After my three days vacation, on arrival home, I remembered about Ethel and my portraint. So, I went to her house right away.
In order for her to paint my portrait, I was in full anticipation, wearing a white jacket and black trousers, underneath the jacket was a black shirt without a tie, I took a deep breath.
I combed my hair and gathered them in a ponytail.
Looking in the mirror, I didn't even recognize myself for a moment. How much have I changed, and what has changed in me?
Yes, my eyes shine brighter, and what was the reason for such brilliance?
Later in the evening, I fed the cat, left the house and headed for my car.
All this time I felt like someone was following me, and when I was in the car for a moment, I thought someone was sitting in the back seat. And at that moment when I, with the edge of my eye, noticed someone from behind, at that very moment the street lights suddenly went out. The whole street was filled with darkness.
Trying not to fall into my imagination, I just started the engine and left the darkness behind.
When I was on the main road, the feeling that someone was watching disappeared.
And when I finally reached their house, the moment I got out of the car, I suddenly felt someone's gaze.
I turned slowly. At the very end of the street, one lamp was shining. But there was gloom everywhere.
I was ready to be frightened and suddenly I caught Leon's eye.
He was standing not far from me. He was wearing a black hooded cape over his blonde hair.
Just a few minutes ago, I felt his presence outside my house, but if it was him, how did he get here so quickly?
"Leon?" I exclaimed in surprise.
He just looked at me in silence. In this light, his eyes, for a moment, seemed to me very bright green. It's like two light sources. Maybe it was just a play of light, but I could clearly see in front of me a bright green glow that came from his eyes, just like a cat.
"What are you doing here?"
For a moment, suddenly I couldn't move.
But he was in no hurry to answer me.
"Leon? What's wrong?"
Again, there is no answer.
Now I was frightened.
To be honest, I was a little afraid that weak lamppost at the end of the street would go out and everything would sink into darkness. Only his bright green eyes will glow with unnatural light.
My heart was beating in a frenzied rhythm.
And that was until Ayn opened the house door.
"Professor, why are you standing there? Enter the house," she said.
Noticing Leon, she asked, "Did he come with you?"
"Yes. Good evening, " suddenly, Leon answered and went up to me.
Now, at such a close distance, his eyes have returned their former dark green light.
Probably, what was earlier was only a game of light.
Ayn smiled at the sight of him and then she looked at me.
"Well, come in. It seems that it will soon start raining."
When she went into the kitchen, I was standing in the living room and I asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing. I was just passing by and I saw you."
"But you stood there, so still. I thought something was wrong."
He smiled and sat down on the sofa. Throwing his cape aside, he slightly unbuttoned his black shirt.
"Don't worry, we will often see each other in places where we shouldn't be," he said in an almost whisper.
Looking at him, I suddenly felt a little scared.
When Ayn returned, he changed his facial expression to a more good-natured one.
"My name is Leon. I'm a friend of Professor Skye," he said reaching out.
Ayn, clearly noticing his beauty, laughed happily and looked at me, "Professor, your friend is very handsome."
"Ethel is not home?"
"No. But she'll be here soon. And when she comes, I have no doubt that she will want to paint you too."
"I don't like it when someone write my portrait," Leon said looking at books on shelves.
"Well, I'll go to the kitchen, probably the pie has already burned. Professor Skye, if you're hungry, you can take whatever you want out of the fridge."
"Thank you Ayn."
When I was alone with him, I sat down next to him and for a while we were silent.
"When did you meet Ethel?" he suddenly asked.
For some reason, it occurred to me that in his voice was jealousy.
And I said, "Why are you interested?"
"I'm all interested in you Skyemoone. You have to get used to it."
"Ethel is an artist, and today she will paint my portrait."
"I didn't think you'd want to share with someone with a piece of your soul," he said, picking up a collection of poems that Ayn wrote.
"Do you care?"
"No. I'm just curious."
"Leon, have you been following me?"
He looked at me suspiciously and eerily, and at the very moment he wanted to say something, Ethel knocked on the door.
"Good evening professor. Sorry it took so long,' she said taking off her red hat.
Seeing a stranger in the house, she looked at me inquiringly and I whispered, "This is my friend."
"Mom, I ate at school! You can take your time! I'll be in the studio!"
"Good!"
"Well, professor, if you don't mind, let's get to work right now," she said looking at Leon.
"Would you introduce us?" asked Leon when we were in the studio, which was an empty room with lots of windows.
There was a tall chair in the middle of the room, and there was a blank canvas in front of it. On the walls hung a lot of tubes of paint as well as different brushes.
I liked the smell of paint and the aroma of the apples which were decorating the small table in the corner.
Ethel, wearing a work robe that was covered in different colors of paint, looked at me while waiting for the presentation of my so-called, friend.
"Ethel, this is Leon."
"It's nice to meet you."
"And me too," Leon replied. His voice sounded strange. I could even hear notes of discontent in his voice.
Ethel, looking into his eyes, clearly had a lot of questions. But she abstained from them and instead simply said, "Professor, sit over there. And try not to move."
While I was sitting on a high chair, Leon walked around me.
I thought he wanted to disturb Ethel, to break her concentration.
Suddenly I was laughed. What if he was just jealous of me? That's what made me laugh.
And why are people jealous?
"Do you want to paint a simple portrait?" he asked standing in the corner of the room.
Both hands in pockets, hair ruffled, a gold chain hanging from his pants reflected the bright light of the chandelier.
Ethel, continuing to paint on the canvas, replied, "I want to paint his soul. Not just his appearance."
"Do you think you can do it?"
«I think yes.»
Leon, as if he had come up to me on purpose, and now standing next to me, he watched intently as Ethel, with a calm expression, continued to paint.
Raising her head, she for a moment held her eyes on us.
"And you're look alike," she suddenly said. "Why, I feel like you're one person."
"Interesting thoughts. But I assure you, Leon is the complete opposite of me," I said, trying to sit with even posture.
"Don't move professor."
"How long have you been painting?" Leon asked, stepping aside.
"Since I was a kid."
"Why did you suddenly want to paint a portrait of the Professor?"
"And if you were an artist, would you want to paint his portrait?"
I heard him smirk.
"You're right. If I were an artist, I would only paint his portraits, and no one else."
"Then you know why I decided to paint his portrait."
And again I heard his smirk.
I wanted to turn to him, see his face when he smirked like this. But I didn't want to disturb Ethel's concentration.
"What's your favorite book?" he suddenly asked that question. And then I couldn't contain my laughter.
Ethel, she stopped and looked at me. "Professor, don't move."
It seemed to me that Leon disturbing her, but as it turned out, she was the artist who could not be distracted.
And she answered the question, "I don't have a favorite book."
"I knew that. Sometimes, many want to be unusual and thus say that they do not have favorite books, or favorite movie. Such people are afraid that someone can call them so to speak – like everyone else."
I heard his voice change, I didn't recognize him. A very different Leon walked around me.
But for some reason, from his words, from the fact that I'm sitting here and that Ethel continues to paint my portrait with such a serious expression, it was very funny to me. And I held back my laughter as hard as I could.
"You too, I suppose, professor?" Ethel asked.
"No."
"Either way, you must be very smart once Skye has noticed you."
"I wonder how he noticed me."
"Leon," I invaded the conversation not wanting to listen to his full grin tone anymore.
At last, Ayn came into the studio.
Holding a plate with a pie, she said, "Please treat yourself."
Addressing Leon, she added, "Since you're a new guest, let me offer you dinner. At the same time, we get to know each other better. I'm very interested in Professor's friend."
Leon smiled, and glancing at his watch said, "Sorry, of course, but now it's time for me to go. Maybe next time."
"Well, then at least take this pie. So you can eat it at home"
"Thank you for your kindness and generosity," Leon said, and this time his voice sounded as usual. Even with notes of kindness.
"What an unusual young man," Ayn added. "He must be a very interesting person, I wish I had time to talk to him."
"Yes. Your Leon, very interesting," Ethel muttered.