My Rockstar's World

Chapter 15

"I'm very excited to see the outcome of this project. Our technology purchase recently got approved, so you all will the be first class to experiment with arial photography," my professor says while ending class. "Remember to sign up on the shared spreadsheet to check out your drones."

The photography department, and the arts department as a whole, usually doesn't receive the best funding. Apparently, the university received a large donation at the beginning of this school year to help us keep up with photography advancements.

We're supposed to utilize drones with attached cameras to get arial shots of, well, anything that we think looks cool.

"This at least sounds fun," Iris says while packing up her backpack.

"First time in a while I've been excited about an assignment," I reply, zipping up my bag.

"You want to grab something to eat?"

"I actually brought leftovers from last night. More than enough to share. Want to come with me to the rec room to warm it up?"

"Sure!"

We make our way into the rec room, and for once I'm bursting with energy on a Wednesday morning. I slept so good after Bawdy dropped me off. Although he didn't come to stay with me, he made some appearances in my dreams.

"And why do you have salmon and one of the fanciest paninis I've ever seen casually in your bag?" Iris asks while observing the containers.

I lower my voice to a whisper, although I'm sure no one is trying to eavesdrop on us. "Bawdy brought it over to me at work." I know I have a goofy ass big smile on my face, but I can't help it.

"You're really living your best life."

I am. As long as I block out school and my impending future.

I recount Iris on him booking time slots with me, but I leave out the sex. Even I can't believe I did that while on the clock. I doubt any of my friends would care, but I'm feeling slightly embarrassed, although I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Some things are better kept to myself.

We move to sit down and eat at a table. I pull out my laptop to sign up to borrow a drone. When I open my email, I notice a newer one from Hazel's Pelgram's email. My heart thumps against the inside of my chest. Bawdy said that everything was taken care of. Whoever needed to be called was informed that there was no emergency and to ignore it.

I swallow hard and begin to read the email. It's pretty short.

Okay, it's just Hazel asking for me to meet in her office when I'm supposed to arrive for my shift tonight. I'm sure she just wants to clarify what happened. Except I'm not sure if I should tell the truth or not.

"Are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost," Iris says before taking a large bite out of the panini.

I quickly close out of the email and try to compose myself. There's no need to bring up this meeting with anyone, especially since I left out the more interesting parts of my night when telling Iris. I'd have to explain the whole fucking for so long that we got locked in the store and set off the alarm running away predicament.

"Just being reminded about all of the work that I need to do," I reply. Technically not a lie. I'm always worried about my classes.

"You've got it all under control. At least the drone photoshoot will be fun."

I nod in agreement and try to eat my lunch, although I don't have much of an appetite any more after reading Hazel's email.

The rest of my day goes by slowly, only adding to the anticipation of being confronted later. I try to distract myself by actually paying attention in my senior seminar class.

While I don't have a full vision for my project, I've decided to pursue nature photography. We're just in the research phase of looking up other successful photographs and describing what gives them that "wow" factor, as my professor likes to describe it. Hopefully I'll find some inspiration in my research, but at least I don't have any actual preliminary photos due until next month.

While walking home from my last class, my phone starts to ring. My hopes of it being Bawdy, although I know he's in the recording studio today, are diminished quickly as I see that it's my mom.

"Hi, sweetie, how are you?" She asks in a cheerful voice.

With all the meditation and yoga and sound-balancing shit she always talks about, no wonder she's always in a good mood.

"I'm good. Just finished up with classes, and I'm going to head into work soon."

"You're not overworking yourself are you?" she says in a way that I know means she's crinkling her forehead with concern.

I mean my body does get pretty relaxed after multiple orgasms, but she doesn't need to know that. I haven't even brought up Bawdy at all to her. I never like to get their hopes up too much, and he isn't really the type of guy she'd want me going for.

"I'm okay, mom. I have Kennedy, and everyone in my classes are nice, and I've actually met this really sweet guy. How's the studio going?" There, I at least made her aware that there's someone in my life. I don't really care to hear her ramble on about their new yoga studio, but I'd rather talk about that than my life.

"No, no, you don't get to casually mention a boy and then change the subject."

"I just met him not that long ago." Which is the truth, but I bet she'd faint if she knew how long I've liked him from a far.

"Well, then you must invite him to dinner next week." Ah, yes, the reminder of the monthly family dinner. My parent's live a bit of a drive away, so we don't see each other in person too much during the semester, but we always have a monthly dinner. "Your sister is going to be so excited."

My sister, Jeanne, and I don't talk too much until it comes to family events. It's not that we have a bad relationship, but we really don't have much in common or the time. She started her own vegan cookie company that really took off the last year. My whole life growing up, she never had a problem eating animal products, but that all changed when she met her environmentalist fiancé. The five year age gap didn't help out our situation either. She's just always seemed so ahead in life compared to me.

"He might have work plans already, but I'll see." Maybe I won't even ask him. I can already feel the nervous energy bubbling inside of me.

"Well, it would be lovely to meet him, or at least bring Kennedy if not!" Little does she know, Kennedy's head just about exploded when she tried to argue that banging on gongs is more helpful than seeing a doctor.

"I'll let you know, mom. I just got home. Talk to you later."