I removed my blindfold, when I felt like there was nothing else I could do to my painting. I tilted my head from side to side, but I still couldn’t tell what I had done. The colors were blended well, although I hadn’t done it purposefully.
“It looks terrible.”
“Nah, it’s just abstract.”
“That’s being too kind.”
He chuckled. “So, did you have fun doing it?”
My thoughts swirled back to the kiss. “Yes.”
“Then that’s all that matters.” He pulled a thin black sharpie from his pocket and held it out to me. “Now you have to sign it.”
I groaned. “Really?”
“Yes. That’s the rule.”
“Fine.” I signed the bottom corner with my name and date. I didn’t have big plans for it, but I would remember this night and not just because I was covered in paint, including my hair.
“You ready to paint now?”
“Yes. I have just the thing in mind.”
“And what’s that?”
“You’ll see.” Instead of letting me get all the paint for him, he pulled out a fresh paper plate and put his colors of choice. When he was all set, he cleaned my brush, then started with cream paint. “You think you can manage the blindfold?”
“Yes, but you have to crouch down a little.”
He did as I asked and just like he had, I placed the tie over his eyes, then tied it in the back. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
“No clue.”
I turned his shoulders toward the brand new canvas and placed his left hand onto the canvas as he had done for me.
Each time I had to touch him it was torture. I had to avoid touching my lips before, but now that he couldn’t see, nothing stopped me from doing it.
If I closed my eyes, it was like his lips were on mine again and my cheeks flushed. This was bad. How would I concentrate on our business arrangements and finish tutoring if I had these thoughts?
But what was more, was he had kissed me first. What did that mean? Did he have feelings? And while I think he truly was sorry for not asking, did that mean he wouldn’t try again?
Did I want him to?
No matter how hard I tried to answer one question, ten more popped into my thoughts, confusing me even more. And would it change how he saw the situation?
I had been thinking about what he said yesterday about Andrea not believing it was real. And even in that moment I knew he was right but didn’t want to admit it.
I would need to have her see us in person for it to work, but would he want to after that? Were we just swept up with everything?
I liked it, but that didn’t mean I had feelings for him. Did it?
Focus on helping him.
“Want any more paint?”
“Do I have a lot moving around or minimal?”
“I’d say minimal.”
“Then yes, but not a lot.”
“Okay.” I helped guide his hand to the cream paint, but only let him get a little before returning him to the canvas.
“So why did you settle on painting, instead of something else? It said to create, we could have baked cookies or something.”
“Well, that would require a kitchen, which by the speed to which you bolted from your house yesterday, made me think you wouldn’t want to use yours and we couldn’t use mine, so that was out.”
“Okay, well we could have colored.”
“That feels like cheating. And I remember what you said about being creative. You were creative today and I think you secretly loved it.”
I nibbled the bottom of my lip. Damn him for being right. It had been nice to paint without expectation.
“Fine. I did, but my painting is still far from good.”
“So? Wasn’t the point. You created something. I’d say that’s a win. Okay, next color.”
He switched to teal and used it mostly at the bottom of the canvas. I had no idea how he stayed within the sections of the canvas he wanted. It was almost like he could see it, but I kept checking if he could and he never reacted. I did the chicken dance, made goofy faces, everything I thought would cause a response and nothing happened, so he must have just intuitively known, which irritated me. Of course, he’d be good at instruments and singing and now painting too.
“I haven’t seen the book in a few days, are we halfway through the dates? We only have two weeks left before graduation.”
“We’re on track. I haven’t sat and counted, but I’d say we’re in a good place.”
That was such a non-answer. How many more did we have? “So, I was thinking …”
“Okay.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Wow. About what?”
“About Andrea. I think she won’t believe the pictures alone.”
“Ah. So you have a plan?”
“Well, what if you go with me when I meet her to show her the adventure book? She can meet you, see that it’s real then I win.”
“And what if she wants us to kiss or prove it?”
I gulped. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
“I think it’s likely that she would expect something.”
I frowned. “Then I have no idea. I’m not just going to kiss you for her benefit. She can imagine my first kiss anyway she pleases; she doesn’t need to be privy to the truth.”
“Wait, what?”
My hand clasped over my mouth. Did I just say that? Yikes. I didn’t want him to know that. Just act natural. “More paint?”
“What? No, Marley.” He reached out with his left hand as he held the brush in his right. Then he slipped the tie off his right eye. “Did you say your first kiss?”
My gaze averted to the ground. “Um.”
This time he removed the whole thing. “Was that your first kiss?” His gaze searched my face.
“Yes.” I picked at the red paint on my hand, trying to peel it off.
“I had no idea.”
And now he really would understand that he had made a mistake and another kiss would surely be out of the cards.
“It’s fine. You have to finish your painting.”
He opened his mouth, and then closed it like a goldfish. He nodded once, then pushed the tie back over his eyes.
He didn’t mention the kiss again, but I could feel it sitting between us—a weight on my chest.
* * *
Wyatt dropped me off two hours later and as soon as I crossed the threshold, I ran to my room. Luckily neither of my parents were in the family room because I needed to unpack it all with Sage.
Once my bedroom door was closed and my radio was turned on for background noise, I placed the painting against the wall then plopped on my bed and video chatted her.
It rang twice, before she picked up.
“Hey, what’s … Woah! What happened to you?”
I puffed out my breath, letting a piece of hair that had wiggled out of my hairband flutter. “My date with Wyatt.”
“You’re covered in paint.” She gasped. “Was that a paint war? Oh my gosh, I need details.”
My cheeks reddened.
“Something happened.” Her phone waved around crazily, then settled back on her face, screams muddled by the movement.
“He decided today should be the create something blindfolded and he settled on painting. He drove me to this wheat field and had set it all up for us before picking me up. I painted blindfolded first.”
“Wait. Blindfolded? That is so hot.” Sage grinned. “Continue.”
“And I guess I had gotten his cheek by accident and so he retaliated and put it on my cheek. I might have retaliated back.”
“Ooh, paint fight. Okay.”
“And we ended up wrestling for one of the tubes of paint and it ended up against his chest.” I covered my face with my free hand, unable to make eye contact with her when I said, “And we kissed.”
Sage screamed again and again. “You had your first kiss! Ahh! Wait, how was it? Too much tongue or saliva or sweet and gentle and toe curling?”
“Woah. First of all, thank you for all those lovely mental images, but secondly, Sage, we kissed. This is colossally bad.”
“Nope, stop. We aren’t analyzing it yet. I want to know how he kissed you. God, I bet it was sexy as hell. His lips are so kissable anyway, but—”
“Sage, focus! I’m panicking here.”
Sage pulled it together and switched her expression to one of composure and grace. “I’m listening.”
I had to stifle a giggle. I didn’t know how she could do that so quickly. “The kiss was magical. His lips were soft and I don’t think it was even that fancy, but now … well, now, I can’t deny I liked it. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
“So? That’s a good sign. Ah! Mar, I’m so proud of you. And with that hunk? Nicely done.”
“But, no. It hasn’t changed anything, if anything, it made it more impossible.”
Sage frowned. “How?”
“Well, for a minute it seemed like he had really been into the kiss too, but then it all switched. He kept apologizing for not asking me if it was okay and that I had said no PDA, he literally put space between us.” I glanced down. “And then, I accidentally let it slip it was my first kiss?”
Sage’s eyes widened. “How does that just slip out?”
“I was rambling? I was nervous, it just popped out in one long thought and then I couldn’t take it back.” I laid back on my bed. “This is bad, Sage.”
“It is not, we just have to figure out a few things first, then I can help you get out of it.”
“How?” I sighed. “I won’t be able to look at him tomorrow.”
“Yes, you can, but you have to be honest with yourself first.”
“What do you mean?”
“How do you really feel about him? You said you liked it, but does that mean you’d want it to happen again?”
My insides flipped. “I don’t know. Doesn’t that seem a little too soon to decide on? There are so many factors that go against the possibility.”
“So what? You have to figure out what you’d want, because until you do, then it’s hard to pick a course of action.”
I groaned. “I have no clue on what that answer would be.”
“So, wait and see what happens. You still have lots of time together this week with studying for finals and the dates, right?”
I nodded.
“So, see how you feel about it. And if the moment presents itself, lean in and kiss him again.” She winked at me.
I shook my head. “You just want us together.”
“I want my best friend happy. If it happens to be with him, well, I can get behind that.”
“Yeah, uh huh, sure. Well, I’m going to shower now. This paint will be murder getting out.”
“Love you and good luck!”
“Love ya too,” I said, then hit End.
I had hoped a phone call with Sage would make things clear, but they felt muddier. How was a kiss responsible for all these unanswered questions?