A Pleasing Affliction

Chapter 1

Ellis

Flashes blind me from all around. This so called 'Polaroid party' is the first for me. My friend Emily told me I should come along. Her persuasive statement was something along advocating for the arts, arts that aren't just my art. I play the violin, I've played it for almost two decades. Emily just doesn't understand that it's not that I'm not about advocating for other art. It's just that I've never been a party going type. Some third year is throwing this Polaroid party that he's famous for. I'm not sure why. Everyone is just taking random pictures with these Polaroid cameras that were placed around the house. Excuse me, mansion. This place is a mansion. What kind of third year throws a party in a mansion? Better yet, what kind of third year lives in a mansion? "Emily who is this third year who's throwing this party?" I ask. "Oh Atticus Sterling. He's infamous for these parties but, he only shows for like five minutes or not at all." She says. "So he's like Gatsby?" I ask jokingly. "You have old woman references." Emily says laughingly. "I'm gonna go dance with Derek okay? We've been playing that game where we stare at each other for hours and I'm tired of this hard to get game." She says prepping herself to go into this warlike situation. "Okay sounds good I'm gonna look around." I tell her not sure if she heard me cause she ran off excitedly. As I leave the noise of downstairs and wonder upstairs I see all the beautiful photos. Photos of landscapes, people, buildings. As I look around I notice a room with a door cracked open. The doors are long and high. A porcelain white color. I walk into the room and notice all the cameras on the shelves. As the walls are high, I look up and see cameras and books all the way up. As I turn my head I notice a cello in the corner. I learned all the strings. When I was around 5 I was dead set on violin but my teacher made sure I knew how to play viola, bass, cello and guitar. As well as keys and a few brass instruments. As I walk closer admiring the strings and the scroll of the cello. I hear footsteps behind me. "Do you play?" I hear a smooth deep voice ask. I turn around and see him. By far the most attractive man I've ever seen. He's much taller than me, deep green eyes, black hair. He's in a dark grey button up and black slacks. He knows how to dress. Pretty pretentious introduction because at this moment I realize this has to be the infamous Atticus. "Yeah I play." I say to him. "How long have you played the cello?" He asks. "I've dabbled with it for almost twenty years but my specialty is the violin." I say confidently. "Play for me." He says to me in a playboy like voice. "Nice try but, today is my day off." I say to him knowing that I want to play but don't want to play for his liking. "Have you read all of these?" I ask him standing by the books. "Yes I have. I'm actually a bit of a bookworm amongst other things." He says now sitting in the brown leather tufted chair. "What other things are you?" I ask him walking toward the large window. As my back is facing him I'm staring out looking at the large body of water that separates his mansion from the other cottages across the way. "I guess you can say I'm a Jack of all trades." He says strongly. The way he speaks is the whiskey. Smooth and strong but amongst all intoxicating. "What is it they say about Jack of all trades?...master of none." I say laughing lightly. "I'm a master at everything I learn, I'm living proof that, that whole saying is false." He says standing up to assert his dominance. "Well then it's nice to meet a Jack of all trades that's a master of many." I say softly walking to the door. "It was nice to meet a beautiful violinist." As I'm about to walk out the door he grabs my hand and says "wait you can't just leave me without telling me your name." As I turn around and face him "Don't fret, we're bound to meet again Atticus." I say to him patting his shoulders and leaving him alone in the doorframe.