Trust me, babe

Chapter 21

Kathryn

"Let's take some pictures," Kenzie said, pulling out her phone, her eyes still on the Opera House rising right in front of her. Then she turned to look at me, a playful glint in her eyes. "After all, that's what Kathryn and I spent all afternoon preparing for. Samson, what do you think about Kathryn's new clothes and hair?"

I gave Kenzie a quick, angry look. How dare she? But at the same time I found myself holding my breath, waiting for Samson's answer. And it wasn't only because I was feeling very self conscious and scared to hear his judgement but also because I was hoping — like, hello Kathryn? — that he'd say something nice.

"I think she looks amazing," Samson said, smiling at me. "Though it's not the clothes nor the hairdo. It's her. Just as who she is."

"Awww," Kenzie cooed.

"Eh, thank you," I mumbled, feeling myself blush again. Maybe he just said that to sound nice. Maybe it was more of a philosophical statement than a statement that had anything to do with me. But it still felt nice. Even if I wasn't meant to care. Even if I wasn't meant to look like this to impress men — or at least wasn't if you asked me and not Kenzie.

"If you want to take the pictures before the golden moment is over, we better do it now," Jacky remarked. "Do you want me to ask someone if they can take a picture of all of us together?"

"Yes, please do!" Kenzie said. "We need a picture to remember this lovely evening we spent together. All the four of us." Kenzie was looking at me again, smiling knowingly. Then she looked at Samson. She was still having that same smile, the knowing smile.

Jacky got a couple of Japanese tourists to take a picture of us on Kenzie's phone and we aligned ourselves on the steps, smiling happily at the camera. Samson was standing right next to me. He was so close I could hear his breath — again — and smell his cologne.

After the Japanese tourists had taken the picture of all the four of us we spent another ten minutes taking more pictures with different combinations of people. Kenzie wanted a picture of her and Jacky — of course. I took tens of pictures of them in different poses: holding hands, hugging, sitting on the steps together, pictures where Kenzie was sitting on Jacky's lap or where Jacky was holding her on his back, and, of course, a picture of them kissing.

Next Kenzie wanted to take pictures of me and her together, so I handed Kenzie's phone to Jacky and went to the steps together with Kenzie. Kenzie wanted us to make dozens of different poses. I tried to relax, tried to be natural and smile at the camera. But it was so hard. I felt so stupid making all those poses in front of Samson. I felt so embarrassed. So self conscious.

"I want to send some of these to Sasha. She can imagine it was her who took the pictures and feel more included," Kenzie giggled and took her phone back from Jacky. Then she started scrolling through the fifty three or so pictures Jacky had just taken of us. Pictures where I looked more or less awkward and was probably looking at Samson more often than at the camera. She managed to choose seven of them which she then sent to Sasha in our group chat, causing my phone to ping in my purse.

"What next?" Kenzie asked, looking up from her phone. "Do you want me to take a picture of you two?" she suddenly asked, looking at me and Samson.

"Us? Umm, I don't know," I mumbled, startled by the sudden question and unsure what I was meant to say here. What did I even want to say? Did I want to scream at Kenzie for even suggesting something like that and causing me this awkward situation? Or did I rather want to scream 'hell yeah' and rush to the steps together with Samson?