[center][h3][color=skyblue][u]Shay and Demetri [/u][/color][/h3][/center]

[color=#D5D8DC]Demetri and the guest interested in buying the portrait of Shay Knight turned after the disguised Shay approached inquiring about pricing. The guest chuckled at the 'art student' like one would do to someone who was painfully out of their league. 

[color=lightgreen]"Sorry miss, but the painting is coming home with me. 2 grand."[/color] The guest said with a smug smirk on his face. He was purposely bidding $2,000 to see how the you lady would react. He figured that much money was two months pay from whatever fast food chain he guessed she stumbled out of.

Shay stared at the men and managed a smirk. He thought he could scare her off, huh? She didn’t allow her irritation to show and mained her sweet smile. She stared at the man in the eyes and responded, [color=lightblue]”I bid $2,100.”[/color] Shay could feel a few stares as she spoke and ignored them. This man did not have any idea who he was dealing with, or what. Shay was aware she didn’t dress up, unlike the other guests. She had a plan if she lost the bid and this man was surely going to pay for it, with or without the cash. She had a small secret too - the credit card she’d stolen from Ariana’s purse as well. 

With a deep breath, Shay willed herself to retain her resolve and not punch this man into oblivion. She wanted to telekinetically take the painting, but again, that would not bode well for her. Shay reminded herself to behave and stared the man down.

His face showed a bit of surprise before he sighed and looked to Demetri.

[color=lightgreen]"Are we really doing this?"[/color] The guest asked as Demetri took a single step back and shrugged. The bodyguard honestly thought the two were insane. The guest scoffed and then put on a sweet smile for Shay. [color=lightgreen]"Three. 3,000. Save your cash kid. Don't you have student loans and vanilla chai lattes to worry about?"[/color]

Shay stared at him, her sweetness not dissipating. She didn’t blink, nor allow herself to show any sign of break in her resolve. The bid raising another thousand hadn’t surprised her. Shay was surprised the jackass wasn’t summoning a maid to pay for it. Without flinching, she responded firmly, [color=lightblue]“$3,200. Where’s your sugar mama when you need her, darling? And by the way, those vanilla chai lattes are too basic, kinda like you. Coffee is not my cup of tea. Have you heard of ‘water’ before or is that too complex of a term for you? Should I spell it out for you?”[/color] 

There was a chorus of ‘oos’ in the background which she ignored. Shay wanted to stay low for the bid and not cause Ariana too much grief - but he was on her nerves. Shay was going to continue bidding until this man was red in the face and caused him to pay much higher than he had anticipated for it. Then, on his way out, the painting would [i]mysteriously[/i] disappear. It would have to be in the hour. Shay glanced sideways at the clock: twenty-five minutes had passed. She had a half hour to wrap this up and disappear before she’d transform into herself again. With the devil and his lapdogs here, she knew they wouldn’t cause a scene but she wasn’t taking any more unnecessary risks. Shay crossed the expression off her face and remained impassive as she turned to face the man with a hint of a smirk.

[color=lightgreen]"You kids are pretty witty these days, but I can tell you're not an art student… at least not a good one. This painting being a measly 32 hundred is ridiculous! This painting is at least 7 grand. This is Alexander Drake's last exhibition and though he is more of a recreationalist, this kind of art will never be produced in this armpit of the country. Right?"[/color] The guest looked to Demetri who shrugged, a bit bothered by all the theatrics. He cleared his throat and spoke up.

[color=yellow]"I've let you two have your fun, but Mr Drake's starting price on this particular painting is $7,500."[/color] Demetri's tone was neutral as he looked between both guests.

[color=lightgreen]"$7,500? I was almost on the mark."[/color] The guest boasted. [color=lightgreen]"7,500 it is then."[/color] He preemptively pulled out his checkbook, a clear power move.

[color=lightblue]”Ooh, judgey aren’t we? Didn’t your mama tell you not to judge a book by its cover?”[/color] Shay replied as she grinned at the man. He didn’t know who she was - or Ariana; but this girl was definitely an artist. Shay had viewed some of the paintings in her room and her sketchbook briefly to grasp an idea of her. This girl was extremely talented. As he continued speaking, she began to chuckle and had to hold back from guffawing at the pure idiocy of this man. Why didn’t go and kiss the ground the Devil walked on right now? Shay didn’t know who this man was, but she’d rather walk barefoot over hot coals before he kept [i]her[/i] painting. 

She listened to Demetri - who she resisted strangling - and watched as Mr. Hotshot took out his checkbook. She looked between the two, then went with her original plan. [color=lightblue]"$7,550.”[/color] Shay replied and reached into her purse to take out her credit card with a wicked smile. [color=lightblue]”Tell your checkbook my credit card says hello,”[/color]

[color=lightgreen]"Isn't the limit one of those about 5 thousand? Sir, can we ignore this woman. She seems ill."[/color] The guest shook his head. He was getting sick of Shay.

Shay smirked as she was able to see the man’s demeanor beginning to crack. So she was under his skin; good. She would not let this disgusting trash of a man have her painting hanging in his house. She wiped the smirk off her face and folded her arms. [color=lightblue]”That was unnecessarily rude. I feel perfectly fine and it seems i nfact, you could possibly be ill. You’re an older gentleman buying a painting of a young female. That seems strange to me. Are you going to continue biding?”[/color] Shay did not know how much money Ariana had on this card. Truth be told, she was bluffing now. She planned on him letting him think she’d back out; then attack him in the parking lot. She could possibly hotwheel his car too but wasn't’ certain if she wanted to add Grand Theft Auto to her list of broken laws. She was going to be lucky to make it out of here unseen. 

Shay paused and studied the two. Most of her attention was on the man; however, she had kept Alexander and Maeve in her peripheral vision. Was the asshole talking to Maeve about her? She gritted her teeth. There had to be somewhere she could go....

The guest on the other hand, just stood there scowling at her. Her divided attention only seemed to piss him off more. It was as if she thought what she had just insinuated about him was nothing.

[color=lightgreen]"Hey how about you look here and repeat what you just insinuated about me!" [/color]He didn't notice how loud he had addressed her.

[color=yellow]"Sir."[/color] Demetri addressed the guest, but was cut off.

[color=lightgreen]"8 grand. My final offer! I'm not going to let this child ruin my purchase."[/color] His face was much closer to Shay's as if he was trying to stare her away.

[color=lightblue]“Oh my, what a tough guy we have over here! Did I hit a sore spot?”[/color] Shay chortled as she watched the man. She glanced at the clock: forty-five minutes or so had passed. Shit. [color=lightblue]”Didn’t your mama teach you the golden rule? I guess not,”[/color] She smirked at the two. [color=lightblue]”Eight grand it is.”[/color] Shay smirked and moved over to the wine table, fighting the tears in her eyes. She poured herself a large helping of wine and began consuming it. 

[color=lightgreen]"Good. Now that she's gone…"[/color]

[color=yellow]"You will also be leaving… the premises."[/color] Demetri informed as he noticed Alexander's eye from across the room. No doubt, he had witnessed some of the ruckus that had gone on on his own watch. The guest stood firmly, but Demetri's scowl and tall stature caused the guest to think about his following action. [color=yellow]"After you, sir."[/color]

[color=lightgreen]"This is bullshit."[/color] The guest said as he shook his head and walked off. His eyes shot sharp daggers at Shay. He wanted to actually put hands on her, but he couldn't cause more of a scene than he already had. With his exit, the painting remained unclaimed. Demetri should have then approached Shay for her offer for the painting, but he had been close to kicking the girl out as well. 

Shay smirked at the man as he was beginning to be berated by Demetri. She said nothing, however, and remained silent. She sipped her wine and grabbed a handful of cheese. God, she had missed the simple pleasures of life.. As the guest passed her and shot daggers, Shay tipped her glass to him and sipped it casually. She wished she could photograph this moment in time, but for now the memory would do. One small win for Shay - hopefully, two would happen now. Before returning to her painting, she poured more wine and nibbled on the cheese she’d taken as well. She turned to Demetri and smiled at him as she sipped her wine. 

[color=lightblue]”So about the painting, handsome. How much?”[/color] Shay kept her tone light and friendly as she ignored the many people now staring. Shay had noticed Alexander glance over and had given him a sly, but innocent smile and turned away quickly. She was not intimidated by it. However, she needed to grab the painting and get the hell out! She had no idea what would happen if she transformed into herself with  the Devil and his henchmen. [color=lightblue][i]’C’mon damn it. Let me win again. I’m not asking for much.’[/i][/color]
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