I woke gradually, still buried deep in the forest of covers and blankets, clutching a crumpled ad used tissue tightly in my hand. Sifting a little I turned over, catching a proper glance at the small yet homely room that obviously belong to Taylor.

I�d drifted off to sleep quickly after I�d said my goodnights and turned in, although until I finally did get taken by the hand into dream world I could hear him tossing and turning frantically, huffing and sighing when he couldn�t get himself comfortable. At least, I hope that�s the reason why. It was safe to say that maybe he didn�t quite understand me and my actions last night, then again why should he understand them at all. He could say that he acknowledges and realizes just by smiling and nodding his head in a agreement whilst all the while in his mind he�s thinking �oh my god what the hell is she going on about?� I know it can happen, I�ve seen it all too often. Drawing him under protest was one thing, giving him meaningless head was another and I just hoped he was intelligent enough to read that, instead of reading between the lines of it all. Give him a couple more weeks, he�d learn more reasons why I remained on my lonesome, not just because I�m some artist who sees no harm in stripping for or stripping a stranger and having pictures taken or drawn. It�s never been about sex when it comes to such things in fact, I bet he�s more experienced than me after all�

I am still a virgin.

There�s nothing to stop him from turning around to me and saying �your some freak who gave me head and called it a friendly favour�. Is sex still as taboo as all that these days? What with the masses of group orgies and swingers clubs you see and hear about daily, I doubt it very much. But then I never can tell. I know as little about him as he does of me and what�s to say that he was only being polite last night?

I lolled my head to the side on the pillow to see him laying on his back, using only the under sheet as warmth, one pointed corner draped up over his shoulder whilst the rest of it had been pushed down just below his navel. He had one leg outstretched, the other steepled, and the white sheet fallen from it adding more to cover his, probably still naked groin. I smiled to myself seeing this disarray, the hair tossed out on the pillow, the lips slightly parted and the gentle rasping and odd snore coming from breathing through his mouth. He looked quite contented there and it seemed a shame to wake him and tell him I had to be heading home to finish a written art assignment, despite the appeal of waiting till he was up and then tottering off to get the film of pictures developed. But something told me that even though I�d started to give in, let him view the weird and wonderful make-up that is my life I didn�t want him knowing anymore about me at this point in time than he already did. After all, how did I know that this wasn�t all a lie to try and coax me into something more than a friendship? This was very much like a sleepover, it had been a very long time since I�d understood exactly what went into the preparation and process of making a great evening- except I�m talking about friendship.

I slipped from under the covers, in my crumpled white top and shorts, immediately seeing my red nose and chapped face in the full-length mirror standing over behind the door. I looked ill but or some reason I didn�t feel anything of the sorts, but I�m sure whatever medication I�d been given by Taylor when I was only half with it was still working hard to keep the real feeling of sickness away. I ran my hair through my rather stiff curls, not properly dried after being soaked in river water. Noting my bag by his camera equipment I went over to it and picked it up, making sure everything was inside. I kept looking over at Taylor, not moving just snoozing looking rather picturesque with his sheet-turned toga, still giving enough away to tempt but enough covered to tease. What a perfect portrait it would make.

It suddenly occurred to me that he had been so gentlemanly last night, coming to my rescue even though I stubbornly wanted no help. It still didn�t seem quite right, staying here overnight, being looked after, probably because it had never happened before unless I looked after myself through a bout of flu. Stubborn or not I couldn�t be so rude as to ignore what he�s done for me when I really was too out of it to help myself. I picked up the sketch I had done last night from the floor where it had fallen from the bed. I looked over my rough lines, the flat of his body, the poignant hipbones and the generous erection, matched with the plea of his eyes. I thought maybe he�d like to keep that, maybe the harder he looked at the clear he�d see my intentions-if he had any doubt of them. I laid it up on his desk before taking a blunt pencil that looked like it had been hacked to bits with a knife from trying to hand sharpen it one to many times. I turned over the drawing and carefully scribbled a note, not so hard that the drawing on the other side would be ruined.

I paused as I tried to think of what to say next. What do I put next? I glanced around back over at Taylor, adjusting my bag on my back before I noticed his camera. Perfect.

I�ve taken your camera film, I am passing the developers on my way home and perhaps these aren�t the types of pictures you want to drop off, I�d hate for your art to get taken, sold and then you have some god awful newspaper headline blackening your name. I will meet you at the chine next Saturday and bring them for you so you won�t have the trouble. Until then, take care of yourself and I�ll see you then.

Season

Finishing the note I propped it up against his stationary holder, note side facing outwards and slotted the pencil back in the holder. Bending down I picked up his camera from the open bag and tried to locate how many the film had taken and if it was indeed finished. Noting he�d only taken 23 and the film was a 24 exposure I wondered what to do with the last picture. I don�t even know why I hesitated but I stood and looked over at Taylor on the bed, still fast asleep and half naked and half covered. My ideal for a perfect charcoal drawing may be possible now as I pointed the lens at him, adjusted the focus and used up the last picture on the film. Using the winder, I rolled the film back until it was all coiled up before popping the back and taking the film out. Taylor moved slightly, turning on his side but still fast asleep with one manly grunt. Placing the camera back in the bag I put the film in its small holder and put it in my pocket for safe keeping.

With one last glance and a faint smile, I crept out of the room and blundered my way down the stairs to try and make it out the front door without stirring a single family member.

My easel, cold tablets and watercolours were beckoning for the duration of the day and Saturday evening and the events of said evening, blurred into a memory that I�d hold in mind forever- even if for once, I made the exception and shared it, with another.

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