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“Well, when you say it like that” You roll your eyes at hi his hand up to cover his mouth

The two people in front of you turn around to look at you, both of therown eyebrows are drawn together at the base of her wrinkled forehead Her hair is a ray and black, and she looks like a total badass She also looks like she wants to kill you for interrupting her sketching of fruit The woman next to her reaches over and rubs her hand across the other one’s back, slowly and lovingly The annoyed one’s eyes soften iesture She leans into the wo the way her annoyance quickly vanished at the touch of her partner You can’t even remember the last tile person who could calle for over a year—not that you’ve exactly been looking Your last relationship wasn’t the best, and by the tinized yourself Since then you’ve e, dropped out of college, and enrolled again You’re spending your ti another person into your life would be productive in your journey

“I’uy beside you says, and you almost believe him

You know better, though, you remind yourself

“You’re judgingyou His British accent is thick, and he speaks quickly, pointedly

You clear your throat “What? I a to the instructor’s words

The charer moves from his spot and stands in front of you, between you and the easel “You so are” He ain and keeps it as he continues: “I can see it in your eyes; you’re trying to find things wrong with me I suspect you do this a lot”

What the hell? Who does he think he is? You’re immediately defensive despite his wide smile and soft blue eyes “That’s a pretty heavy assuer”

He pats the seat of your stool with his hand, and you sit down He continues to stand in front of you, closer now “We aren’t strangers We’ve been friends for at least”—he looks down at his bare wrist as if he earing a watch—“five minutes”

Your defenses lower, and you can’t help but sers pluck out a pencil from the tray on the easel, and he looks at you

“Okay, friend,” you goad hi to need to know more about you before I let you draw me”

He seeain You’ve never htly envious of him; you can’t remember the last time you smiled as , it’s odd, and he’s doing it again

“Ask away” He raises his hands like he’s surrendering, and you pull your lip between your teeth in concentration You have no fucking clue what to ask him

You glance around the roo to think of som

ething you would like to know about hied, and they all look similar Not in skin color or specific features, really, but they all seem like they have absolutely nowhere else to be They are relaxed, no one is checking their s sandals You think about how remarkable it is that this place, only a bit north of Hollywood, is so different from it You like it

“Waiting” He interrupts your people-watching

You look at him “Your name?”

He sits down on the stool, still holding the pencil “Is that a question?” he teases

Sarcasticyou like this about him

“Yes”

“Daniel, and yours?”

You tell him your name while you think of the next question

“Where are you from?” you ask

He raises his hand to the paper and drags the tip of the pencil across the blank white sheet He drahat looks like a half-moon; his pencilfor him to answer

A few seconds tick by and he still hasn’t answered He’s e, completely enthralled by his work

“Hello?” You re for his response

“I agreed to let you get to know me,” he says matter-of-factly “Not to let you ask questions that you aren’t even trying to ”

Then he laughs again

You stare at hiet to know so them where they are from or their name I expected more froer at you the way your dad used to You try not to laugh, but fail hter feels unusual, even slightly unco with tall, handsome men in art classes you’ve randomly chosen to attend