chapter 6
Chapter 6
Friday rolled in with chaotic energy and not enough dry shampoo
Mia had convinced herself she was calm cool collected but her brain was spinning like a loading screen
She was going to paint in front of Jamie
And not like casual doodle painting
No
This was paint-and-sip where the lighting was moodier than a Lana Del Rey album and everyone secretly tried to make their art go viral
Kai and Zach picked her up because Mia had declared herself "too emotionally compromised" to take public transportation without spiraling
When she slid into the backseat with her tiny canvas tote and way too much mascara on, Kai turned around and gave her a look
"The winged eyeliner says confident bad bitch but the jittery foot says feral raccoon energy"
"She's both," Zach added, merging way too aggressively
"A rare but powerful combo. I respect it"
"You two are so loud for people who don't have first dates today," Mia muttered, but her smile betrayed her
"Who said we don't?" Zach replied casually, glancing at Kai with a little smirk
Kai raised an eyebrow right back, sipping his boba like it was tea
"Yeah, Zach and I are in our enemies-to-lovers era," he said, nonchalant
"Real slow burn. Deep character development. Minimal kissing. Max sarcasm."
Zach grinned
"Speak for yourself. I've been secretly in love with you since the 7th grade spelling bee when you called me a 'human Golden Retriever with bad taste in sneakers'"
Kai blinked
"Wait are you-"
"Joking. Probably. Maybe," he said, shrugging
Mia in the backseat just stared at them like she was watching a sitcom plot unfold in real time
"I swear if you two start fake-dating before I get a real boyfriend I'm setting fire to this whole friend group"
They arrived at the studio where everything smelled like paint and wine and poor life choices
Jamie was already there, leaning against the check-in counter in that annoyingly casual way
He looked up, caught Mia's eyes, and gave her that smile
That smile that made her stomach do full somersaults
"Hey," he said
"Artist Mia has arrived. Ready to roast my brush technique?"
"I came prepared," she said, holding up her tiny bag
"Palette knives, backup sponge, and my ego in case yours needs bruising"
He laughed, low and warm
"You're dangerous"
"I get that a lot"
They took their spots in front of blank canvases while Kai and Zach wandered off to explore the wine table like it was a buffet
Jamie poured her a glass
Not too full
Like he already knew she'd get distracted mid-paint and almost knock it over
They started painting
The instructor was this quirky lady with bright pink hair who kept saying things like "paint with your emotions not your brain"
Which was ironic because Mia's emotions were all yelling about Jamie's forearms and the way his hair flopped perfectly every time he tilted his head
Meanwhile Kai and Zach had taken over a tiny table in the corner and were pretending they weren't flirting
Except Mia kept catching glances
Like when Kai flicked a tiny drop of paint at Zach and he pretended to be personally victimized
Or when he leaned in to whisper something that made him choke on his wine
Or when their hands brushed and neither of them pulled away for a suspicious amount of time
"I feel like I should be concerned," Mia said quietly to Jamie
He looked over
"Oh yeah they're either gonna start dating or end up on a reality show. No in-between"
"You're very calm about this for someone who just watched two of your friends start slow-burning in public"
Jamie glanced at her
"Maybe I'm just a little distracted"
That did it
That tiny sentence
The way he said it so casual but his eyes were soft and warm and focused on her
Mia nearly dropped her paintbrush
Again
They kept painting
She ended up with this slightly chaotic but surprisingly cute abstract heart piece
Jamie painted a mountain scene that was way too good for someone who claimed he "barely paints"
He noticed her suspicious squint
"I used to watercolor. My grandma taught me," he said
"I peaked in 8th grade though so don't get impressed too fast"
"Too late," she said
"You said grandma. That's hot."
Jamie laughed so hard he snorted and then immediately turned red
She felt like she won a prize
By the end of the night they had matching smears of paint on their faces
Her cheeks hurt from smiling
Kai and Zach were still circling each other like emotionally constipated soulmates
And when Jamie walked her to the car, he paused right before she got in
"I had fun," he said
"That sounds dumb but like... I had actual fun. The kind that makes you forget your brain's usually on fire"
Mia looked up at him
"Me too. Like in a weirdly calm serotonin kind of way"
They stood there for a second
No pressure
Just vibes
Then Jamie leaned in and kissed her
Soft and sure
Like he wasn't rushing
Like he meant it
When she finally got in the car
Kai immediately screamed
"YOU KISSED. I KNEW IT"
Zach just grinned
"Love is in the air and honestly it's a little gross but I support it"
Mia couldn't stop smiling
She leaned her head back
Watched the city lights blur past
And thought
Okay. This might actually be something
And she wasn't even that scared anymore.