Flavor of the Week

Georgia didn’t know why Niall was insisting on her wearing a blindfold the entire way to their date, or why he didn’t say a word and just hummed softly along with the radio. What she did know was that the longer they were in the car the more nervous she got. She had no idea what he’d chosen for their final date, she was just happy he’d chosen her at all as she squeezed his hand gently.

The memory of him telling her he really liked her gave her goose bumps, but she knew all too soon it would come crashing down. The show was ending soon and she didn’t know if she was expected to keep acting shy after the finale or what. But what she did know was right now she had Niall, and she was going to cherish what time they did have left. She smiled softly as they kept riding, letting Niall’s soft humming calm her down until the car finally came to a stop.

She heard him quickly shut the car off and get out, gently leading her out of the car. “Can I take this off now?” She giggled.

“Nope, you’ll have to trust me.” He said, pulling her close and wrapping an arm around her waist, the other holding her hand and he guided her into a building. She heard the door close behind her as they kept walking until finally Niall slowly sat her down. “Are you ready?” He whispered.

“Please tell me we’re not in a strip club.” She teased weakly. Niall chuckled, pulling away and untying her blindfold. Georgia let her eyes slip open, gasping as she saw the sight before her.

Niall had rented out an entire art studio, an easel sitting in front of Georgia as every single medium known to man adorned the walls around her. There were pastels, charcoals, oil paints and pencils. All of them in every color imaginable and brand new. She looked at Niall, feeling her eyes tear up as she wrapped her arms around him. He gripped her back, letting his hands move around her waist as he spun her around.

“Do you like it?” He asked, that perfect grin taking up his handsome face.

“I love it.” She promised. “How did you…?”

“Doesn’t matter.” He assured her. “But it’s all yours for the whole day.”

“What about you?” She asked quietly. He smiled again, leaning over and kissing her forehead.

“I thought you could draw me, like one of your French girls.” She giggled at the joke as Niall beamed and she knew he must have been saving that one for a while.

“Okay.” She said. “But how about you keep your clothes on? This show isn’t that scandalous.”

“Well, just say the word and I’ll get the cameras out of here if you change your mind.” He said, giving her a small wink. She blushed, giggling again as he walked over to the model stand and plopped down. “So, Picasso, what would you like me to do?”

“Be comfortable, you’re going to be there for a long time.” She giggled. He nodded as a spotlight flooded the stand, lighting him up perfectly as he unzipped his sweatshirt, tossing it aside as he stood in a tank top and jeans.

“Well, Miss Michelangelo, take it all in.” He said, beaming at her. She simply smiled again, grabbing a pencil and beginning to sketch the beautiful man before her.

The hours seemed to melt away like minutes as they talked, Georgia working the entire time. She knew she was breaking character by being so comfortable with Niall, but figured the producers didn’t care enough to ruin her perfect date. And when Niall had lifted up his tank top to wipe the sweat off his face, showing off his defined torso, she figured the bright red that had stained her face made up for her being so chatty.

Finally she looked at her finished product, nodding to Niall to come see it. He eagerly hopped off the podium, but his legs had fallen asleep and he tripped, crashing into the easel and sandwiching it between himself and Georgia. He was mortified as he quickly stood, seeing that he had knocked her paints everywhere, and slowly tried to pry the easel off Georgia’s white, lace sweater.

When he saw a perfect mirror of himself in paint on her chest he couldn’t help but want to cry, knowing he had ruined hours and hours of her work. This was supposed to be the perfect date and he’d ruined it by being a total klutz. “Georgia.” He murmured. “I’m so sorry.”

She looked down at her sweater, turned to the ruined painting, then back to her sweater before a smile lit up her face. Niall cocked an eyebrow at her as she sat in the pile of paint. “I thought this needed a bit more color.” She teased. Just like your shirt.” Before Niall had time to question her Georgia slapped her hands in paint before shooting up and wiping them on Niall’s white tank top. He pretended to be a bit stunned for a moment before he took the container of red, splashing it onto her stomach.

She grabbed the green and blue, dumping them over his head as they both started laughing like loons, grabbing every color they could find and throwing handfuls at the other. But finally Georgia slipped in a puddle of their mess, and when Niall went to catch her he lost his footing, causing both of them to land in a small pool of colors, all bleeding together. She rolled him onto his back and he returned the favor until not a single inch of them was clean. They both then collapsed, Georgia laughing harder than she had in a long time as Niall just watched her.

He didn’t understand where this fun, quirky girl had been hiding this whole time. She had said more to him in the last two hours than she had on the entire show, and starting a paint fight? Niall didn’t know if maybe she was just comfortable around him now or what, but as he looked at the girl dripping in paint beside him, he knew he never wanted her, this Georgia, to leave.

As she felt a vibration in her pocket Georgia immedietly stopped laughing. She looked over at Niall, quickly muttering something about have to go to the bathroom as she snuck out. She had seen his face fall and knew she had probably ruined the moment, but she also knew if the producers were calling she was doing something wrong.

“What?” She asked quietly.

“What the Hell are you doing? Shy girls don’t start paint fights and flirt!” She cringed at the fury flying at her and sighed.

“Maybe he thinks I’m becoming more comfortable with him-”

“Bullshit, you dropped character and you know it.” She let out a long sigh, running a hand through her hair, which now resembled the rainbow.

“It won’t happen again.” She whispered.

“It better not.” With that she hung up, letting out a long sigh as she walked back to see Niall looking at what was left of her painting of him. It was smudged and now was splattered in all different colors that didn’t belong, but he was still smiling broadly at it.

When he heard her come back he smiled, walking over. “Will you sign this for me?” She blushed, letting her eyes move to the ground.

“Niall it’s ruined. You don’t want that.”

“Yes I do.” He insisted. “Because it will always remind me of the best date of my life.” She flushed, looking up just in time for him to press his lips to hers. He tasted like paint, she imagined she did too, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to be fake Georgia around Niall anymore, she wanted to be herself. So, even though she knew the producers would have her head, she kissed him right back. All too soon he pulled away, smiling. “We uh, might want to clean up. Don’t think the studio will be too happy if they come into this.” She giggled, looking into his perfect blue eyes.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“And Georgia?” She turned back and he smiled, giving her a small, sweet kiss. “Thank you.”

“For what?” He simply hugged her, getting more paint all over her cheek.

“For being you.” She felt like he had stabbed her in the heart as she pressed her lips together, gripping him tightly so he wouldn’t see her struggling not to cry.