Sharing My Mess

Note: This story was submitted to the first round of the NYC Midnight 100-Word Flash Fiction Competition and received 6th out of 58 submissions in the group, allowing me to move onto the second round of the competition.

Required Genre: Romance | Required Action: Painting | Required Word: Share

The green showed through, Trish still affecting me even after leaving.

What a mess I was. 

“Another coat?” Katie asked. 

I nodded, staring at the wall. A decade of friendship—I'd never been one to care about paint colors before. 

Katie's brush crawled up my arm. She grinned. Flicked blue droplets. Ran giggling.

When I caught her, I shared my mess. Paint rollers and slick hands. 

She wiped a speck from below my lip.

Countless avoided moments waited beneath painted skin. We crashed together. Mouths exploring. Fingers leaving prints.

Paint marred the hardwood. So much for the security deposit.