My hand began to move on there own as mind was flooded with insecurities that is didn't even knew existed. New feelings that I never really experienced before. My mind was racing and my hand was telling its story.

I was lost in the paper. I was lost in the pencil. I was lost in myself.

When my mind finally calmed, I snapped out of the trance I was in and looked down at what I drew.

It was woman sitting with her legs to the side. Her arm reached out as if to touch something. In her chest there was an empty space where her heart should be. Half her face was gone, like it was crumbling away. Like an old statue slowly falling apart. And the side of her face that was still there, had a sad smile with a sadness in her one eye that could break your heart. As if she was finally letting go, but not because she wanted to, because she had to.

"That looks beautiful, Meloni." Tate said from beside me. I jumped at his presence. He was sitting the chair that I was in. How long was he sitting there?

"Were you there the hole time?" I asked. His hand slowly reached out and for a second I'd thought he would grab my hand but instead he grabbed the paper and stared at the drawing.

"Yes. You seemed peaceful, yet bothered. The look on your face was..." he glanced up from the paper for a second and the brought his gaze back down ".....mesmerizing. Once I looked at you, I couldn't look away."

I sat there shocked. He called me mesmerizing.

"This'll do, little owl." He said with a huff. He got up from the chair and began to make his way over to his painting station he had set up.

While he began to paint, I walked aimlessly around art room. Everything was exactly where they were the last time I was here. Almost as if he didn't even enter the room since then. But there was one difference.....

"Tate?" I whispered, not sure if he could hear me.

"Hmm?" He said half heartedly.

"Where are the paintings from last time?" I asked as I turned toward him. I could see him stop for a moment. He took a breath and began painting again. Was it really that difficult of a question.

"I put them away." Was all he said. His focus was back on the painting.

I winced that he didn't want to talk about it, so decided to drop it.

I slowly walked up to him and watched his side view. And I was utterly speechless by his beauty.

His eyes were furrowed with focus, as he watched every brush stroke he made.

His usual 'on guard' demeanor was relaxed and concentrated. He seemed at peace but focus.

It was a side of him I loved to see.

He began to stop what he was doing moving the undone painting to the side. I looked over at it on the floor and noticed it didn't really look like my drawing, but we did just start.

He walked over to another corner and grabbed a canvas.

He looked it over then walked over to me and set it at my feet. "Alright, go ahead and sketch the drawing on this canvas so I can have an outline."

Wait, then what was he working on before? "Huh? Then what's that one over there? You know the one I was watching you do for the last 30 minutes." I said slightly irritated. I looked over at the painting and saw an unfinished tree with an empty space in the middle. What was he painting?

"Oh. That's a hole other thing I'm working on. Now get to it, little owl. We ain't got all day." He pulled a pencil out of a pouch in his apron and threw down to me.

I rolled my eyes and gave no response. As I redrew the drawing I could feel his stare on me. I stayed looking at the paper as I asked,"Is there something you want, Tate?" I came out a little harsher than intended.

A quietness filled the room before he spoke, "Why do you like me?"

My whole bod halted. And my head shot up at him. "What?" I was genuinely hoping I heard him wrong.

"You heard me. Why doe you like me?" His face seemed nonchalant and unbothered, while his eyes were ablaze with curiosity and mischief. He wanted to see me sweat. And it's working.

I stayed quiet and began to draw faster. Just ignore it and move as fast as possible.

"Don't rush. If you did youll have to redo it. It has to be a good outline, in order for me to paint and good painting." He said.

He was right. But I really didn't want to stay here for too long. Especially, after that question. Who knows what could happen.

I began to slow down but still had a steady tempo, where I could be done quicker.

"Meloni." He whispered.

My head jerked up he was laying down in front of me. Face to face. A jolt of pure pleasure at his closeness cause me to put too much pressure on the pencil. I broke it.

My eyes stayed on Tate. I was too scared to look away.

"The pencil broke." I said. His eyes darted down at the broken pencil. He brought his gaze back to mine, with a slight smirk gracing his lips.

"I can see that." He said. I couldn't help but stare at his lips. So soft. So sweet. So....close.

"Are you gonna answer my question, little owl?" He said sweetly. His voice was low and soft. As of there were other people in the room and he wanted only me to hear it.

"I didn't necessarily like you in the beginning, I had a major crush on you tho. I found you to be...." My words trails off as I began to look at the rest of his face. What a masterpiece. Though, he still had a few bruises and cuts here and there, it did nothing to his looks.

"Focus, little owl. Found me to be?" H e said. My eyes went to his. He really wanted to know.

"Attractive. Handsome. So at first, it was just attraction." I said honestly.

"What changed?" He said as he grabbed a strand of my hair that escaped from my ponytail, and tucked it behind my ear. I always hated the fact that my unruly natural hair never wanted to say in a pony tail. There would always be a strand or two ready to escape.

But this is the first time I was happy that my hair betrayed me. His hand slowly went down my fore head and lightly touched my cheek, before he tucked the strand behind my ear.

"I've always found your hair to be beautiful, especially when you where it in a.... What is it called?" He asked questioningly.

"An Afro?" I suggested. And he nodded.

"You natural hair is curly and unruly, but there is beauty about it that would make any man fall to his knees." He said. His gaze so intense.

I never thought much about my looks. There were days where I would throw on whatever was comfortable and put my hair in and up do or a pony. It was very rare that I would wear my hair out. Don't get me wrong I loved my hair. But I was never really taught how to manage it. My dad didn't really know how either, he's been bald most his life.

It was meant to be something a mother and daughter should share together. But clearly my mother-

"Little owl?" His hand touched between my eyebrow and pressed on them. The touch pulled me out of my thoughts. I must've had them furrowed.

I pushed the thought of my mother out of my mind. I focused back on Tate. "I didn't think you notice." I said.

"Just because I don't comment on it, doesn't mean I don't notice." He said. My heart slammed against my chest at the comment. I was completely regretting not caring about my looks more.

"Now, what changed?" He said.

I looked at him confused.

"What changed from attraction to you likings me?"

Ah. Back to the original topic. I'll be honest I don't think I really had an answer. "I think it's when you and your brothers kept trying to get back in Becks good graces." I said. The more o thought about the more it made since.

He looked at me confused. "The way you were willing to be patient with her. Respect her space. But still be persistent enough that she couldn't help but fall back in love with you guys. It always made my heart swell, to know that people loved someone that much." I said

"But does that mean you like my brothers too?" He said with an arched eyes brow. I giggle escaped me and I shook my head no.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Tim, but I barely ever see him due to the fact that he practices more than he breathes. And I can't stand Mike. But there was something different about you. I expected you to be one of those quiet brooding types but you kind of surprised me." I said.

"How?" He asked.

"You were cheeky, mischievous, cocky, funny, patient, loving. Much more than what anyone says you were. And though you were a pain in my ass, I wanted to know more about you. And as I got to know more, I started to like like you." I said. I could feel my cheeks warm and my heart was basically doing the cha cha in my chest.

His eyebrows were furrowed as he stared at me. Like he was upset. "What's wro-"

Before I could finish he grabbed the back of my neck and slammed his lips on mine.

Here we go again.