M
ta against me. I stuffed my hands in my coat pockets and walked faster, but
er wasn't exactly helping. Five days. That's all I had left before I had
at I didn't even see the person
ry!" I blurte
kind of nice, framed by messy brown curls. He lo
th, like one of those guys in movies wh
eling my face heat up.
ling. "Almost walked i
eyes flicked to the sketchpad
at," he said, tilt
paint. But, y'kn
d love to see yo
g, he handed me his phone.
ected. But I did it an
ay," he said as he
ay
, Maya. Hope your
e that. I stood there for a seco
lly the best smell in the world. James was already sitting
nto the seat across from him. "I
totally just spent ten minutes repl
u look like you haven't s
rt? I lost my job. My rent is due in five days. And,
ng gone. "Maya, why didn't you tell me?
en though a tiny part of me kind
st like that, his face brightened. "Oh! Speaki
brow. "Good new
reat." He grinned.
t. You got a
big deal. He's hosting an
. "An art
u should tota
d. "Yeah
e a ton of paintings just sitting around. This could
or real artists. People who actually know w
ically. "You're doin
t th
d, rolling his eyes. "Maya, your art is a
if no one likes it? What
y. "And even if you do, so
offee, watching
ou have five days. Wha
nt. A really anno
" I mu
in
my arms. "But only because I'm
d. "That's
a canvas leaning against the wall. It was one of my
his rea
uzzed. I p
ed over today. Hope you made it to wherever you we
mil
made it, barely. And maybe I
fore I could
is never normal-a knock
. Too late
mach t
eck could
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