"Ice cream is just what I need," Madeline said as we walked into the ice cream shop. I got a double dip vanilla with reeses pieces in a cup and Madeline got a cup of Sherbet ice cream. We took a seat by the window after paying for our ice cream.
"How's your mom?" I asked. Madeline's mom was diagnose with breast cancer a month ago and during that first week, Madeline was sad and depressed.
"Good, really good, we're all just thankful that we caught it early, so if she just do what she needs to do everything will be alright," Madeline smiled whipping her tears.
"I'm so happy to hear that," I smiled clapping my hands, Madeline mom is like a mother to me so her getting cancer affect me too, and I'm just happy to hear good news.
"Ok, enough with that because I don't want to start crying," Madeline said waving her face, "What's been happening with you and Sebastian? Have you gone on a date yet?"
"No, I haven't seen him since the pool party but we've been texting and talking on the phone like...a lot," I smiled looking out the window, "he's a really cool dude."
"Cool as in, him being your boyfriend, or cool as in him just being a friend?" Madeline asked.
"Both I guess, I wouldn't mind just being friends because I really don't see the difference...."
"Sunni, there is a difference, you don't fuck your friends," Madeline said and my face turned full disgust mode.
"Then what is friends with benefits?" I asked eating the rest of my ice cream.
"People who are in denial about there true feelings," Madeline said and I slowly nod.
"Well, that's not me and I truly think right now we're just friends and I'm totally fine with that," I said tossing my cup in the trash, "did I tell you his an artist?"
"Yeah, apparently his good at it?" Madeline said and I nod.
"He's having an art show coming up, want to go with me?" I asked and Madeline looked at me shocked, "what?"
"You asking me to go somewhere? Oh my gosh, I never thought I will see the day you will drag me into an event."
"Are you coming or not?"
"Yeah, of course."
"Great!"
————————
"Oh come on, bitch!" Madeline said hopping into the car and I rolled my eyes, "where the fuck you be hiding these clothes at because I go through your closet and this wasn't up in there." I was picking her up to go to the art show for Sebastian, I told my mother about it and so she gave me a fitted floor length black dressed with sparkling spaghetti straps from somewhere inside the house.
"Apparently, my mom has a secret stash of clothing for me," I said running my hands through my curls.
"Your mother needs to hook me up," Madeline said placing lip gloss on her lips as I turned my music back on which bruno mars was coming out the speaker.
"Is this all you listen too?" Madeline asked glancing at me.
"Bruno mars is the only thing you need to listen too," I said as Versace on the Floor came on, "he gives you everything, party songs, in your feelings songs, love songs, make you feel good songs, sad songs, everything!"
"You can sing every words to every song he ever created, huh?"
"Maybe not all of them, but yeah."
"You're obsess with him," Madeline said but at the same time lip singing the words to the song.
"Maybe a little," I laughed then we both start singing our hearts out as we drove the rest of the way to the art museum. I was definitely in a good mood when we got there with all the Bruno Mars, so I was more excited to see Sebastian again.
"What if he actually sucks and you are talking to the worst artist in the world?" Madeline said making us both stop for a moment and look at each other in thought.
"Might be the worst artist but his face is a work of art," I said pointing at her.
"You are the most positive person ever. You're so innocent."
"If you read Sebastian and I texts message, it will change your mind on that," I said as we continue up the stairs.
"I will definitely want to see how your weird ass flirt with boys," Madeline laughed and I pushed her.
"I'm not weird," I pout crossing my arms.
"Only weirdos would say that."
"Just stop talking and let's go in," I said quickly walking towards the building and went in, leaving Madeline a few steps behind me. The placed was pack with people walking around looking at the art when I walked into the room. From a quick scan of the room the painting I saw was amazing and I couldn't wait to see them up close and what was Sebastian.
"Oh this is nice," Madeline said coming to my side and I nod, a server walked by with glasses of wine and offered us one and we both took one and thanked him.
"Do you see him?" Madeline asked scanning the room.
"No..." I said scanning the room as well until I saw him talking to a group of what looks to be important people. He's eyes contact to mine and I quickly blushed, a smirk appeared on his face tilting his glass to me and I waved, "he's busy, let's go look at the art." I dragged Madeline to the first room.
(Sebastian POV)
"You ready, son?" My mother said when I walked into the living where my parents where waiting.
"How I look?"
"Great, the blue suit make your eyes pop," mom said kissing my cheek, "I love it."
"Thank you," I said hugging her.
"You nervous? This is a big night for you," my father said coming to join us, "some big art collectors are coming to this art show."
"Of course I'm nervous, but I'm not going to let that stop me," I said taking a breath and my father smile.
"That's my boy! Your work is amazing so you should be getting a couple of check today," dad said patting my shoulder and I smiled. It's not really about the money, I just want someday someone who loved my father work tell me that my work is just as good or better than my father. My father is my mentor and my inspiration and if someone says that my work is just as good as my father my life is set.
But this art show is important because my art could possibly be put up in major art museums across the world and just like my father always told me that it's never a good feeling until you can say as an artist that my work is worth millions to see.
"You ready?" My mother asked and I nod, I pulled out my phone when it buzz in my pocket to see a text from Sunni. I haven't seen her since the pool party and that been a cool minute, but we have been texting and talking on the phone. I asked her if she wants to come to my art show and she said yes, but getting a text from her saying that she is definitely coming to support me got me a little nervous.
What if she hates my art? Damn, will she stop talking to me then or will she make fun of me? She already makes me nervous, now I have to worry about her liking what I do for living but then again this is a test to find out if we should keep talking to each other or not.
When we got to the place I went inside and did a walk through making sure everything was perfect before the event start. As time got near for everyone to start coming in my stomach start turning in knots as my hands began to shake.
"Why do you always get like this when you already done one of these before?" Mom said coming up behind me.
"Because the art I put out is new, and people change everyday so there opinion changes too," I said taking a breath.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," mom said patting my back and I nod.
"Thank you," I said hugging her and she hug me back.
"It's time," she said when people start coming in, "good luck!" I went to go grab me a drink to calm myself down before I went into work mode, dad being dad quickly found important people who could help my career in becoming a artist and introduce me to them. We talk for a little as I show them a couple of my pieces, I could tell that they was impressed with my work and some actually wanted to buy one, but they didn't have that look in their eyes that I was looking for. I made my way through the crowd making sure I talk to everyone that was there and thank them for coming, thirty minutes in still no Sunni so I was worried that she decided not to come. I was talking to the owners of the gallery and one of the owners of the top gallery in Germany when I spot her at the door. She looked absolutely stunning in a black dress and I realized how good she looks in black. She blushed when we made eye contact and I smirked, I tilt my glass towards her and she gave me a small wave before pulling her friend along to go look at the art. When the conversation was over where I could finally pull away, I quickly went to go find her.
"Wow! Look at this one!" I hear her say to her friend, Madeline, I think. She was pointing to one of my paintings where I painted a portrait of a girl crying as the ocean.
"What you think?" I mumbled walking up to them, they both turned around to look up at me.
"It's amazing," Sunni smiled up at me and I smiled back.
"I like this one..." Madeline said walking over to the one I painted when my gramma was diagnosed with cancer. The painting was inspired by my gramma, it was a top half of woman, who was bald, with the cancer symbol wrapped around her like clothing, I let her hold a heart shape full of words that I felt towards my gramma of what cancer gave her. Some of the words I painted was, strong, powerful, loving, fighter, giving, and survivor.
"I like how she's smiling," Madeline voice shook and that's when I knew that someone she love is going through with it.
"Do you want it?" I asked and she turned to look at me.
"No, no, I couldn't afford..."
"See it as a gift," I said walking beside her and look at the painting.
"Oh no, I could never do that."
"I painted this when my Gramma got cancer, she loved it when I showed it to her, but had a problem with it," I said smiling back at the memory.
"Why?" Madeline asked looking up at me.
"Because this word wasn't original on there," I said pointing to the survivor word that was the top of the heart in big letters, "I told her that I wasn't going to put it on there until she beats cancer, but she got mad at me and start cussing me out." Madeline chuckled up at me as I looked down at her.
"Then she told me that being a survivor doesn't mean you beat cancer, to her being a survivor is when you don't let cancer take over your life where you don't live anyone. Cancer is just a bully who wants to take your freedom away and my gramma never gave up her freedom. She did anything she wanted to do even on her weakest days, she was always smiling, never gave into the cancer. Always thought like a survivor and one thing for sure is that cancer didn't stand no match to my gramma. I'm very happy to say that she did beat cancer."
"I'm happy to here that," Madeline said looking back at the painting, "and I really need to here that."
"I want you to have this painting, I'm not even selling this painting," I said making eye contact with a worker and pointed to the painting then pointed to Madeline so they know who to give it too, "she always say that one person is going to need this painting one day and when that day comes I will know and I think that day arrived."
"My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer last month," She said whipping her tears, "I think she will love this painting."
"Then it's all your," I said and she hugged me.
"I'm definitely team Bash," she said whipping her tears before turning to Sunni, "I like him. Now, I have to go clean up, I didn't expect to cry at an art show." She moved towards the bathroom as I turned to look at Sunni.
(Sunni Pov)
"I thought that was so sweet of you to give Madeline the painting," I said walking towards Sebastian, "she really needed that."
"It was my pleasure," he said and I smiled up at him before reaching up to wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a hug.
"Hi!" I said as I hug him and man was he warm.
"Hi," he mumbled in my ear. I slowly pulled away from him and looked at his outfit.
"You look good."
"So do you," he said biting his lip looking me up and down again, "really good."
"Thanks, and this..." I said looking around the gallery, "is beautiful, I love it, you're amazing."
"Whoa, now I can breath," he said letting it out.
"Why wouldn't I like it?" I said he grabbed my pulled me along with him as I continued to look at the rest of the painting, "is all these yours?"
"Not all of them, other people are here to show off their art as well," he said and I nod, "this room and room one is mine."
"My grandpa was a good drawer, he did it for fun, but I was mad when I realized that I didn't inherit the trait of natural being a good drawer," I said rolling my eyes and smiled, "being an artist will probably be one of my wishes if genies were real."
"Well, I have an art studio and you can come by anytime you want to draw or paint your heart out and I will not make fun of your work," he said and I turned to look at him.
"You have your own art studio?" I asked and he nod, "ehhh, I so envy you but I will definitely like to come and paint horrible masterpieces."
"Then it's a date," he said squeezing my hand that I forgot I was holding and I blushed.
"Sebastian!" We both turned to see his friends that I saw at the pool party.
"They actually showed up," Sebastian smiled looking back at me, "will you excuse me for a minute."
"Yeah sure, go ahead," I said dropping his hand, he moved passed me and went to go greet his friends.
"Bestie, I swear white people are weird," Madeline said walking up to me.
"Madeline, really," I said pulling her over to a vacated corner.
"What? A group of them was fighting over who had the best food at some family cook off and they know damn well that all white people food taste the same, unseasoned."
"I'm just going to ignore everything you just said because you never make sense," I said.
"Anyways, did you ask him on a date yet?"
"No, not really, but he is going to let me check out his studio," I said excitedly.
"Alone?"
"I hope so..."
"Aren't you scandalous," Madeline elbowed me and I rolled my eyes.
"Only just to get to know him better without anyone around," I said then we were interrupted by someone walking up to us.
"Here you are, madam," One of the worker said to Madeline handing her a big bag.
"Oh, thank you," Madeline said confusedly but took the bag anyway.
"It's the painting," I mumbled as she opened the bag to see the painting perfectly wrapped and sealed so it wouldn't get damaged.
"I can't believe he's actually giving me this painting," Madeline smiled and I could see how happy she was.
"I think your mom will love it, give her more strength to fight this cancer," I said placing my hand on her shoulder and she nod.
"She's already a survivor," Madeline whispered sliding the painting back into the bag, "I'm sorry, but can you take me back home?"
"Of course, besides this was enough socializing for today for me and I'm ready to take these heels off and go to bed," I said locking my arms with her and she smiled.
"But you're going to say bye, right?" She asked pulling me towards his direction.
"He looks busy..."
"There his friends, you can interrupt them..."
"That's just rude..."
"Walking out and not saying bye is ruder," Madeline clapped back. Sebastian saw us walking up to him and his friends, he excused himself from his friends and walked up to us, I gave him a small smile feel the little butterflies in my stomach whenever his close which mades me nervous.
"I think we're going to head out, I'm tired and she wants to go home," I said looking down at Madeline and she nod.
"But everything was great, usually when Sunni drag me somewhere it's not very fun, but this was actually fun and looking at amazing art is actually pretty cool," Madeline said and sometimes I hate how blunt she is sometime.
"I think a, 'I had a great time and thanks for inviting us' would have service," I said looking up at Sebastian to see him smiling, "I'm not boring, I promise, maybe to her but..."
"Yeah, maybe to her, but don't worry you're not boring to me," he said and I blushed.
"Just wait a few months..."
"I thought you was my wingman?" I mumbled to her and she start laughing.
"I'll just wait outside, bye Bash!" She said waving to Sebastian before leaving and walked towards the exit.
"She just loves to embarrass me," I said looking up at him.
"She wouldn't be much of a friend if she didn't," he said and I nod.
"True, anyways thanks for inviting me."
"I appreciate you coming, hopefully I see you again soon," he said wrapping his arms around my waist and pulled me into a hug.
"Oh most definitely," I whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek while I pulled away, "have a good rest of your night." Then I walked out the gallery and down the stairs towards the car where Madeline was waiting.
"Did you kiss him?" Madeline asked when I got into the car.
"On the cheek, that's all," I said starting the car.
"Lame!"