✰ ✰

"𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞"

My hand continued to fly back and forth between the various coloured paints.

I made a conscious effort not to be distracted by Roman's scrutiny. How his cold eyes watched my every move and how he was relaxed and laid back, it made me think he was just that comfortable around me.

My gaze was drawn back and forth between his face while I finished my work.

Darkening the region's on the canvas, surging angular points on his sharpened edges, such as his jaw, which was firmly strong, then advancing higher towards his hollow cheeks.

I moved towards his defined, straight nose, perfectly blended with his features. Then I brushed across his cheekbones, which was high and pointed.

With thinner and smaller brushes, I painted his arched, flawlessly sculpted brows, making sure each hair was in its proper place.

When I added an extra tint to his lips, I saw that the typical red colour was slightly glossy since he had formally licked his lips, so I included that effect as well.

His raven curls tumble down onto his forehead, with a few single pieces falling into his eyes.

I used a pencil to draw his eyes. Shaping them into the typical narrow slit, and a thinner brush to paint the long eyelashes he was so graciously endowed with.

My hand moved towards the green shade I had mixed, to blend the adjustment to his amber eyes.

I dotted the colour onto the canvas and merged it with the brown, being careful not to overmix it and make it seem sloppy but just enough to make it look like his natural eye colour.

I laid my brush down and sighed contentedly after finishing the rest of the finishing touches.

My gaze swept the formerly blank canvas, taking in the work that my hands and paints had performed.

I grinned and shifted my gaze away from the artwork, tilting my head up at Roman. "Are you ready to see?"

He imitated my action by nodding with a slight tilt to his lips, similar to the one I had portrayed in the painting.

I adjusted the canvas so he could see it properly and turned it towards him. I stood nervously behind the artwork, watching his reaction.

His golden gaze lingered longingly on it.

He curled his lips to the side and nodded, "It's good."

I gave him a bright smile and went over to stand next to him to see it from his perspective. I examined it and nodded, tilting my head to the side.

"Well, it'll do for my first time,"

"First time?" He questioned.

"Well, I haven't painted a literal person before so..."

As he gazed up at me, my eyes stared into his, and he studied me as if searching for something that wasn't there.

He returned them to my eyes, their emptiness making me question whether if he could feel anything at all.

But I was told otherwise when he smiled, although it was a small one, it was enough for me.

"I'm glad I was your first." He said and stood up from his seat, making me take a step back.

I gave a hesitant look and gazed at my feet, replying, "Me too," with a little smile of my own.

"I have to go, Ella."

His voice came out softer, the icy tone still there, but the gentle tone in his voice was present.

"Okay," I replied and moved away from him.

I stepped up to the window and unlocked it, widening the doors to enable him access.

I swung around when I sensed him approaching. My arms flung from my side and went around his waist, hugging him and resting my cheek against his chest.

He wrapped his arms around me, he seemed to have gotten used to my constant hugs now.

He squeezed the side of my waist and brought his lips to my ear, "I'll see you Saturday."

"You're not going to be at school?" I asked, frowning.

He shook his head and stared at my lips, "I'm heading out of town."

"Why?" I asked, confused. His lips tilted to the side again while he looked at my own.

"Business, Ella,"

I nodded slowly, understanding what he meant.

Moving away from him, he stepped in front of the window and easily jumped out.

I closed the windows with a final wave and took one last look at his retreating figure before turning around and beginning to clean up.

✰

Saturday rolled around quickly.

Apart from the conflict that erupted, the week passed uneventfully. Rumours began to circulate that Nicolo had killed the boy, who was, by the way, Damian.

Yes, the boy with who I had become acquainted turned out to be the same person who had made a bet with his friend to get me to fuck him.

Because of the fight, when word got out that he had died, everyone assumed it was Nicolo. Damian's friends, on the other hand, confirmed that he died of a collapsed lung.

So, Nicolo was off the hook. Even still, if something was pointed at Nico, my father would simply deal with it.

Apart from that, everything went smoothly. The incident was quickly forgotten as other irrelevant topics flooded our college's gossip walls.

It was now Saturday, and I was feeling a lot more energised if you can call it that. I'm just a little excited to see Roman again, I suppose.

I hadn't realised how close I'd gotten to him in such a short amount of time, until now. He also seemed to dominate the majority of my thoughts, which told me more than it needed to.

My feet easily fit into my heels, which I strapped sealed and stood up from the bed.

The snug crimson dress rested nearly perfectly on my body, draping down past my knee with a mid-slit on the side that exposed my upper thigh. And I supposedly might have picked out this dress because of the colour, crimson being Roman's favourite.

My hair was pulled back into a half-up, half-down style, with a few strands falling to the side of my face.

As usual, my make-up was light and fresh.

I slipped out of my room and down the stairs after retrieving my small clutch purse.

Everyone was at the front doors already, Uncle Andre here as well.

I approached Nicolo and stood by his side, and he grinned as he turned his attention to me.

"Well, you look nice," I remarked, patting his tailored chest with a mischievous smile.

He scowled and removed his ray bans, staring me in the eyes.

"I always look nice," He tucked his glasses in his suit jacket, "thank you very much."

"I know you do, you're my twin after all," I said, giggling and swatting his arm.

He grinned and tossed his arm lightly over my shoulder.

"Why are you wearing glasses by the way? It's literally dark out..." I mention giving him a weird look.

"It makes me look cool," He mumbled and looked away.

I giggled and turned towards the three other members that had walked in.

I looked over at my parents, who were dressed nicely, my mother in an outfit similar to mine. And my father dressed similarly to Nico and Uncle Dre, all in a basic black suit.

"Everyone ready?" Uncle Andre asked, his gaze falling on all of us.

The guards opened the doors after we nodded, and I was the first to go. My heels clicked against the floorboards as I made it outside and into the dark.

Nicolo joined me, walking over towards one of the cars that were taking us.

Nicolo and I had our car, and when the driver opened the doors for us, I was the first to get in. My brother followed in suit, and the driver closed the door behind him.

I sat comfortably in my seat and adjusted my dress as the driver started up the car. Nicolo sat across from me, staring out the window, while I mirrored his movements.

As we drove towards our city, my eyes followed the car's motions, the normal paced speed as we exited our grounds and entered the back streets.

I stared out the window, my thoughts glumly started to think about what could happen tonight.

Yet, completely unaware of what will happen.