Soap

Frischling II

For more Information check chapter 8

If I had any working brain cell left in my body I would have turned away and walked out that door without acknowledging Frank.
I wouldn't have followed him into his bedroom out of confusion.

But my mind was drained from the nervousness I had felt in the past couple of days and I needed someone to tell me what to do with myself right now.
And Frank was right:
I would have to get a headshot either way if my comic was going to get published.

"I'm not sure if I am comfortable with being in here.", I said as I sat at the edge of Frank's bed while he was lost in the depths of his wardrobe. I could hear him move things around and drop stuff to the ground.

"We are not going to fuck if that's what you're concerned about.", he yelled but his voice was muffled.

A few seconds later he reappeared with what looked like a rolled up sheet in his arms as well as some kind of stand.
He put the stand on the ground and unravelled the white sheet before clipping it to a bar in top of the stand. Then he put it in front of the side of the bed that was facing the big windows. He readjusted it a couple of times before stepping back and nodding.

"Seems about right.", he murmured to himself before speeding out of the room only to return with two big, square shaped lamps seconds later.
He put then down in front of the window, again adjusting it so the light would fall perfectly onto the white sheet.

He seemed so different right now. His face was hard with concentration yet relaxed at the same time. You could tell that he knew exactly what he was doing and I enjoyed watching him work more than I should.

I almost jumped when he snapped his head in my direction. The fire in his eyes was incomparable.

"Come here.", he demanded and I got off the bed to walk over to him.
I didn't know what to do. This was my first photoshoot ever and I didn't want to embarrass myself.
I quickly looked down on me to check what I was wearing. I had put on a plain black shirt with my Jean's and a leather jacket that I hadn't taken off yet. Not the best thing to be photographed in but I could have chosen worse.

"Stand in front of the white background.", he instructed and pointed over to where i was supposed to go while at the same time putting his camera around his neck with a thick black strap.

"Why are you doing this?", I finally found the strength to ask.
My question snapped Frank right back into reality and his eyes showed a mixture of feelings I couldn't quite understand.

"Because you need an author's picture. I already said that. And because I am the one sending your stuff to Hayland I am kind of responsible for the way you present yourself. If you look bad it will shine a bad light onto my ability to judge."

"I see.", I nodded.
I didn't want to ask any further because maybe that really is the only reason for him to do this even though I suspected that this was his form of apology to me for being an asshole.

"Now stand up straight.", he said and turned on both lamps. At first the brightness hurt my eyes but they adjusted pretty quickly. I could hardly see Frank who was standing behind the lights as the windows showed nothing but darkness.

I tried to follow his instructions and pushed my shoulders back a little.

"Not like that. You're tensing up."

I tried again, this time trying not to push my shoulders back too far.
I felt like I was doing a good job but Frank seemed to think differently.

"No, not like that either. Wait.", he sighed and stepped out behind the lights to join me in front of the white background.