To Color Your Life

The red Ferrari flew into the parking lot without slowing down and, making a sharp U-turn, stopped. Justin Evans wasn't a fan of flaunting himself, but the way he appeared at the institute today should not have gone unnoticed.

The guy got out of the car, looked around, smiled at two girls standing nearby and, making it a control shot, winked.

The girls broke into smiles in response and twitched in his direction, but he had already turned and walked away.

There was no point in dragging out the warm-up before the main game. Moreover, his victim should already be in the indicated place.

Turning down the path to the building of arts, he stopped for a second, and then continued his way at a slow pace. Or esle someone could tell that he is in a hurry somewhere.

Justin mentally slapped his forehead for his impatience. Couldn't he be in a hurry just to see that girl? Of course, she has nothing to do with it! It's all hormones! Adrenaline seethes in the blood and calls for action!

Evans glanced at his watch. If he remembered the time correctly, Emily Hayes and her red-haired friend should be starting rehearsal in that hall. Well, apparently, today they will again have an unexpected viewer. Only this time he does not intend to hide.

Having confused the audience a couple of times, and starting to get angry with himself, Justin found the cherished door, but it turned out to be dark inside.

A malicious thought flashed in his head, "Yeah, it serves you right!" Got all dressed up like a peacock! Break off now, Evans!

But going inside and looking closely at the dimly lit scene, the guy noticed a silhouette hidden in the twilight.

Silently stepping along the central aisle, he approached the only bright spot from a dim lamp under the ceiling.

He froze, looking at the neat butt, covered in light blue jeans, which at that moment stuck up invitingly, while the girl diligently tried to pull something out from behind the screen.

"Did you find something interesting there?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

The girl twitched and then there was a huge bang as if something heavy had fallen to the floor.

Emily straightened up slowly. Her back appeared from behind the screen, then a high ponytail of lavender hair, and then the girl's face.

She blinked and stared at the guy who was standing under the lamp like an angel sanctified by divine light.

"Hey." Justin greeted and smiled, pleased with the effect.

Half an hour of fuss with unruly hair was not in vain. He almost learned how to blow-dry, although for the first five minutes his hands reached out to cut his hair at the root. A light blue shirt with sleeves rolled up to the elbows perfectly emphasized his gray eyes. And, as it turned out, it was combined with Emily's jeans in tone. Just a couple set! His own white jeans made his long legs look even longer and (for sure) perfectly fitted his equally appetizing male butt.

Evans was one hundred percent confident in his irresistible appearance.

Emily Hayes examined him carefully from head to toe and back. But, unlike the girls he met along the way, she did not blush and melt like ice cream in the sun.

"Why so long?! You should have been here fifteen minutes ago! Knowing how difficult it is to get audiences for individual rehearsals, you could take a more responsible attitude to your work!"

"What?" Justin was taken aback by the unexpected discontent of the girl.

"That!" Emily brushed a strand of hair off her forehead. "If I could pull out this stupid ladder, I would have done everything myself a long time ago! Come on, get it out." She pointed somewhere behind the screen and took a step to the side.

"What should I pull out?" He did not understand.

If the girl were a cat, Evans was sure he would be standing there with his eyes scratched out. She gave him that look.

"The ladder! Did you come here to change the lamp bulb or to chat?!"

So, something went wrong with his plan to charm Emily Hayes. What the hell does a damn light bulb have to do with it?

And where does this orderly tone come from? Yes, no girl in his life ordered him what to do! And she looks so kind and innocent! Ha! it's a dragon in a skirt! Correction: in jeans!

Evans clenched his jaw, holding back the rising rage. "Listen-"

"No, you listen to me!" After interrupting the guy, the girl fell silent, took two deep breaths, and continued in a calm tone. "Listen, I'm sorry, something got me. I have begged the professors to let me use this room for two weeks. Today my friend and I were supposed to start rehearsals. But she screwed the test up and now she will have to study extra for all week."

Emily waved her hands and swore loudly. Evans opened and closed his mouth, unable to find anything to say.

"And then that light bulb burned out…"

Pieces of the puzzle gradually took shape in Justin's head. It seems that the rehearsals in the hall did not turn out the way she wanted. Now he wasn't annoyed by her harsh tone (which was odd). Because such behavior of girls usually terribly infuriated him.

And now, looking at Emily's sad face, he wanted to hug her and comfort her. Wake up, Evans! She is not a forgotten kitten in the rain! You have another goal! He mentally reminded himself.

The role of a knight who came to rescue a lady in distress was not very suitable for Justin. Now, he was more of a wolf for Little Red Riding Hood. But Hayes does not need to know about this.

The guy put his foot on the first step, intending to climb the girl on stage.

"Hmm, I've been thinking. You don't look too much like a worker…" she said and looked at the guy suspiciously, as if she had just seen him.

He froze, never stepping on the second one.

"The locksmith is busy now. He is kinda asked me to... Uh... I... sort of need to work for having slacked on my classes." Evans answered, offering the first alibi that came to mind.

"Oh, that's clear. Get started then." Emily nodded. She didn't seem to care who would solve her problem. "The ladder is over there. The light bulb you need is over here." She pointed at a long box lying on the floor. "Can you do it?"

"No problem." Justin winked playfully, but the girl had already turned away. She took her phone out of her pocket and started typing a message, smiling as if she had won the lottery.

Evans has never seen such disregard for himself... never!

He looked over the screen. The folding ladder was littered with some incomprehensible junk. It took him about three minutes before he pulled it out, smearing his white jeans with dust and some kind of oil.

"Five hundred dollars just went to the pooper," he mentally sighed. "This is a fiasco, bro. She doesn't even know your name, and you're already working in the red. It's time to change the strategy."

After somehow setting up the ladder, Justin pulled a replacement bulb out of the box and turned it around in his hands.

He cast a quick glance at the girl, who had completely forgotten about his existence.

"Hey, you, what's your name?"

She looked up from her phone and turned to him. "Emily."

"E-mi-ly," he repeated her name, chanting the sounds. "I'm sorry, but we've got a problem with the bulb here."

"Why?" The girl immediately put the phone in her pocket and quickly walked over to the guy. "Is it broken?"

Justin held his breath for a moment, not expecting her to be there so soon. While Emily was twirling and examining the lamp, he was examining her. More precisely, the crown of her head. This is where a strand of hair came out of the ponytail. And along the hairline, small fluffy hairs stuck out, on which he immediately wanted to blow.

The girl had perfect height. The way he loves.

"No, the lamp is fine. The ladder is all flimsy. It won't support my weight." Evans answered.

Emily looked up the stairs. "What about me?" She lifted her head and looked at Justin. "Can it hold me?"

"I think it should." He had to make an effort to hide his triumphant smile.

Now everything is going according to his plan.