Welcome to Gaia! ::

Her tan arms glowed warmly in the sun. She danced, sunglasses glinting as she twirled in the summer afternoon. Matt had never seen someone look so carefree. The black-rimmed sunglasses were slipping down her nose though, as she reached down to pick up her purse. All the while, she never gave any notice of them, but as she popped up, her hair flipped and she pushed them back into place.

But Matt had seen. The briefest moment where the most beautiful eyes had stared, piercing straight into his heart. They had warmed when her gaze met his for just a second in a million. But it was all he needed. Everything he thought he knew about Sophie, it was made painfully clear he knew nothing about her. And she knew he knew nothing. He was comforted with the thought that she now knew that he had realized. She wasn't just some girl...some odd little flirt who constantly followed him around. With a look she became intriguing, but it's not like she suddenly became so. It must have been that he had somehow overlooked it.

Sophie pranced up to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, "It's okay," she said. He knew there was a smile on her face, but the eyes peering from under the sunglasses were serious.

He shook his head, "No, it really isn't," he replied seriously. Now he realized, all those months...she had been trying to show him. And in one second he had found out how terribly wrong he was. Matt shifted his mouth, uncomfortable but trying to think of a way..."How can I fix this?" he asked tentatively.

Again, she pushed her sunglasses up the side of her face. Sophie pushed her hair out of the way and tilted her head to the side, as if contemplating.

Matt opened his mouth, his eyes going wide at an idea. "Can I paint you?" he asked suddenly.

Her eyes widened too. "Really?" she asked. Sophie had known him long enough to know how long he spent doing someone's portrait. "I..." she thought a moment, "I would love that," she said, smiling, though he had no idea if her eyes were smiling too. "When are you going to start?" So expectant. So hopeful. He didn't want to disappoint her anymore.

He smiled. "Now," he answered, pulling out his sketch pad.