I8 - XUB1 - Tea And The Dimensions of Art

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"You just need practice, that's all." She giggled.

[Andre Jacquard]

"Well I haven't broken any windows yet."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Sounds like a good start then."

[Andre Jacquard]

"Well... okay... the one window..."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Do I have to tell the story about how many times I've ruined my hair by trying to pull water out of it after a shower?"

[Andre Jacquard]

"That... couldn't have been fun..."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"It wasn't," she said with a good-natured grimace.

[Andre Jacquard]

"A shame for that beautiful hair to suffer."

"...that... sounded way less creepy in my head..."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Thank you for the compliment. I don't think it's creepy at all."

[Andre Jacquard]

"You don't?" he asked, relieved.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

She shook her head and then adjusted her glasses. "No, I don't. I'm a little flattered actually."

[Andre Jacquard]

"Surely you get compliments all the time."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Well, I'm usually in ratty clothes and splotched with some sort of art medium. So no, I really don't."

[Andre Jacquard]

"Sounds a lot like me lately," he chuckled with a smile.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"You look fine," Jennifer said, smiling and finishing her tea.

[Andre Jacquard]

"You should see me when I'm painting. Paint. Everywhere."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"That's part of the fun." She laughed.

[Andre Jacquard]

"And the reason I live and do most of my work off-campus. Well, next to the extra space and privacy."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"I'm hoping to get out of the dorms after this coming school year. Maybe my father will be convinced I'm staying put this time."

[Andre Jacquard]

"If you're sincere, I'm sure he'll come around."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"We'll see. I think he's just blowing smoke, covering up some other reason. That would fit his pattern. But I don't need to bore you with my troubles."

[Andre Jacquard]

"I'm not bored. A little jealous maybe, but not bored."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Jealous that I have a deceptive arsehole for a father?"

[Andre Jacquard]

"That... that you're even on his radar."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Oh..." Jennifer said, mellowing significantly. "Sorry. I forget that sometimes."

[Andre Jacquard]

"Now who's unloading too much baggage..." he said apologetically.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Don't... really... I forget sometimes that I'm lucky he at least talks to me." She reached out and patted his hand. "So, change of subject, what have you been painting?"

[Andre Jacquard]

"Landscapes from my visions mostly."

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"Would you mind showing me some sometime?"

[Andre Jacquard]

"It would be my pleasure," he smiled.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

Jennifer looked at her cel phone for a moment, the back at Andre, "I'm sorry, I need to go take care of something." She grabbed a notebook she'd been carrying with her and scribbled something down in it before tearing the sheet out and folding it. She handed it over to Andre and stood up.

[Andre Jacquard]

"It was nice to meet you," he smiled.

[Jennifer Tarasova]

"It was nice to meet you too. See you around." She turned and walked away slowly, scanning her student card on the way out pay for the tea. She looked back over her shoulder at him once before leaving the XUB. On the paper was a phone number along with the words 'Call me sometime'.