Beauty on the Canvas

Mike froze in shock as Serena's fingers wrapped loosely around his wrist.

'wait is she awake? 'but how? Dud she realised that.. I-I brought her here?'

Thoughts swirled chaotically in his mind. He cautiously glanced at Serena's face — her eyes remained closed, her breathing steady.

Still unsure, Mike whispered,

"M-Miss Serena... are you awake?"

No response.

Her hand stayed in place, but her grip wasn't strong — barely more than a faint hold. Mike couldn't make sense of it. Carefully, he eased his wrist free.

Her hand dropped limply by the sofa's edge. She shifted, curling into a fetal position, her face peaceful. Mike sighed in relief. 'should I watch over her all night...or just sleep?'

"Well... I guess I should stay nearby... just in case," he muttered with a small smile.

Quietly, he slipped into his room and returned with his sketchbook and some pencils.

The next morning, golden sunlight crept into the apartment, warming the room. Serena stirred, stretching her body like a cat. Half-asleep, she turned over — only to tumble off the sofa.

"Ow..." she mumbled groggily.

As she blinked her sleepy eyes, she felt something... pleasant. Soft warmth lingered near her left side.'what the?... Did I roll off the bed? And what's this besides me?

Curious, she turned her head — and froze.

It was Mike. His face was inches from hers, his peaceful breathing brushing gently against her skin. Her heart skipped a beat.

A warm blush rose from her cheeks to her neck.

'wh-why is he here...so close?'

Embarrassed, Serena instinctively wanted to pull away — yet for some reason, she didn't. Something inside her kept her still. She lay there quietly, staring at Mike's sleeping face. His calm expression... his faint smile... it felt oddly comforting.

Her white hair slid across her face, but she didn't bother moving it.

"BANG! BANG! POP! SCREAMS! THUD! POP! SCREAMS! BANG!! BOOM!!!"

The sudden, thunderous noise shook the living room,it felt like they were in a warfare. Serena flinched and bolted upright, her heart racing.

"Wh-what is this?! Are we... at war?!" she cried, looking around in a panic. Mike groaned as he slowly sat up, still half-asleep. Seeing Serena's panicked face made him chuckle softly.

"Miss... relax, That's just my alarm." He grabbed his phone from the floor and silenced the chaotic noise.

"You... Bastard!!" Serena snapped, glaring at him. "Who the fuck sets an alarm like that!?"

"Well, I do..."

She clenched her fist and gave him a light smack on the head."You better change that alarm before I end up having a heart attack!"

Mike winced, rubbing his head.

"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "I'll change it..."

Neither of them seemed to notice how close they still were — their knees nearly touching. Serena's glare softened, her irritation fading.

Suddenly, she blinked and asked.

"Wait... why am I in the living room?"

Mike yawned and stretched. "You were sleepwalking again," he explained casually. "I found you in the kitchen, mumbling something about... I dunno, 'grilled cheese' or something."

Serena's face reddened slightly in embarrassment.

'I figured you'd be safer on the sofa, so... I brought you here," Mike continued. "I didn't want to leave you alone, so I... um... stayed close."

His words lingered in the air. Serena felt her cheeks grow warmer. Before she could respond, Mike suddenly reached toward her waist.

"Hey...!"

Serena stammered, shifting back until her back hit the sofa's leg.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

But instead of her waist, Mike reached past her and grabbed something behind her — his sketchbook and pencil. "Oh..." Serena mumbled, feeling silly for overreacting.

"Miss," Mike said, flipping open the sketchbook, 'I have something... interesting to show you."

Curious, Serena leaned closer as Mike turned the pages. He stopped at one and held it up to her.

"What do you think?"

Serena's eyes widened.

The drawing was of her — curled up on the sofa in her peaceful, sleeping pose. The delicate pencil strokes captured every detail — the curve of her body, the softness in her expression, even the way her hair spilled across the cushion. It was mesmerizing.

"You... d-drew this? But... when?"

Mike chuckled. 'Last night. When I brought you here, you just looked... really peaceful like that. I couldn't resist drawing you. Took me all night, but I think it turned out pretty good."

Serena stared at the sketch again, feeling something stir inside her — admiration, respect... and something else she couldn't quite place.

"You... really spent all night drawing this?" she asked softly. Mike scratched the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Yeah... I guess I kinda got carried away."

For a moment, Serena didn't know what to say. Then, without warning, she smiled — a rare, genuine smile. "...It's beautiful," she said quietly.

Mike looked at her carefully, it was first time seeing her giving a genuine smile to anyone. He hesitantly asked her. "Y-you really mean it?"

Serena titled her head a little and said. "Yes, I mean it. It's very beautiful."

Mike wasn't sure how to respond at first. Serena — the soulless beauty as people often called her was actually complimenting his drawing. If his friends found out, they'd lose their minds.

Before he could process her words, Serena added with a teasing smirk, "At first, I thought you were just making excuses about that adult magazine you claimed you used for drawing references. But it seems... you really do know how to draw."

Mike chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah... see? Told you I wasn't just being a creep."

Serena's eyes shifted down to the sketchbook resting on her lap. Curiosity flickered in her gaze as she began flipping through the pages. Each drawing revealed something new detailed sketches of random objects, streets, faces, and people. Some were unfinished, while others had intricate shading that made the figures appear almost lifelike.

"Oh... these are your friends?" Serena asked, stopping at a group sketch.

Mike scooted closer, sitting beside her on the floor. "Yeah," he nodded. "I drew that one in the cafeteria a few months ago."

"Amazing," she muttered softly, genuinely impressed.

She turned a few more pages, taking her time to admire the precision of each piece. Most of the sketches were human figures capturing different expressions, postures, and emotions. Each stroke showed Mike's dedication to his art. Serena couldn't help but be impressed.

Then she stumbled upon a particular drawing.

It was Amy.

Amy — Mike's classmate, she was one of the most well-known girls at school. After Serena, Amy was easily the second most popular, especially among the boys. With her charming smile and bubbly personality, Amy drew attention wherever she went.

Mike glanced at the drawing and casually commented, "Oh... this one? I drew that last week."

"Hmm... I see," Serena muttered indifferently and turned the page without much thought.

But then she stopped again.

This time, the sketch wasn't just a simple pencil drawing - it was a detailed, colored figure drawing of Amy. Her golden-brown hair seemed to shine on the page, her delicate features captured with remarkable precision. Her curves in the school uniform made it even more appealing. The subtle blending of colors gave her skin a soft glow, and her smile and hairs seemed almost real. Every detail — from the curve of her lips to the feets of her, had been drawn with care.

Serena's fingers hovered over the page. Her eyes lingered on the drawing, her once-amused expression fading into something quieter... colder.

"Miss?" Mike asked, noticing her sudden shift in mood. "What's wrong?"

"...Nothing," Serena muttered, her voice strangely flat. She snapped the sketchbook shut and handed it back to him.

Mike accepted it, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"You sure?" he pressed, his tone lighter now. "Because you suddenly look like someone just stole your dessert."

"I'm fine," Serena snapped back, turning her face away. That's when it clicked for Mike. A sly grin crept onto his face.

"Wait...Miss... are you... jealous?"

Serena's head snapped toward him, her icy glare locking onto his smug expression. she shot back, her tone defensive.

"Why would I be jealous?"

"Oh, I dunno...Maybe because of that Amy drawing?"

Serena scoffed. "Please," she said with forced confidence. "Why would I be jealous of her?"

"Well..." Mike leaned in a little closer, teasing her as he whispered."That drawing had a lot of detail... I mean... I must've spent hours perfecting her face, her smile, her clothes, her curv–"