❝When an artist paints, not just for himself, but for someone else, he's in love.❞

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"Hey Cara..." Mikaela called quietly as they walked through the empty hallways.

"Yes, nerd?"

"Uh, have you seen Aaron today?"

"Well, not that I ever do, but...no," she replied with a half smile. "Why?"

"I haven't really seen him around these past few days..."

As the girls walked, they got closer to the art room, where they heard a few shuffling noises.

Cara gave Mikaela a look. "Should we check it out?"

"No."

Cara grabbed her arm and dragged her into the room.

A tall-ish human-like figure stood before a large canvas. Diffrrent color water paints lined up on the stand. The canvas seemed to be almost done.

"Is that...Aaron?" Cara whispered.

"I can hear you," he remarked, turning on his heel and grinning at the two dumbfounded girls.

"Did we interrupt you?" Mikaela asked, biting the inside of her cheek.

He chuckled. "Nah, I'm done, actually."

Curiosity got the best of her. "Can I see?"

Cara had silently walked away from the scene. Mikaela cursed mentally as she noticed her best friend gone.

"U-uh...sure..." he side-stepped, his eyes lowering.

It was a multicolor painting. A girl's face covered most of the canvas, her bare shoulders showing on the bottom. She had curly, dark hair, black eyeglasses, tinted cheeks and full, pink lips.

It looked just like her.

"Your birthday is soon..." he started. "I remember a year ago that I saw you with your old friends at the park, celebrating your birthday... I've always liked you,...Mikaela, and I wanted to give you this painting as a gift," he confessed,

"I tried..." he stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

Mikaela was lost for words.

"It's beautiful..."

"Just like you."