After Dark

Chapter 8 - Breaking the Ice

The next week went by in a blur as Mabel began to settle into her classes. She was beginning to get the feel of what her teachers' expectations were and what to expect out of the year. She loved her photography major as it was akin to her personality in that she could capture the world around her and make it special. Her minor in printmaking was very hands-on and craft-related so she loved the classes with textiles and fabrication as it was conducive to her artistic nature. It allowed her to creatively and technically express emotions, ideas, or inner visions by rendering art concepts onto surfaces and transferring images, via ink or dyes, onto paper or fabric. She was really looking forward to these classes!

Her photography major focused on the principles and techniques of communicating information, ideas, moods, and feelings through the creation of images on photographic film, plates, and digital images and that would prepare her to be a professional in photographic art. This included instruction in camera and equipment operation and maintenance, film and plate developing, light and composition, films and printing media, color and special effects, photographic art, photographic history, use of computer applications to record or enhance images and applications to the photography of various subjects.

She was a little nervous about the computer applications part, as this was Dipper's area of expertise. She eased into the classes and was a quick learner. She struggled with the computer part naturally. Mabel swallowed her pride and asked the teacher for help. The teacher told her he would pair her up with a sophomore that was taking other photography-related classes. He was to be her guide for the year. As the teacher walked her over to a less used corner of the lab that was more akin to a server room as stack towers and a highway of network cables and power cables snaked through housing management systems and harnesses.

As she walked around the corner her stomach lurched up in her throat. Julian's eyes grew wide with surprise as he looked her figure over instinctively as he saw her before catching himself. But as quickly as it had appeared it faded away to a more stoic look. Julian had a pair of headphones around his neck as he had previously been focusing closely on the monitor in front of him.

The teacher cleared his though politely. Julian turned to face the teacher. Taking a stand politely Julian said, "Mr. Harris sir, what can I do for you?" He had a southern accent and deep sounding voice that Made Mabel shiver internally. Outward she was reserved with poise composure. The teacher smiled and said, "I told you, Julian, you can call me Terry," he said with a disarming smile. He continued, "This is Mabel, one of our bright young freshmen who is taking photography as a major. She has been doing very well in everything we have covered so far but seems to be struggling with the software side of the graphic arts program. She is a fast learner and will no doubt just need some ongoing guidance."

Julian looked her over now with a look of critical nature in his eyes and almost a look of discomfort. "Are you sure she would not be better suited with another student?" He asked Mr. Harris. The teacher looked very surprised. "L-let me ask around real quick."

Mabel felt like she had been slapped across the face. She struggled to hide her pain and did so rather unsuccessfully. She was not good at hiding her feelings. Especially pain. She struggled to keep her breathing even but kept tears out of her eyes.

The teacher left Mabel and Julian standing together in silence. You could hear the computer cooling system fans drone on accentuating the palpably uncomfortable situation.

Mabel looked him in the eyes her pain showing but she did not look away as she held her gaze in subtle defiance as her brows narrowed. Still, her pain and sadness were there. Jillian held her gaze defiantly for a moment before he looked downward not able to meet her intense gaze.