Keighley wandered around the living aimlessly. Then picked up a rag and broom and dusted the living room. She then wandered off to the bedroom to dust there too.

While cleaning, she stabbed her toe hard against something sturdy and heavy.

"OUCH!" she cried out loud. 

June immediately followed after her. "You okay."June asked.

"No am not." Keighley hissed as she knelt on the floor and peeped under the bed.

There lay a large paper box under the bed. 

"What's this?" She said as she pulled it hard.

"June what's in here?" She asked she pulled it out. " Damn... it's really heavy!" She turned to face June at the door as the box brushed against the floor leaving marks behind.

June remained at the door. Her mind had drifted off while Keighley arranged the canvases on the floor.

"Omg...Wow!" Keighley exclaimed as she picked up the largest canvas.

"June!" she cried. "This is really beautiful. Who drew this?" 

June quickly glanced over at Keighley then to the paintings. She staggered towards Keighley her eyes locked on the canvas she held and fell on her knees and took it from Keighley.

It was a portrait of a girl, blue braids up in a bun, full glossy lips. She wasn't smiling neither was she angry. She looked slightly ahead and light glimmered inside her hazel eyes.

The other paintings on the floor had something common with the one June now held. The dim warm lighting in the room made the colours more vibrant.

The girl in all these paintings was June.

She wiped the tears that streaked down her cheeks then leaned back as if that would stop the tears. 

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she swallowed heavily. 

Keighley sat on the cold floor, her smile instantly vanished, replaced by a cold frown. She carefully placed her hand on June's shoulder. " It's okay." She whispered. "Let it all out."

Leaned forward and kept her eyes on the painting. Her throat was tight and her eyes burning and blurry.

"R...Ryan... The sunkissed... That's what he called it." She finally replied, her voice low and breaking.

Keighley's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. " Am sorry June... I shouldn't have gone through that box... It's my fault you are crying again." She mumbled.

June wipped her tears and sighed heavily then sat too. She traced the painting with her fingers, a soft smile on her face while tears still flowed. 

Keighley clenched her hands together and kept her head low, her face covered by her braids. 

"He gave it to me... for my birthday." June added.

As June spoke, old memories slipped through her mind.

She thought back to those quiet dates Ryan had spent so much time preparing for, picnics at the park, libraries dates and other places June liked.

During walks, he held her hand and kept her on the safest side of the side walk. 

Ryan had learned from online videos how to style her braids. Each new hairstyle June wore to campus was made by him, and she held her head high with pride.

He always kept a sketchbook, drawing whenever they hung out together. June rarely got to see his work, as he quickly closed it whenever she tried to peek.

At one point, he bought a small vintage camera and captured every moment they spent together. 

Curious, June asked him once " Why do always take pictures of me." 

He responded softly, “It's because I want to always remember you at every moment. I never want to forget you.”

Her face light up with a gentle smile. Her gaze met his eyes, which had formed a crescent shape from smiling so wide it seemed to glow. He leaned in closer and wrapped his arms around her in a warm hug.

This feeling was new, strange. The feeling of being looked after, treasured, and looked so lovingly. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to trust it, but like a moth to a flame, she leaned closer, daring to believe that maybe, just maybe, she was enough for him.

That year on her birthday Ryan had prepared a lot for June. Apart from the little cake he had bought. He gifted her the sunkissed, a painting that took him months making. It was a painting of the first time he met June.

June's eyes welled up with tears upon seeing the painting. "Ryan, what's this?"

" The sunkissed, he replied. "Based on the first day I saw you."

"O... Orientation day?" June asked excitedly.

Ryan shook his head smirking. "No same day but earlier."

 "Honestly I couldn't forget you after that day. I tried drawing you hoping not to forget you but luckily we met again. So I've been making this piece since the first time I met you." Ryan said as he took her hand in his. " I think I...liked you since then." 

Ryan's words sent June's face flushing deep red, her eyes sparkling with happiness. 

Then he gave her another present, a crochet hoodie with daisy flower granny squares he personally made. 

But the gifts didn't end there.

Ryan gently directed her to a corner in his living room. Her eyes blind folded. He slowly opened them to reveal a cozy space he had personally made for her.

He had set up a purple bean bag big enough for two, he thought it would be easier to cuddle with her, a little table with novels on it for June to relax and read, a record player with June's favourite music. 

"What's this..." June asked visibly impressed with what she saw.

Ryan's eyes lit up, "A little place for you... So you can stay a little longer." Ryan replied looking pleased with her reaction.

Suddenly Ryan dropped on one knee. June's hammered hard against her chest. Was he proposing to her. It felt a little too early.

In Ryan's hand there was a small white shiny box. June froze as he took her hand, his eyes locked on hers. The box creaked open, revealing a delicate key attached to a handmade keychain. 

June's heart beat faster when Ryan placed the key in her palm, his fingers brushing against hers. A sigh of relief mixed with disappointment escaped her lips as she realized he wasn't proposing, but her heart wasn't ready to slow down yet.

"You are welcome to my house anytime you like... Oh you could...you could just move in." Ryan added with a smirk as he got up.

June shook her head blushing. "Not now"

Ryan pulled her closer for a warm hug. "Happy birthday Blue and...and I love you."

This memory had engraved itself deep in June's. Probably one of the reasons why she couldn't forget or let him go.

Maybe Ryan really did love her, maybe he didn't because if he didn't. He wouldn't have hurt her. 

If he did, June wouldn't be on the cold floor, holding a painting he made of her while her tears fell onto it blurring the colours onto it. 

After a while Keighley broke the silence. "They say... artists only draw two kinds of things, something they find beautiful... and ...and something they are obsessed with." She said taking June's hands. 

"June this piece... This is how Ryan saw you."