SWNOVELS Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX–COMPETITIVE EXPRESSION
Clutching the bewildering canvas close like a cherished security blanket, Diego finally deigned to meet “her steady gaze – his own expression taking on an inscrutable intensity.
“Ahhh, but have we, ma chérie?” he countered in a deceptively mild tone, lips quirking upward in a small, sly smile.
“For you see, this mere unveiling represents something for greater than any tawdry melodrama over ephemeral artwork.”
Jasmine felt the others‘ rapt attention lasering in as Diego slowly rose to his feet with studied nonchalance, trailing one hand along the chaotic textures in an incongruously gentle caress.
“No, what we have stumbled upon here is nothing less than the opening salvo in the truest battle that has simmered entre nous since your arrival.”
His gaze locked with hers, eyes glittering with sudden, fevered intensity. “A struggle that shall finally determine, once and for all, whose creative vision reigns supreme as the ultimate embodiment of artistic
truth!”
A ringing silence hung in the air as realization gradually bloomed in Jasmine’s mind. This latest stunt was clearly his overwrought way of reasserting his self–professed mastery.
“You can’t be serious,” she couldn’t help but protest, both brows arching upward in patent skepticism Turning this into some bizarre showdown over wounded pride and delusions of grandeur?”
“Delusions?” Diego threw back his head with another of his theatrical laughs, scooping up a loaded brush and beginning to pace in watchful circles around her like a tormentor circling his prey. “I merely seek to defend what is mine by birthright, the supreme artist that I am!”
With each prowling step, fresh dabs of vibrant color appeared in his wake, slashing across the hardwood in an garish, seemingly haphazard pattern.
“You swoop into my dominion like some usurping upstart, enjoy your fleeting adulation, then have the arrogance to dismiss my transcendent vision? Una cosa non va!”
Jasmine opened her mouth to protest further, but Marcus beat her to it with an outburst of incredulous sputtering.
“Okay, I officially thought this dude couldn’t get any more pretentious and bonkers, but this latest meltdown of narcissistic cringe has easily lapped that low bar.”
Jacob let out a snort of agreement around his AirPod cord. “For real, bruh’s about to claim the floor stains are his latest masterpiece next…”
“You mock what you simply cannot comprehend, Philistines!” Diego had halted his stalking, chest heaving with feigned torment as he clutched one hand raggedly through his wild locks.
“Very well then – if my artistry’s validity remains opaque to you uncultured rubes, allow me to hold a mirror up to the truth with a little unbridled creative combat!”
He whirled back towards Jasmine, thrusting his brush out in a grandiose flourish that sent a fresh glob of indigo splattering at her feet.
“I challenge you here and now to an impromptu exhibition, madame! Let us put our respective techniques and inspiration to the ultimate test at last!”
His amber eyes glittered with impish provocation. “Should you emerge victorious, I shall withdraw from
this domain with nary a protest and cede mastery to your ineffable talents.”
Jasmine opened her mouth to refute the absurd gauntlet, but Diego had already pivoted to the others with a dramatic unfurling of both arms.
“But if I reign supreme, as I surely must? Then it shall be you retreating from this hallowed studio, your credibility eviscerated!”
A delighted, conniving grin split his weathered features as he gestured for the students to choose their allegiance.
“Eh bien – who among you has the courage to stand as soldiers on the true battlefield of creative expression? To perhaps even turn the tides of this seminal duel yourselves?”
A charged beat of silence fell as Jasmine and her students exchanged sidelong, uncertain glances.
She couldn’t quite believe Diego had willfully propelled them all into this farcical situation out of sheer insecurity and hubris.
Just when she began to resign herself to shutting down the entire absurd affair, however, Marcus abruptly spoke up again though not with his usual scoffing derision this time.
“You know what?” Marcus straightened to his full lanky height, jaw set in grim determination shrugged off his ripped denim jacket. “As tragic and cringey as this little exhibitionist showdown is, gonna go ahead and embrace the chaos.”
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With those words, he snatched up a brush and palette, stalking over to stake out his own easel with a brusque nod at Jasmine, “Count me in on your side, Mrs. D. Time to take this pretentious blowhard down a few pegs.
Diego blinked, seemingly taken aback by the teen’s uncharacteristic bravado. Before he could formulate a suitable rejoinder, however, Penelope had risen as well with an aura of regal poise.
“While I cannot condone enabling such puerile antics,” she intoned precisely, “I must admit a certain curiosity towards putting artistic theories to the unbridled test of practice.”
Her cool hazel stare pinned Diego accusingly. “If for no other reason than to firmly undercut whatever delusions you still cling to regarding your self–professed transcendence.”
With a elegant toss of her blonde coif, she too had claimed her easel in silent allegiance with Jasmine’s side of the “battlefield.”
Diego’s lips pulled into a derisive sneer as he swept his challenging gaze towards the final two students.” Well, my complacent lambs? The meek shall only inherit insipid antiquation if they cannot locate their inner fire!”
For a protracted moment, Agnes and Jacob seemed to waver, torn between bemusement and trepidation. Then the diminutive former diva lifted one mittened hand in an airy, unbothered gesture.
“Oh, what the hell? At my age, I’ve witnessed enough grandstanding from supposed ‘genius‘ artistes to recognize the genuine article.”
Her rosy cheeks dimpled impishly as she almed a conspiratorial wink at Jasmine before sashaying over the claim a stool next to Marcus. “Might as well embrace a bit of entertaining theatrics now and again to shake up the routine.”
Heaving an aggrieved sigh, Jacob reluctantly slumped off to join Diego’s side, if only because the prospect of siding with Jasmine’s supporters seemed too much like buying into authority.
Still, he couldn’t quite conceal the glimmer of intrigued excitement flickering beneath his disaffected facade as he surveyed the diverging factions.
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“Alright, posers, time to put your palettes where your mouths are,” he muttered, shaking out his shoulders as if preparing for a sporting event.
Jasmine felt a grudging sliver of respect for Diego’s ability to somehow galvanize them all into this ludicrous battle of artistic wills, despite his grandiose delusions.
While a large part of her still questioned the wisdom of indulging his toxic ego, perhaps leaning into his provocation could ultimately prove cathartic – an unbridled release of her own long–suppressed
frustrations with him.
“Very well then,” she stated, rolling up the sleeves of her paint–smeared smock as she surveyed her newly assembled “troops.”
Despite the absurdity, she couldn’t quite smother the competitive spark flaring to life within her breast. “I don’t put much stock in your posturing demands, Diego, but I’m game to follow this improvised madness through to its conclusion.”
She allowed a small, sly smile of her own to tug at one corner of her mouth as their eyes met and held in the sudden taut silence. “If for no other reason than to definitively cement which of our philosophies. resonates as the more authentic expression of passion and truth.”
It was impossible to miss the way Diego’s tawny gaze danced with rekindled intensity at her tacit acknowledgment of the creative gauntlet, his earlier bravado promptly restored,
Tearing his eyes away, he addressed his lone supporter with a casual flourish.
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