The day we saw forever

The art we watched together

Between 11.00 and 12.00
I find myself staring at one of the ugliest paintings I've ever seen. Maybe even the ugliest painting ever. Period. It's nothing more than a blob of color over an oddly shaped body. Presumably the body of a woman. Her face is distorted. It says the painter was inspired by works of Picasso but that is clearly an insult to a true artist.

'What do you think?' she asks. Her eyes are glued to the canvas. If I look closely I can see them shift. Searching the painting. It's impossible to tell what she's thinking. Her face is a perfect neutral. I much prefer looking at her than this horrific painting. What should I tell her? What if this painter is a friend or worse, a close relative.

'It's interesting,' I say without breaking face. Finally her eyes move on to me. She lifts an eyebrow. 'I mean... the coloring.' I quickly avert my eyes from her to the painting to take in the heavy tones of purple on top of red. Damnit, this is so ugly.

'It's shit.' She says, moving on to the next work of art.

A bit dazed, I follow her footsteps to a smaller painting of a landscape. Very medieval. Clearly by a different artist. The lack of color and the eye for detail gives it away. This one I like.

'Do you know any of these?' I ask carefully. Seems like a good question. Just in case I manage to offend one of these artists and it turns out to be her father or something.

'No. So you don't have to keep it in. Be honest.'

We move through the gallery for what feels like hours but really isn't. When we finally step outside the sun is high above us. The heat takes me off guard. I zip down my vest and stuff it in the backpack I took with me. Calli has the same idea. She takes of her yellow knitted vest and forcefully tries to maneuver it in her tiny shoulder-bag.

'Here, let me.' I take it from her hands and put in in my pack.

'Thanks,' her cheeks are a little reddish. 'Are you taking the same bus back?'

'Back?' I mumble. She took a thirty minute bus ride to the city so she could look at mediocre to crappy artwork only to head back an hour later. I shake my head. 'I have a better idea.'

'Please do tell, Max.' She cocks an eyebrow but her eyes betray the amusement she feels.

'I went to your art show,'

'Not exactly my art show but okay, go on.'

'As I was saying. I went to your art show,' a cheeky smile crosses my face. 'Now we do something I want to do.'

'Am I going to like this?' it seems like the question is more for herself than for me. She lets out a deep sigh. 'Fine. Let's go.'

I have this wonderful woman as my companion for the time being so I should come up with a killer plan. Something that amazes her. Why am I already coming up with ideas to win over her heart? When she starts walking and I watch the way her dress hugs her curves in all the right places, it sinks in. I want her to want me but more so, I want her to like me.

'Wait up!' I shriek. 'You don't even know where you're going.'

'Where we're going.' She says playfully.

'First we should eat.' I say as we pass a seemingly cozy restaurant. She nods.

We walk through the restaurant into the garden. There are a couple of other people enjoying their meals under the sun. We sit down at the far end of the garden. It doesn't take long for a waiter to come our way. Greeting us with menus.

'You have no idea what we're going to do now, do you?' She takes another bite from her sandwich. A few crumbs sit on the right corner of her mouth and I'm trying my hardest not to reach out over the table and brush them away with my fingers.

'I do.' I lie. I need to come up with something before she decides to go home. Let's go over the imaginary list again. Art, smoothies... is that it? I sneak another peek at her. She's fumbling with her napkin. She seems like an outdoorsy person. I can work with that.

'Are you going to tell me? Or are you going to keep it in your head.' She looks up.

'Fishing.' I blurt out.

'Fi...fishing?' the confusion on her face intensifies.

'Unless you really hate fishing.'

'I don't know,' she says. 'Never tried it.'

She takes out a small wallet from her bag and I immediately hold up a hand. The waiter is already on his way. It's like he smells money from all the way inside.

'I can't let you pay.' I try to sound chivalrous but all she does is laugh.

'We'll split it. It's not like we're on a date or anything.' I have to admit, those words sting a bit.

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Stay tuned for more! Writing this is bringing me so much joy right now! Hope it translates back to you. If it does, please vote, share, comment. Do all of the thingsssss :D