The old Art Department building was completely empty now.
The only people Persha had seen since stepping into the building were security guards.
He walked deeper into the silent halls, recalling the directions from the last time he had been there.
His quiet footsteps barely echoed through the empty building.
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open, signaling his arrival.
Fair hands pushed open the large studio doors as he stepped into the now familiar space, the beauty of the interior leaving him awestruck for the second time.
Zabi was nowhere to be found.
“Hello?” he called out, his eyes scanning the room carefully.
This time, he ventured further into the studio, discovering a section he had not seen before.
The walls were covered in artworks.
Mind numbing art pieces.
His mouth parted slightly in awe as his eyes drifted from painting to painting, carefully admiring every single one.
Then one painting caught his attention completely.
A little girl drowning inside a pit of snakes.
Her tiny hands stretched desperately toward a dead snake hanging from the top of the pit, trying to use it to pull herself out.
“You’re early.”
A cool voice cut through the silence.
Persha jumped slightly but said nothing.
For the second time, he found himself staring at the woman before him.
The same jumpsuit covered in mud and paint.
Her black hair tied into a messy bun.
Sharp jawline.
Piercing green eyes.
He quickly collected himself.
Then he noticed the bag in her hand, assuming it contained the shirt he had ruined.
“Yeah…
sorry about this,” he said awkwardly, pointing toward the bag.
“Sure.
Fix it and return it the day after the Gallor,” Zabi replied without breaking eye contact.
She stretched the bag toward him, watching him collect it carefully before inspecting the package.
“Okay,” Persha answered softly.
For a while, he simply stood there, his eyes drifting back toward the artworks surrounding the studio.
“Did you paint all this?” he asked.
Zabi gave no answer.
Persha turned slightly, wondering if she had walked away already, but she still stood behind him with her hands tucked into her pockets, silently observing him.
Still, he did not give up.
“Your art is beautiful,” he said sincerely, tracing his fingers lightly across one of the paintings.
“They’re not mine,” a sharp voice interrupted.
“Oh…
okay,” Persha replied awkwardly, turning to face her properly.
She leaned lazily against the wall, arms folded across her chest.
“Whose are they?” he asked.
This time, she did not answer immediately.
Persha drifted away from her again, admiring sculptures he had not gotten the chance to inspect during his previous visit.
“Students’,” Zabi finally answered, her eyes following his every movement.
“You know you don’t actually have to speak to me, right?
Just get the shirt dry cleaned.”
Persha rolled his eyes instantly.
“Why are you so stuck up?” he blurted out.
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.
“Excuse me?” Zabi’s tone dropped dangerously.
Well.
The damage was already done.
Might as well continue.
“Do you enjoy being alone?” Persha asked.
“It wouldn’t kill you to lighten up a little and…”
“Quiet.”
The coldness in her voice instantly shut him up.
“Leave and get my shirt back,” she said before walking away.
Persha simply watched her disappear further into the studio before quietly exiting himself.
Persha met up with his friends at the school gate like they had planned.
They got into Baylee’s car and drove out of the university premises.
“So where exactly did you disappear to?” Baylee asked from the driver’s seat.
“Yeah, and what’s in that bag?” Victoria added from the passenger seat while Dash and Persha occupied the back.
“I was at the Art Department,” Persha replied casually.
“Why?” they all asked in unison.
“Zabi’s shirt.”
Baylee immediately locked eyes with him through the rearview mirror.
“Oh.”.
“Zabi?
The SCP of the Art Department?” Dash asked.
“What are you doing with her shirt?” Victoria added dramatically.
“I bumped into her earlier.
He deliberately shortened the explanation.
Dash and Victoria were the absolute worst people to tell that he had bumped into Marcel and Katrina.
“Oof.
Zabi must’ve chewed you out,” Dash said.
“I doubt it,” Victoria replied immediately.
“Even Zabi can’t resist that gorgeous face.”
She giggled.
“Oh please,” Persha scoffed.
“I definitely got chewed out.”
“Really?
Are you okay?” Baylee asked, concern obvious in his voice as he kept his eyes fixed on the road.
They were already close to their destination.
The boutique was only a few minutes away from the school.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Persha replied.
“I’m basically an expert at handling assholes.”
The car erupted into laughter.
“Yeah, sure.
You dated one,” Baylee shot back instantly.
“Ooooooh,” Dash and Victoria chorused dramatically.
Persha smacked Baylee with the bag while the entire car dissolved into laughter again.
They finally arrived at their destination.
A small luxury boutique buzzing with life.
Apparently, they were not the only students shopping for tomorrow’s Gallor.
The moment they stepped inside, Victoria and Dash immediately disappeared toward another section while Baylee and Persha wandered together.
“So…” Baylee began slowly.
“Did she really chew you out?”
Concern still lingered clearly on his face.
“Not really,” Persha admitted.
“But I did pour juice on her, so honestly it was understandable.”
“Ouuuu, this is cute, don’t you think?” Persha suddenly asked, holding up a deep blue glittery button down shirt.
“Too flashy,” Baylee answered immediately.
Persha stared at the shirt for another second before nodding.
“Yeahhh.”
He returned it to the rack.
The two continued wandering through the boutique together, searching for the perfect outfits for tomorrow’s Gallor.