Sighing again, I erased the same line I'd drawn at least for the thousandth time by now.
"Shortman!" I shouted, exasperated.
"What?!" Arnold yelled back, matching my tone. Apparently startled by my outburst since it's been quiet in my room for awhile now.
"Can you please sit still? I've been trying to draw your jaw and ear for the past, like, 30 minutes and every time I think I've got it down or am close to getting it down, you squirm, and I have to start all over again!"
I tried to look as menacing as I could muster as I'm waiting for whatever dorky reply he'd give me.
"Sorry, Helga It's just hard to sit in this position for so looonnggg," he said, dragging out the last word, putting those puppy dog eyes on me.
I let out a frustrated growl, and he smirked pissing me off further. "You're such a whiner."
"And you're not?" I held back my impulses. I could have argued that but in glancing at the clock, I didn't have the time to spare. There was no time for the childish banter we typically find ourselves falling into.
"Well, what position do you prefer?" I asked, rubbing my temples in frustration, I swear, I loved this boy, but he sure knew how to work a nerve.
"Mm," He hummed, his cheeks glowed while he wiggled his eyebrows at me cheekily. Oh man, what the heck is he about to say? "Uh," He snickered. "missionary, to be honest," he shrugged, his face devoid of emotion like it always was right before he cracked up at his own joke.
"Ugghh, fuck you!" I whacked him in the arm with my sketchpad; his shoulders shook as he roared with laughter.
When did he get so immature? I mean I know I hadn't spent much time with the guy, lately, but sheesh. Though, I'd be lying if I said I didn't find this juvenile behavior sexy on him.
"Uh, that doesn't sound so bad." my eyes widened in shock as his shinned with mirth. But finally, after a few seconds, he face-palmed briefly looking like the Arnold I knew. "Sorry..."
I scowled despite my real feelings floating just beneath the surface. "It's a good thing you're cute," I grumbled, crossing my arms and glaring.
"Why?" He asked, sporting a shit-eating grin.
"Because if you weren't, I'd be using this pencil to stab you, instead of using it to draw your stupid cute face."
"Oh my God, you think I'm cute?" Criminy, did I say that out loud? Twice? But it was too late to take it back because those amused green eyes were lazily moving up and down me. "Am I your muse?" He asked dramatically, openly taunting me.
"No, you're my pain in the ass," I rolled my eyes trying to hide any trackings of embarrassment.
He gasped, clutching his chest dramatically like the biggest geek, "She called me her pain in the ass."
My jaw clenched as I battled the urge to bolt out of the room or slung him in the head. "Alright, Romeo, get your football head hormones under control! And sit your butt still!"
I hated how unfazed he appeared by my heated demands, faintly shrugging at me. "Only if I can sit on the floor, cross-legged," he said, smoothing his clothes.
"Whatever," I flicked a wrist at him dismissively. "Anything to get you to sit still," I stated with a pointed look, moving off the chair I was sitting on, to plop myself on my floor.
He paused, eyeing me but then quickly stepped off the stool, I initially sat him in and sat cross-legged in front of me. He turned his head to the side like he'd had it before, clenching his jaw.
I dragged my eyes away from the glorious sight of his unconventional side profile to sketch it more accurately. A few minutes had passed, the only sounds in the room were some relaxing music I'd put on a hushed volume, lead scratching on paper, and our soft breaths. I had moved on to drawing Arnold's shoulders, that seemed broader than the last time I admired them. I blew out a soft sigh trying to keep my hormones in check as I attempted to shade and outline right when his voice broke the tense silence.
"I never asked you what your project was for, Helga."
So used to the quiet, I almost dropped my pencil, leaving a curved line that I quickly erased.
"It's a drawing project, doi," I said snippily, dusting off the paper, trying to avoid answering this question truthfully.
"Oh wow, I didn't know that," There goes that dry sarcasm of his, that drove me nuts. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see a smirk on his face before the conversation started up again. "I mean, why'd you pick me for it? Every assignment you've gotten so far in your drawing class has come with some prompt. Some reason behind why you're drawing the thing."
I pretended not to hear him, pretended I was too engrossed in shading the wrinkles of his loose hoodie.
"Hellllga," he dragged out my name purposely taunting me.
My cheeks heated up, and I bit my lip. There was no way he was going to drop the subject. He knew when he was getting under my skin. Shit, if I didn't know any better I'd say he was having a little fun at my expense.
Didn't it use to be the other way around? Kind of, sort of
I huffed before mumbling, "I'm supposed to draw someone…that–umm–that…"
"That?" He asked, his voice gentle, coaxing me.
"That I–basically a person–well someone…someoneIadmirethemost," I blurted, the words coming out slurred into one.
Crickets. It got dead silent. I didn't know what to say after that, and I certainly didn't trust my voice not to shake uncontrollably.
I finished drawing Arnold's hoodie and realized that the line of his upper lip hadn't come out right. Trying to distract myself from the fact I'd revealed some my real feelings for him, again. I looked up to study his lips only to find his wide eyes staring back at me.
My chin lowers, feeling suddenly shy being the cause of his intense gaze "I have to get your lips right," I said, my voice sounding strained to my ears.
Feeling awkward under his unwavering stare, I cleared my throat. He wasn't turning his head back to the original position, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I shuffled forward on my knees, so I was close enough and reached a finger out. Slowly, my finger glided over the curve of his jaw, and I heard his breathing hitch. I applied slight pressure as my finger reached the side of his chin. He obediently moved his head to the side. I let my finger linger on his skin a moment longer than necessary before pulling away and settling back in my original place to start again on the drawing.
It seemed that my words had sent Arnold into a strange kind of trance and anxiety settled in my stomach.
But I distracted myself with the task at hand, and my tongue stuck out as I tried to re-shape his lips on my paper. However, I looked up again to find Arnold had moved his head to stare at me again.
"On second thought maybe I should've chosen someone else. You can't seem to keep your neck turned," I chuckled softly, finding my sweet prince's antics far more cute than annoying than I would ever admit aloud.
"Sorry, it's just hard to resist looking at you," Arnold said with such softness. "for even a little bit," he mumbled, turning his head to look at me again his face turning a new shade.
I frowned because even though he was still weirdly flirting with me, I wonder where the confident, snarky guy had gone. Arnold now looked like a shy boy with flushed cheeks had come to take his place.
If wasn't for my fast thumping heart and flustered skin, I'd be laughing my ass off at him right now.
My heart fluttered at his statement, but I tried not to take it to heart. Because he couldn't possibly like observing me, staring at me, I'm nothing like his usual type. Trust me I've seen him with enough girls to know and accept it.
Huffing, I glance at the time and try to hold onto the last thread of my sanity. Despite how badly I wanted to, I honestly couldn't find the energy or the time to yell. "It's alright, just try to hold your head in place for a little longer. Lips have always been tricky for me to draw and yours are giving me an especially hard time," I giggled a little at the end, trying to lighten the tension in the room.
"Maybe you should kiss them," he suggested, and I dropped my pencil my eyes flying up. I bet a hundred smackers my eyes looked they were going to pop out of my head.
Of course, of all times he chose this one to keep his head turned away from mine. Still, I could see the edge of his lips quirk up a bit in one of those rare smiles that he gave when he felt equal parts shy and equal parts bold.
How could he suggest something like that so casually? Doesn't he realize what it does to me? If this was all his idea of a joke on Helga or revenge from all the years of adolescent torment, I'll kill him!
Then my eyes drift to that face, and I remember that despite all my threats, I never could ever hurt him even if he is still confusing and drives me nuts. "And just what do you expect that will do in helping me with drawing them, hm, paste for brains?" I asked, crossing my arms, all this pseudo flirtation was starting to wear on me.
"If you can feel the grooves of my lips, you might find it easier to draw them." He said so smoothly as if this was a common thing. "Drawing may be all about observing visually, but I think it benefits you when you observe sensuously as well,"
My head was spinning. I sat there, my head fighting between what I desired and what I logically knew to be smart to do.
"What harm could it do, Helga?"
I breathed in deeply. Arnold's voice, God it always was beautifully calming. The way he said my name must have put me under a spell.
I echoed his question in my head. Yeah, what harm could it do, Helga?
A million answers or outcomes to that question ran through my mind, but I focused on him instead. The delicious way his mouth froze in that soft grin, the way his eyelashes curled just the slightest at the ends making him look like a dream.
I moved to sit directly in front of him; his head froze in his pose. Finally, our eyes met. I melted as I watch his were adoring and in awe, gliding over my face, drinking me in. I moved in, slowly, until my lips were just brushing against his. Internally, I was screaming, shouting for joy, and laughing giddily but externally all that I could do before I pressed my mouth completely to his, was release a weak breath.
What registered first was the silky texture of his lips, and finally, the fact that he didn't press back.
I pull away abruptly, overcome with various, conflicting emotions; I looked him square in the eyes fighting back the urge to scream or cry.
"Why–why didn't you kiss me back?" I asked, my confusion quickly turning into a panic than anger. My eyes searched my room for all possible exists and weapons.
"Because you told me to stay still," he answered, eyes dancing with mischief, but his breath shallow; which told me I wasn't the only one affected by what I'd just done, so that put me more at ease. "Would you like to try again?"
The way he looked at me, was like nothing I'd ever seen from him. It sent chills through my spine, and down to my toes; I couldn't move an inch.
Shaking my head, I let out a breathy laugh while rolling my eyes playfully. That's when he gently placed his hands on either side of my cheeks and pulled me in for the sweetest kiss.
As we pulled back and regained our breath, I giggled, "You may be the worst model ever, but you're the best damn kisser."
Arnold bit his lip; his eyes half-lidded gazing into mine, laughing some as his fingers caressed my face and the corner of my mouth. "Well, then you've gotta keep me around. Especially if you plan on drawing any more pictures of me and need more help with…observing…my lips," he chuckled once more, moving some hair behind my ear.
"Oh, I'm keeping you right where you are," I laughed before he pulled me in for another taste of his kiss.
I guess I'll have to get an extension...