Through the Lens

Failing Club

Engfa watched nervously as her professor thumbed through her portfolio. She tried to act like she didn't care - but this was one class she actually did give a shit about. She ran a hand through her dark hair and began to chew on her bottom lip.

Her professor slowly flipped the page, tapping her chin with her finger, before flipping another page. "They are good." Her professor spoke lazily, flipping the page again.

Engfa smiled slightly, feeling a bit relieved. Coming from Professor Jung, that was a huge compliment. She had work published in multiple magazines, as well as installations of her work in galleries across the country. If she said your work was good, it was.

"But..."

Immediately her smile was replaced with a frown.

Engfa's professor shut the portfolio and handed it back to her, "It's lacking emotion."

Engfa stared at her blankly.

Her professor sighed, "Look. You've got the skill. Technically, everything is great. But there is nothing behind it. There are just photos." She shook her head, "They are pretty. But I want more than pretty. I want to feel something."

Engfa clenched her jaw. She had spent all semester working on getting those photos and in a few seconds, her professor had completely dismissed them. Engfa watched her professor walk out of the room, leaving her standing there completely frustrated. She had to figure out what her professor meant if she was going to convince her mother that she could make a living doing this.

She dropped the folder on the table in front of her and slowly opened up the cover, looking back over her photos. Jung was right. Lines, lighting, and angles, they were all there. But they were just pictures.

Engfa sighed and shut the book harshly. She didn't know what she needed to do to give it that extra thing. But she needed to figure it out.

Looking up at the clock, she realized she had completely missed her first class of the day. What made it worse was the email she had gotten that morning from the professor of that same class asking her to meet with him.

Coffee.

If she was going to have to deal with anyone else that day, she was going to need coffee. A lot of it.

—

"College is hard," Charlotte grumbled as she dropped down onto the bench next to Tina.

"Uh-huh," she replied without looking up from her book.

Charlotte slid the straps of her backpack off her shoulders and set it on the ground, "Did you even hear what I said?"

"Uh-huh," she repeated automatically.

Charlotte rolled her eyes before smirking, "Oh look, there's Heidi." She said cheerfully.

Tina automatically looked up with wide eyes, "Where?" She looked around before realizing Charlotte was completely lying. She glared at her playfully, "Very funny."

Charlotte chuckled and tilted her face up towards the sun.

"Now that you have my attention, what did you say?" Tina shut her book and set it down on the bench, finally giving Charlotte her attention.

Charlotte smiled over at her, "I was just saying...College is hard."

Tina rolled her eyes, "Come on Charlotte, you've been doing this for a year now. That shouldn't be a surprise."

"I know but seriously, this semester is killing me." Charlotte pouted and let out a sigh.

"Let me guess, Professor Lee's class?" Tina grabbed her book and started shoving it into her bag.