by GG Shalton
Trying to shake my feelings, I looked in the mirror to check my hair. I had pulled it up in a messy bun, but I was rethinking my choices. Maybe I should have worn more makeup? I pulled out my lip gloss and slid it over my lips, making them look fuller. Knowing I was going to see Jaxon today had left me nervous all morning. I’d actually changed my outfit three times and almost called Paisley to borrow her white skirt. I needed to get a hold of myself. I mean, it wasn’t a date. Bryce would be there too.
Checking myself in the mirror one more time, I put my lip gloss away and grabbed my notebook then headed inside. The coffee shop was crowded as I walked in, trying to look around the people in the entranceway. I finally noticed an arm waving and I squeezed through the crowd, headed toward the back.
Jaxon and Bryce were sitting in the corner booth on opposite sides and I hesitated, not knowing which side to sit on. I wanted to be close to Jaxon but didn’t want to appear presumptuous.
“Ariel, nice of you to join us. You’re late.” Jaxon looked at his watch and shook his head with a scowl.
“Barely.” I looked at my phone, seeing it was only fifteen minutes past time. “Besides, I had a longer drive than you.”
Jaxon scooted over and gave me the first indication that my choice was made, and I sat beside him. He smelled fresh and masculine. I breathed him in, enjoying the closeness as my thigh pressed against his.
Bryce moved the ketchup bottle to the side of the table so he could see me better. “We already ordered. Jax got you a Hawaiian burger with pineapple on it.”
I looked at Jaxon with a fake protest. “Pineapple on a burger?”
He tilted his head. “You like it on pizza.”
“Pizza is one thing. But a burger?” I teased. “That sounds gross.”
He shrugged. “I can order you something else.”
I chuckled. “I’m just kidding. I love pineapple on everything.”
Bryce lifted his brow as his eyes darted between us. “Is there something going on that I should know?”
We looked at each other, and Jaxon shrugged it off. “Ariel mentioned it one day.”
I opened my notebook and took my pen out of my bag. “Should we get started?”
We talked about President Truman until our food came. I enjoyed the burger and Jaxon’s satisfied looks as I chewed.
“Do you think we should copy some historical pictures to add to the presentation?” Bryce suggested as he stole some of my fries.
“Hey, eat your own.” I narrowed my eyes as I watched a smile spread across Bryce’s face.
“Yours look fresher,” he said as he took another.
Jaxon smacked his hand. “Let her eat.”
Bryce laughed as he rubbed his hand. “All right. I’ll see what kind of images I can find about Truman and paste a few of them on slides. I’ll send it to you tomorrow.” He wiped his hands on a napkin and scooted out of the booth. Taking out his wallet, he handed a ten-dollar bill to Jax. “Here, this is for me, I need to head out.”
Jaxon fist-bumped him.
Bryce looked at me. “See you at school.”
I watched him leave and gathered my notebook. “Do you think we have enough?”
Jaxon nodded. “I’ll throw some stuff together and send to you if you want to piece it together?”
“I can do that.” I turned toward him. “We need some kind of cover page.”
“I can draw us some cover art to get us started.”
“You can pay me when you’re ready,” the server said as she laid the bill on the table.
I reached for my purse, but Jaxon took out a twenty, along with Bryce’s ten, and handed it to her. “You can keep the change.”
I took out some cash and handed it to him.
He pushed it away. “I got it.”
“No.” I shoved it back at him.
“Ariel, I’m serious. You’re not paying.” He lost his smile and looked at me with finality.
“But—” He nudged me, and I stood. “But you paid for the pizza too.”
He shrugged and ignored me. I didn’t want him to pay for me. I knew he worked as a mechanic and I didn’t want to seem like a rich spoiled girl who expected people to pay for her.
I huffed loudly. “Fine, but it’s my treat next time.”
He nodded. “We’ll see.”
I drew my eyebrows together, but I let it go and put the cash back into my purse. We walked out of the restaurant, and he walked me to my car.
Turning toward him, when his eyes connected with mine, I had to look away. “Are you working today?”
“Not today. I have it off.” He stretched and I caught myself watching his muscles flex.
I quickly looked away, not wanting him to know I was staring. “Big plans?” I didn’t know what else to say, but I wasn’t quite ready to leave him.
“I thought I would go paint in the woods.” He looked around the parking lot for a second as a low rider car pulled in and held his attention for a second before he turned back to me. “Hope you have fun today.”
“Wait, did you say you paint in the woods?”
He grinned and a piece of hair fell into his eyes. “Sometimes. I find it a lot more entertaining than boating.”
I ignored his jab. “What do you paint?”
“Whatever I want to.” He lifted the corner of his mouth in a sneer that reminded me of a small child who just got their way.
I shook my head at his attempt to get under my skin. “I’d like to see what you paint sometime.”
He looked at me for a moment losing his smile. “Why not come with me today?”
My mouth fell open slightly as his words took me aback a little. I looked at the ground. “I can’t. I told you I have plans with my friends.”
“You can if you want to. Aren’t we friends?” He raised his brow challengingly.
“Some other time.” I opened the car door and sat in the front seat. He stepped away from the door as I closed it and rolled down my window. “Thank you for the burger.”
He lifted his chin. “Any time.”
I watched him walk toward his car. My heart pounded as I couldn’t look away, a feeling of loss invading me. What’s wrong with me? I closed my eyes as I tried not to change my mind. He looked back at me for a second as he reached his car. Without giving it much thought, I rolled down my car window again. “Jaxon!” He waved as I yelled, “Wait!”
A look of confusion swept across his face. I stepped out of my car, watching him walk back to me. Thoughts of Trace crossed through my mind. He would be upset and probably contact my parents, but I pushed that worry aside. Spending the day with all the drama of the group suddenly gave me a heavy feeling in my chest. I would rather be with Jaxon. Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself against the car.
He asked, “You okay?”
I smiled as I leaned back against the car. “Yeah, I just wanted to know where these woods are?”
He tilted his head as he studied my face. “Oh really? Did you change your mind?”
I nodded, and a look of triumph passed over his face. “Maybe.”
He smiled knowingly. “Come on. You won’t regret it. Leave your car here and I can drive you back. “
“You want me to leave my car?”
“It’ll be fine.”
I reached inside the car for my purse and locked it. “I just need to text my friends.”
“Sure. It’s not far from here.”
I got in his car, and he turned up the music as we rode. I watched the scenery go by as I thought about where we were going for a few minutes. Then I sent a quick text to Paisley and Gretchen.
Me: Sorry guys something unexpected came up. Catch you tomorrow.
I shifted in my seat, watching him drive. “Why do you paint in the woods?”
“I’ve always found pea
ce out there. An abandoned bridge fell apart and no one fixed it, so there are concrete boulders everywhere. It’s like having a clean slate. It’s almost like I feel a pull to paint on them.”
“You draw on the walls? Like graffiti?”
“Not exactly.” He snorted. “I don’t write about who’s blowing who in neon letters.” He shook his head. “It’s more like murals. I also paint at home or in the garage. I filled up a bridge not far from my home. Art is a big part of my life. My dad bought me my first set of crayons when I was two, and I drew constantly.”
“Wow! I can barely trace a picture, let alone paint.”
He laughed. “No one in my family likes art. But it’s an amazing feeling to create beauty out of nothing.”
“I like the way you make it sound.”
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “Sometimes I see beauty in things that don’t realize how beautiful they are. Some people are like that.”
I swallowed hard but didn’t comment. Is he talking about me? I looked out the window, unable to answer.
After a few minutes, I felt the car turn onto a dirt road, and I watched the tree line as we got closer. The road was bumpy, and we eventually came across a hill where he slowed the car and shut off the engine.
“We’ll have to walk now. It’s not too far up the path.”
I opened the car door as I watched him pop the trunk. He had a couple bags full of spray paint and a blanket with what looked like a few aprons attached.
“Let’s go.”
I followed him on the path through some trees. We walked for at least ten minutes, barely speaking as I took in the scenery. The path was worn, so I knew the area wasn’t completely abandoned, but it did feel a little eerie. All I could hear were the birds in the trees.
We finally went across a makeshift bridge and up another path, and that’s when I saw some concrete structures. Huge tunnels and a few buildings that looked as though they’d been abandoned years ago. As we approached, I looked inside one of the structures and my eyes widened. Beautiful artwork covered the insides of the tunnel. It was breathtaking. The attention to detail was nothing short of amazing. I thought he would be good, but I had never seen something like this. I touched one as it seemed life like. He had captured parts of the woods in his pictures, bringing it to life. How did you compliment something like this?
I glanced at him. “Are you kidding me? This almost looks fake.”
“Huh?” he said, looking unsure whether to smile or be mad.
I stared at him without knowing how to express how good his artwork was. He met my stare with raised brows. “Jaxon, you’re so talented. I had no idea.”
“What?” he teased. “You’re surprised someone like me could have talent?”
I shook my head. “That’s not what I meant. Can’t I just compliment you without you getting defensive?”
His face relaxed. “Sorry.”
“I meant that you’ve never mentioned your artwork before. Do you take art class at school?”
“Yeah, it’s my last period. I also take lessons once a week.”
“Have you sold any of your work?”
“Nah, but Mrs. Prescott said that she put me in for a scholarship to major in art at some college. She thinks I may have a good chance. My grades are good, and we’re working on my submission. But I don’t know.”
“How could you not get the scholarship?”
He looked at me for a minute. Running his fingers through his hair, he shifted visibly. “I got into trouble last year and served some jail time.”
“Jail?” My voice gave away my shock.
His shoulders sagged. “Nothing I’m proud of, but I want to be honest with you.” Turning toward me, he pressed his lips together. “I’m technically on probation and in a Second Chance program. If I do well, then the charges will be expunged. But I must stay in school and out of trouble. Mrs. Prescott says I still have a good chance of getting the scholarship.”
“What kind of trouble?” Although I didn’t fear being with Jaxon, I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened.
He looked down and took a seat on the concrete pipe near the structure. I sat beside him as he looked in his bag and fidgeted around for some paint.
“Some of the friends I grew up with started dealing drugs. They came to school wearing all the newest shoes and clothes that most of us could never afford. Eventually one of my friends bought a new car and asked me to ride along with him and a few of his dealer friends. They always paid for my food and bought me stuff too. They even bought me some shoes. My mom warned me to stay away from them, but I thought she didn’t know what she was talking about.” He put down the paint and twisted toward me. “I wasn’t innocent. My friend took me with them in case they needed extra muscle. But I didn’t deal the drugs.”
“What happened?”
“We were hanging out at his house, watching a movie, when the doorbell rang. It was the police, and they had a warrant. They found drugs in the refrigerator and arrested all of us. I had a joint in my pocket, so I got charged with possession, but my friends got into trouble for dealing. I was able to plead down to probation and a special program for first-time offenders. My probation will be up soon, but I need to stay clean if I want to have a chance at the scholarship.”
My mouth hung slightly open. “Wow.”
“Does it change your mind about hanging out with me?” He barely met my eyes before looking down.
I shrugged as I thought about everything he had told me. After a moment, I shook my head. “I don’t see you as the guy who always gets in fights. Definitely not a drug dealer.”
“What do you see?” His eyes were vulnerable, and it tugged at my heart.
“Someone who made a mistake.” I saw a lot more but was too shy to tell him.
“Yeah?“ He assessed me as if he was trying to gauge my reaction. “Most people would run.”
I nodded and was silent as I studied him. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad you came to Matter Point.”
“Me too,” he said quickly, not looking away from me.
I finally broke and looked at the paint, trying not to stare at him. Our conversation had taken on serious tone, and I was a little nervous. “Now, show me how you paint.”
He grinned as he took the spray paint and stood in front of a piece of concrete. He sprayed the concrete with intense concentration. I was amazed as he took different colors and some paint brushes, mixing spray paint with other paints as he smeared the colors across the stone. I noticed that he chewed on his lips and tilted his head as he studied the picture.
Not wanting to interrupt him, I stayed quiet, wondering how he’d learned to paint with such talent. I was mesmerized as he created art and shaped the picture to look like a flower. His body blocked my view, so I walked around him to see it better. I couldn’t help but smile as I slipped my phone out of my pocket and snapped a picture. He’d drawn a rose—a beautiful perfect rose.
“That’s stunning. I love roses.”
“Thank you.” He slanted his head as he studied the picture. “You’re the first person I’ve ever brought out here.”
“No way.” I looked at him, trying to figure him out. “You know, you can be quite charming when you aren’t trying to display your brooding face.”
He raised his brow seductively. “Oh, Miss Burns, I have many secret qualities.”
I looked away as my face heated up. He turned back toward the rose and used his brush to touch up a few spots.
“You should show people your work.”
“I show some of my work.” He put down the paint brush and stood back, admiring his rose. “Out here in the woods is my personal escape. I draw the mood I’m in. My other paintings, likes the ones at the mechanic shop, are more for other people. These portraits are for me. Except this one.” He looked at me and smiled. �
�This one is for you.”
“Thank you.” I stood in front of it, wishing I could take it with me. “It’s beautiful.”
He took a step and stood in front of me. “I’m glad you like it.”
I raised up on my tiptoes and gave him a peck on the cheek. “I’m keeping this picture.” My phone buzzed with a text message and I checked it. “Give me a second, it’s Gretchen.”
Gretchen: What? You have to come over. Trace is looking for you.
Me: Sorry. Have to bail today. It’s kind of personal and can’t talk about it. We can hang out next weekend.
I turned off my ringer and slipped my phone into my pocket as Jaxon cleaned up the paint.
“Do you have to go?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No. I told them I couldn’t make it today.”
He smiled. “Do you want to catch a movie?”
“Sure.” Wait? Is this, like, a date?
He cracked a half smile and put the bag over his shoulder. When he held out his hand, I took it, and he guided me down the path and back to the car. He opened the door for me then put the bag in the trunk. When he got inside, he turned up the radio and took off without saying anything.
After a few long minutes, he glanced at me. “There’s a movie theater in the old part of town that I like better than the new one. The old one has better seats.”
“That’s cool.” I lowered the window and enjoyed the breeze until I saw the theatre. “Can this be my treat please? I feel bad that you already paid for my breakfast.”
“Nope,” he said as he pulled into the parking lot and parked the car.
He hopped out of the car as I came around the front, and he took my hand again. Yep, this feels like a date.
The movie theatre wasn’t crowded and showed older run movies. We sat in the back, and I noticed that Jaxon stole a few glimpses of me as we watched the movie, but he didn’t hold my hand or try to kiss me. I was confused about how he felt about me, but the rose painting surely meant something? I tried not to overanalyze and just enjoy the moment, but I couldn’t help but wonder a little. We laughed at the same parts, and toward the end of the movie, I felt him rub my shoulder with his, but he didn’t look at me.