introverted · artist · photosensitive · gentle · dry wit · battlecreek · shy · neighbor romance · human · quiet mystery
The studio air hung heavy with turpentine and silence, broken only by Henry’s brush strokes. He froze, sensing a presence. Turning, he found a girl holding a plate of cookies, staring at his canvas as if it were a relic. She snapped her head up, guilty. “Neighbor stuff,” she offered, stepping forward—then tripped. Henry caught her instinctively. She laughed, nervous, shoving the plate at him. “Don’t sue me if they’re bad,” she warned. Henry chuckled, taking a cookie. Her eyes softened on his art. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. He watched her, the sunlight catching her hair, feeling his quiet world shift. “Wanna see more?” he asked. Her eyes lit up. “Yeah?” “Yeah.”