Russ stretched and his bones clicked and popped. “Who’s the subject of your artistic affections today then?”
“No one you know.”
“Only ‘cause you haven’t given her a face yet. Is she your mystery text friend?”
The idea made him laugh. The girl on the phone was nothing like the girl he was drawing. They’d been texting for two weeks and where Elizabeth was gentle and vulnerable, Cleo was cold and unapproachable. Where Elizabeth was self-deprecating and unsure, Cleo was confident and strong. He shook his head. “Oil and water.”
Russ’s eyebrows furrowed and he cocked his head in confusion as Linc’s phone chirped from across the room. “Speak of the devil I bet. You should meet that girl, Linc. Stop hiding behind your phone.” He picked up Linc’s phone and tossed it to him before leaving the room.
His comment stung because his friend wasn’t wrong. Lincwashiding behind his screen. It was safe there. With his Mr. Darcy persona there were no expectations, no snap judgements, and no pressure.
Elizabeth Bennet: What. A. Day. Tell me something fun and happy.
Linc: Brace yourself. What I’m about to tell you will lose me major cool points.
Elizabeth Bennet: I’m all ears. Or fingers, I guess?
Linc chuckled and waited for the follow-up.
Elizabeth Bennet: Oh GOD. I didn’t mean… that sounds… Sorry.
Her message was accompanied by a gif of Jocelyn Shitt from Schitt’s Creek saying “I’m embarrassed by my behavior.” He had to hand it to her, her gif game was almost as strong as her obsession with the show. He tucked away his charcoal, shuffled the pages into a haphazard pile that he moved into his art case and placed it on the floor before sitting cross-legged on the bed.
Elizabeth Bennet: Say *something* Mr. Darcy. Be a gentleman and save me from my embarrassment.
Linc: I’m laughing too hard to type. Aren’t men supposed to be the dirty minded ones? It took me a minute to get the innuendo – and I’m usually shit-hot with that kinda stuff.
Her only response was a David Rose gif saying ‘This is really fun for me. I’m having a lot of fun.’ He snorted.
Linc: I draw.
Elizabeth Bennet: Like… stick figures? ;-)
Linc: Maaaaaaan, Lizzy, you are SAVAGE! I come to you vulnerable, show you my soft underbelly and you come at me with… JOKES?
Elizabeth Bennet: My *dear* Mr. Darcy, I do wholly apologize. I meant no ill will. What kinds of things do you draw? Can I see?
His heart thudded in his ears and his pulse raced. He should have known this was coming, prepared himself for the idea she’d want to see his work, but it took him by surprise. He swallowed down the lump of fear in his throat and pulled an art pad back out of its case, flicking through to find a nondescript drawing that wouldn’t give any clues as to who he was. He snapped a picture of the sketch he’d done of the Golden Gate Bridge and hit send before he could talk himself out of it. He dropped the pad back onto the floor and pulled the quilt over his head as though it could protect him from any judgement she was about to text. Then waited.
Thankfully he didn’t have to wait long. Her response came through after a few minutes.Breathtaking, lifelike and vibrant.Those were the words she’d used to describe his art. And when he offered an out to retract her first response and tell him it looked like something a two-year-old could draw, she had admonished him for being self-deprecating. He’d let the woman on the phone peek in behind the curtain of his soul, and she hadn’t run.
Elizabeth: Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I know you’re up in your feels about it, but you have no need to be. You’re *so* good, Mr. Darcy. Do you have a favorite artist? My favorite contemporary artist is Zoe Strauss. Do you know her?
A grin threatened to split his face in two at the tangible excitement radiating from her message. Nerding out over art wasn’t exactly ‘cool’. While he was warmed at her response to his work, sharing this piece of him with someone else, someone who hadn’t made fun of him for it or told him it was worthless or pointless, was everything.
Linc: I don’t, no. I could Google her, but, to be honest, I’d love for you to tell me about her.
Elizabeth: She’s a Philly-based artist. She captures people and places that are often overlooked by society. She photographs shuttered buildings, empty parking lots and derelict buildings. She says her work is ‘a narrative about the beauty and difficulty of everyday life.’
She sent him a link to her favorite photo of Zoe’s, a black and white picture of a little girl standing at a protest holding a sign that said ‘I am strong, don’t limit me!’
Linc: Shit. That’s powerful.
Elizabeth: Isn’t it, though? What about you? Who’s your favorite artist?
Linc: You wouldn’t know him.
Elizabeth: Oh, like you knew Zoe?
