One Thousand Words

Chapter Three- And Then it Hit Me

||Chapter Three||

“Did you know that today, there are estimated to be just over 106,000 sea otters worldwide, with just under 3,000 in California?” Beth asks, putting down her sea otter fact book that she for some reason decided to borrow from our school’s library. Then again, I don’t know why I’m so surprised since Beth was the same creep that crashed my sixth birthday party dressed like a demon clown.

 

I polish the lens of my camera and shake my head. “No Beth, I did not know that, please tell me more,” I say dryly, raising the camera in the air to inspect any damages since Beth had previously elbowed it while trying to show me her interpretative dance, which kind of reminded me of a jumping starfish but who am I to judge.

 

“Oh, you brought the camera,” a new voice squeaks, interrupting us. “Take a picture of me,” that vain comment can only be made by one person, Lisa.

 

“No, it’s for yearbook. Also, Mrs. Augustine said I could use it for the interview with James,” I tell her, turning it away from her because knowing Lisa, she’d snatch it up herself and would begin taking overly dramatic selfies of herself.

 

“Well good, the yearbook would be lucky to have me as their front page model,” she snorts taking a seat next to me on the round table.

 

“Ah yes, but as the senior executive editor, I have made sure that you are no where near the cover,” I tell her, sticking my tongue out.

 

She glares at me. “Oh stop adding fancy names to your title. You’re just a regular editor and photographer,” she snorts, combing her fingers through her long blonde tresses.

 

“Did you know that the sea otter--

 

“Yes Beth, I know. I know everything about the damn sea otter because you recited the entire book to me during our first period class,” Lisa thankfully cuts her off but Beth seems unfazed by the comments.She never is and that’s what I admire about her.

 

“But that was the first book. This is the second book.” In that moment, I decide to snap a photo of the blank and cold stare in her dark eyes, making her flinch and glare at me.

 

“Wait, why would you take a picture of her, but not me?” Lisa wails and everyone in the library turns to look at us. Mrs. Ryerson, the school librarian puts a finger to her thin lips and shushes us, making Lisa turn away with embarrassment

 

“Because that is the exact look I’m going to give James when he refuses to give me an interview and I will continue to ask and give him the same look until he agrees,” I respond, checking back to see if the photo is clear enough.

 

I avoided him for the remaining days of the previous week, mostly because I decided I needed time to plan and rehearse my well thought out retorts to his unfair demands. It may also have something to do with how terrifying he actually is, but I’ve decided after an entire week of hiding out, there is no more avoiding it. Also since Mrs. Augustine, head of year book, shoved the camera at me and forced me to go down to the soccer field and make progress, there’s no denying it now.