All I see ✔️

CHAPTER 33

Aaron

I have been on a roller coaster before. The inevitable rush, the impending fall- every second of it lighting a spark in my veins. One minute you're up in the air, grabbing onto the handles of your ride, every breath a tickle of anticipation and then for a split second you're on top. Waiting, and thinking ...this is it. And then you're falling down, down, down. The wind roaring in your ears, the smell of metal and excitement sweet on your tongue and you can think of nothing else, except the deafening roar of the crowd and your own heart thrumming in your chest.

The next few days feel the same. By now, Lexie coming over to study is just an excuse for us to make out. It's the same feeling with her; the hours before she comes, I spend in an impatient haze with only her on my mind. When she leaves, there is this gaping hole in my chest; want. I want more of her, I always do. Every second in my wake, there's just a swish of blonde hair and dark lips in my heart.

It's a surprise we've managed to finish seventy percent of her syllabus for the tests, because the maximum we go without touching each other or mauling our faces off is a lousy fifteen minutes. It's a good thing she's a fast learner or else she'd be lucky to score a D next time on her test.

Logan is sprawled beside me on the couch, half of his body on the verge of crashing to the floor and the other half barely holding it up. He's on the phone with Hunter and Nate, talking about the Boytoy draft. They seem to be pretty excited about strutting around half naked on a ramp.

The weather is a killer today. Even though there's no sun visible in the sky, the climate decided to drop us a shit load of humidity. I don't have any t-shirt on yet I feel clammy and a trickle of sweat drips down from the nape of my neck. Lexie is fifteen minutes late and every second she is late, takes away a sliver of my patience.

"What color do you want to wear?" Logan asks, his voice muffled from lying face down on the couch.

"I don't know Lo, what does it matter?" I say, irritated.

Logan flips me off and returns to his call, "He's a bit cranky today, he's yet to get his daily dose of kissus from Lexie, so put him on dark blue."

There's a chorus of laughter spilling through the phone and my pillow hits Logan smack on the head. The laughter doesn't stop.

Ten minutes later, I am still surfing through the TV channels looking for anything worth watching. Why is Legally Blonde and Jurassic Park on TV, everyday? I love both of them but I think I can recite the whole movies with the amount of times I have been forced to watch them. It's Sunday today, isn't Sunday supposed to be a good family TV time?

I settle on the Jurassic Park just as my phone rings. It's probably Lexie, I think and pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Good morning," A gravelly voice greets me, "Am I talking to Aaron Richards?"

"Yes."

"Oh good, good. I am Harry Cortland, speaking from Shells art gallery."

My heart stops beating at the mention of Shells. This conversation is either going to go very well or abhorrently terrible.

"Okay..."

"You submitted a painting around two weeks ago, for our annual Summer Exhibit, am I right?"

I clear my throat and answer, "Yes, sir."

"Oh don't bother with formalities, just call me Harry."

"Okay Si-Harry."

"Yeah, so as I was saying. You sent in a painting and Mr Hamilton loved it. Absolutely adored your work, kid."

"Thank you," I almost choke on my words, waiting for the words I want to hear.

If Hamilton loves your work, then you've got what it takes to be on top. Hearing these words is like a dream come true. I hear a doorbell ring in the background and shove Logan off the couch to go get the door. He glares at me but goes and gets the door anyway.

"So you know the rules, right?"

"Yes, but I am not so sure about all of it," I say, scratching the back of my neck.

"Oh no worries, no worries! You have to send in another canvas based on a theme we've set aside for you, which is..." I hear a shuffle of paper behind him, "Yearning. Your theme is yearning."

Whoever said this would be easy peazy lemon squeezy, clearly has no idea about what the actual fuck that phrase means.

"Yearning. Okay, okay I understand," I grit through my teeth.

"Don't worry about it kid, I am sure you'll be more than fine."

I jump out of my skin when warm hands wrap around my torso from behind. I turn around to find Lexie, grinning a dark pink smile at me. Her hair is scrunched up in a messy bun and strands of blonde hair kissing her cheeks.

"Yes sir, I'll do it. Thank you so much."

"Aaron, you do know the prize, don't you?"

Something about the tone of his voice makes my heart stop inside my chest. Lexie, detecting it too, glances up at me with concerned eyes.

"What is it?"

"If people like your painting, they can buy it," A small pause, "Fifty grand."

I pinch the inside of my wrist to make sure I am real and present right here, at this moment and not in some faraway dream land.

"Are you there? Hello?"

"Y-Yes, Sir I am here. I was just shocked to hear it, that's all."

"Did you hear what I said?"

"Fifty grand? Relly?"

Lexie mouths a 'what happened' at me and I shake my head, wrapping my arms tightly around her.

"Well, kid. I know it's a lot but I also know you'll be able to live up to it. I'll send you the submission details via email. The event is on twenty seventh May. Good luck."

"Thank you."

The phone goes dead on the other side and everything around me is silent. The whirring of the fan is the only sound in the room, and in my mind.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" Logan walks over to me, worry in his eyes.

I stare at the dark phone screen for what feels like hours before I say, "I need to go paint."

"What?"

I give him an unfaltering grin, "I got selected for Shells."

Both of their eyes go wide with excitement and Lexie jumps up in my arms, wrapping her legs around me, "Oh my God, I am so happy for you, we definitely have to celebrate!"

She slams her lips on mine and I can hear Logan grunting behind us.

"Jesus, I need holy water for my eyes."

"Shut up" I whine in Lexie's mouth and the sound of her laughter carries us to my room.

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Hey I am sorry I am two days late. I had a few entrance tests (which I tanked lol) so I couldnt upload. Anyway, what do you think of  Aaron's phone call?