Shutter Me

Chapter Two

Raven black gently curled hair. Check.

Chaste auburn brown eyes. Check.

Angelic fool-proof smile. Check.

Camera. Check.

What else is missing? Oh yes, Marco de Grassi himself.

I’ve been sitting outside the tennis court caged by gigantic grills for a long period of time. If I was going to sit any longer, the sun was going to barbecue me. The tennis team was chatting over something leisurely and they seemed like they were enjoying their little talk. I hated that I had to cut it but I did not want to wait like a dog so I got it over with.  

I pushed the cage door open and it rattled loudly, turning the team's attention at me. I walked towards them and I clutched my camera tighter to keep my hands from shaking. Everything went easier for me when the team suddenly started waving Marco goodbye and walked out. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing but...

de Grassi's light blue eyes watched me indifferently as I took more steps to move closer to him. 

Well, maybe they were right. He was darn good-looking even in person. The Polaroid picture inside my pocket could not even cover his looks. He was brooding over me, maybe he was about 6 feet tall and the sunlight shone on his mop of hair, making its brownish color look like the sunset...

"You know...I don't have much time." He spoke abruptly and it broke my reverie. "Especially for people I don't know."

There goes the douchebag attitude. But instead of getting his vibe into me, I smiled my well-rehearsed guilt-free grin. "I'm sorry. It's just that I'd like to ask if I could interview you for our school paper?"

I looked at him expectantly, throwing in a worth-a-try puppy dog stare. He gawked at me for a long time and then when a few seconds passed, his eyebrows raised. He took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

"No." He replied dryly. An Ehhh-expression was stamped across his face.

I waited for an explanation but then he turned his back at me. What the--

"That's it? You won't give me an explanation?" I asked, desperately trying to hold my tongue. I didn't want to curse the only hope we had. 

"No. I don't owe you one." He spun around to face me. "We don't even know each other. I'd like to point that out to you in case you don't remember." 

Deep inside, I wanted to slam his head against the nearest wall but then I had to keep my cool since I promised Kendall I'd get this beat for her. "I'm Kit Blakely, photographer for the Hunter Chronicles." I introduced confidently. I silently hoped I sounded bubbly and innocent. 

Marco hummed. "So if you're the photographer...why are you doing an article? Aren't you supposed to just take pictures and stuff?"

"Believe me. I'm asking myself the same questions." I mumbled as I stared at the ground. “This is totally out of my job’s description.”

And out of the blue, I heard de Grassi chuckle. I looked up to him and I found myself building hope inside me. Maybe he’s going to say yes?

 "I'm sorry but I'm still saying no." He said in an amused tone which made my blood curl. There goes my bucket of hope…all wasted by this piece of—“I really don’t have time to play around with the school’s photographer.”

He walked out on me again. Marco was testing my patience. He was just trying to tick me off and he was playing games with me. Well, if that's what he wants...