Chapter 34: The Exhibit
Moana

I couldn’t bring myself to avoid Ethan’s exhibit after he had asked me to go so many times. So, after putting Ella to bed, I went to Selina with my hand on my stomach and a frown on my face.

“I’m afraid I might have contracted food poisoning,” I said, feigning illness. “Can you keep an eye on things if Ella wakes up? I’m going to go to urgent care.”

Selina frowned, looking at her watch. “Do you need a driver?” she asked.

I vehemently shook my head. “No. It’s okay. I’ll call a cab.”

“Well… Alright,” she said, pursing her lips. “Be careful.”

After that, I put on a simple dress that could pass for urgent care attire if anyone were to question me, and flagged down a cab outside of the penthouse.

Just as I suspected, the art gallery was packed to the brim when I arrived. As I got out of the cab, I felt a lump rise in my throat; all of the other patrons seemed to be dressed lavishly, which made me feel incredibly out of place.

There was a line with a bouncer to get in. I stood in line, patiently waiting my turn.

“Name?” the bouncer said, eyeing me up and down suspiciously as I walked up to him.

“Moana Fowler,” I replied.

his list for a painstakingly long moment. “You’re not on the list,” he said. His voice was gruff and indifferent, and before I

clutching my purse nervously

invited a human. Quit wasting my time and get out of here. You can

from behind the bouncer, “I did invite her. Come

making their way through the line of people waiting. The bouncer’s eyes

through the foyer with his hand on my back. “He’s just doing his job. These art openings are very

all of the wealthy-looking people that were milling about

to participate in some involuntary networking with a few of the patrons here, but feel free to take a look around. And have a glass of champagne, too.” He reached out, taking a glass of champagne off of a waiter’s

and nodded, watching as Ethan disappeared

champagne for courage, I made my way into the gallery so I could get

quartet played lively music from a small stage at the back of the gallery, creating an atmosphere that almost made the artwork come alive. Groups of patrons milled about, many of them using sophisticated ‘art speak’ to describe the works when, in actuality, they were only trying to impress their peers… But I was

— not that anyone would have spoken to me, either — with my glass of champagne in my hand as I closely studied each and every piece of artwork. Each piece seemed to fit into a similar

that caught my eye, however. It was small, tucked away in a corner of the gallery, and no one else seemed to notice it; but I did. I felt entranced by the depiction of a young boy, staring out at the viewer from

Ethan’s voice suddenly said from behind me, breaking me out of my trance. I jumped a bit at the sound of his voice, not realizing that I had been standing in front of the painting for quite

me,” I said, feeling my face flush.

my favorite, too,” Ethan replied. “I haven’t

turning back to look at the painting. There was a bit of a silence before Ethan spoke. “Did you remember to

into my purse and pulled out a single, folded piece of paper and held it out to Ethan. “It’s not much. Just

it. I watched with anticipation, feeling my heart rate quicken as he carefully studied my drawing. It was the same drawing that I had been

a few moments, “this is stunning. You didn’t

red at the famous artist’s

me. “You’ve got some real talent. You should try to tap into it a bit more; I could see you doing really well with

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