Behind The Uniform

The Photograph

The Photograph

The first thing to do was to call Ross so I whipped my phone out and dialled his number.

He picked up, his voice groggy.

"Hello? Jamie, why are you ringing me?" He asked, giving a long yawn.

"I'm just wondering where you are? You kind of ditched me at the ferris wheel? It's over now." 

"There's lots of mirrors. I'm sitting at the back. I think I fell asleep for a few minutes..." Ross trailed off and I just shook my head. 

Annabelle was watching me with mild interest whilst Bryn seemed to find her shoelaces absolutely fascinating.

"Okay, lot's of mirrors, sounds like the hall of mirrors. We'll head to you." I said.

"Wait, what do you mean we?" 

I never answered Ross's question because I had already put the phone down.

"So I'm guessing he's nowhere close?" Annabelle asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"If the hall of mirrors is close. At least I know that he's there."

"So come on let's go find him!" Annabelle cheered enthusiastically.

She grabbed hold of my hand and began to lead me through the fair whilst Bryn followed apathetically.

It's strange when I think back to that moment, here was this strange girl holding my hand and she had only met me about twenty or ten minutes ago. When I think about that meeting so many years later, I wonder if you Willa and Lloyd think it was by some strange fate that we met. How wrong.

I don't believe in fate, only the actions of humans. It was Annabelle's actions that caused us to meet that day. She had walked into my life without even knowing it. 

And if to say fate really does really exist, our fate was sealed with that photograph.

Annabelle stopped after about three minutes and she looked slightly lost, trying to find any sign that could point to the hall of mirrors. I was watching the people walking by laughing and joking, playing games. No-one seemed to pay the three teenagers any attention as they struggled to locate one place.

Bryn stood behind us, her feet scuffling the ground.

Annabelle sighed. "Where on earth could it be? Your friend seriously wondered off a bit far. Why exactly did he leave you in the first place?"

"It's beyond me." I replied knowing that Ross wouldn't really appreciate having one of his secrets told.

Annabelle didn't reply but instead she was looking around the fair. Suddenly she was off again, grabbing hold of my wrist this time. I felt like I was on a roller coaster as she began to take off running and I head to duck underneath people's arms.

They shouted "Watch where you're going, stupid kid!" But by then we had already gone and I was going under someone's else arms. 

Suddenly she stopped again and smiled back at me. 

"Look, there!" She took hold of my head and moved in the direction that she was now pointing in.

All I could see were people moving walking about. No-one seemed to stand out, I didn't really understand why she wanted me to look that way. "I'm looking but there's not really anyone interesting." I muttered.

Annabelle smirked. "Are you blind, look right there, the woman with a camera." She pointed again and I saw a women immersed in the crowd, there was a polaroid camera in her hand. I watched the woman as she tried to talk to people but they all seemed to ignore her.  I was amazed that Annabelle had been able to notice her so quickly. She had always been able to see better than me.