disbelief dripping off every word.
He looked at me like the answer should have been obvious. " Well, yeah. And you must be the storm in human form."
I was too stunned to reply.
He was grinning at me like the universe had handed him a personal joke and he was dying to let me in on it.
I, on the other hand, was stuck somewhere between mildly freaking out and emotionally glitching. My brain couldn't keep up. First, he shows up at the gallery, then he catches me in an accidental swoon-fall moment, and now he's standing here like this is all normal. Like we're old friends instead of accidental storm acquaintances with unresolved sarcasm tension.
He tilted his head slightly, still smiling. " I must say... you've got an eye for good art.'
I blinked at him. hard. " What is that supposed to mean?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead, he pointed at the painting behind me.
The painting.
I turned, heart dropping to my stomach. No. No way.
" Don't tell me..." I started, then turned back towards him, suspicion rising, " That's yours?"
He nodded.
Just a quiet, confident yes.
I stared at the painting-- my painting--the one I'd been secretly obsessed with for months. The one I thought no one even noticed.
my jaw might have hit the floor.
" You painted that?" I asked, slower this time, as if maybe hearing it again would make it sound less insane.
He nodded again, more amused now. " Years ago. I didn't think anyone even looked at it"
I looked back at the piece, suddenly seeing it differently. The way the strokes felt unfinished, the heavy grey smudges, the rawness--it made sense now. It was him. Mysterious, quiet, slightly infuriating. it was so him, and somehow I had been emotionally attached to it without even realizing why.
" I've been staring at this for months", I said, half to myself.
"I know", he replied. " I've seen you."
I whipped around. "Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow
He gave me a casual shrug. "I've dropped by a few times. Never said anything."
My mouth opened. Closed. Opened again. I was a malfunctioning vending machine of reactions.
" So you've been spying at me?"
"I'd call it...passive observation," he said with a straight face.
Passive observation? is he being serious right now? I thought to myself. "Does that mean you knew who I was the other night?" I sternly asked. A slow smile crept up his face as he nodded...
I groaned and turned back to the painting, not because I wanted to but because I didn't trust myself to look at him without spontaneously combusting.
" Are you always this annoying?" I muttered.
"Only when I meet someone interesting."
My cheeks flushed at his slight remark--treacherous things--and I prayed he didn't notice... of course he did, just then he leaned closer and whispered into my ear " See you around Aria". I spun around quickly and saw him grinning away still facing me. "How did he know my name?" I muttered silently.
It was as if he heard me, coz just then he made a face towards my shirt, which is when I realized... I had my tag on " damn it" I seethed and covered it quickly--as if it is of any use now...
" By the way, I'm Elijah", he winked with that stupid grin still on his face and I watched him walk out of sight, still confused beyond words as to what just happened...