Beneath the polaroid [BXB]

BENEATH THE POLAROID - 14 | The shame of it all

JAMES CAUGHT SIGHT OF Sandra walking down the hallway, her dark curls bouncing as she strode confidently through the throng of students. It was as if she carried her own gravitational pull, the eyes of boys trailing her like moths to a flame. He had been watching her from afar since that day, the one that had almost gotten him in serious trouble. The day he had let his obsession with photography lead him into a mess he hadn't been ready for.

His heart beat faster as he thought about it. He had taken pictures of her, secretly, fascinated by her beauty. She had been art to him in that moment. But others didn't see it that way, especially William's friends. It hadn't gone well.

But today, he wanted to fix that. He couldn't stand the thought of Sandra thinking he was some kind of pervert. So, he took a breath and started walking towards her, feeling the weight of the bruises still lingering on his ribs, and the ache in his lip that hadn't quite healed. The whispers of passing students hummed around him, but he forced himself to block them out.

"Sandra!" James called out, and she slowed, glancing over her shoulder with a curious look in her eyes. She stopped when she recognized him, and James saw her expression shift, that same guarded look he had seen before.

He didn't blame her for being wary.

He caught up to her, clutching his Polaroid camera close to his chest, as if it could somehow shield him from his own nervousness. "Hey, um... do you have a second?"

She hesitated for a moment, crossing her arms, her brows knitting together. "What do you want, James?"

He swallowed hard, feeling like the hallway had grown longer and narrower around them, trapping him. "I just... I wanted to apologize. For that day. You know, when I took those pictures of you." He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes flicking downward, unable to hold her gaze. "I swear, it wasn't anything creepy. I just thought... you looked like art."

Sandra raised an eyebrow, tilting her head. "Art?"

"Yeah," James said, glancing up quickly to see her reaction before looking away again. "You're, like... really beautiful. And I just wanted to capture that. I wasn't trying to be a weirdo or anything, I promise."

For a moment, there was silence, and James' stomach twisted with nerves. He half expected her to tell him to get lost, to call him out in front of everyone. But when he finally gathered the courage to look at her again, she wasn't scowling or glaring. Instead, she looked thoughtful, her lips pressed into a thin line, but not in anger.

"That's kind of sweet," she said after a beat. "Weird, but sweet." A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and James exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"I just didn't want you to think..." He trailed off, glancing at the floor again, kicking an invisible pebble with his shoe. "I don't know. I didn't want you to think I'm like that. I just like taking pictures of things I find... beautiful." His voice faltered, but he didn't take back the words.

Sandra shifted her weight, still studying him, as if trying to decide what to make of him. "Well," she finally said, "I guess I can forgive you." She offered a playful grin. "But you could've just asked, you know?"

James blinked in surprise. "I... yeah, I guess I could have."

The tension between them seemed to ease, and Sandra uncrossed her arms, giving him another look before she spoke again. "Listen, there's a party tonight," she said, her voice lighter now. "You should come."

James was taken aback. "A party?"

"Yeah, it's at my friend Leah's place. Everyone's going to be there. You might as well come out and have some fun for once."

His first instinct was to say no. A party? That was the last place he belonged. He barely spoke to anyone at school as it was, and the idea of being surrounded by people who already thought he was weird made his stomach churn. But Sandra's expression was warm, and for the first time since arriving at Elmwood Heights, someone seemed to be treating him like a normal person.

"Yeah... I'll think about it," James said, trying to sound casual. "Thanks for inviting me."

Before Sandra could say anything else, a voice cut through the air, sharp and dripping with condescension.

"Well, look who it is," Trent sneered, sauntering over with Markus, Ethan, and the others trailing behind him like a pack of wolves. His eyes flicked between James and Sandra, amusement sparking in them. "What's the little creep doing talking to you, Sandra?"

James stiffened immediately, the blood draining from his face. He could feel the boys' eyes on him, already sensing the brewing trouble. The hallway seemed to close in, and James suddenly wished he had never approached Sandra at all.

"Come on, James," Markus smirked, shoving his shoulder as he moved in closer. "Still taking pictures of people without asking? Or are you trying to steal Sandra away now too? Dude's got balls, I'll give him that."

Sandra frowned, stepping to the side. "Don't you guys have anything better to do?"

Ethan chuckled, leaning in toward James with a mocking smile. "Nah, we're just making sure he knows his place."

"Guys, leave him alone," Sandra said, her voice firm, but her words seemed to bounce right off them.

James stood frozen, trying to keep his breathing steady, hoping they would get bored and move on. But Markus grinned, nudging him again, harder this time. "You know, James, I'm impressed. Never pegged you as the type to go after girls like Sandra. But don't get too excited," he added with a cruel smirk. "You're still a freak, with your creepy little crushes and that camera of yours."

Trent chuckled from behind him, his voice a low rumble. "Yeah, how many more pictures of William you got, huh? Still drooling over him?"

The laughter that followed made James' stomach twist.

Sandra's eyes widened as she glanced between them, clearly realizing what they were insinuating. "Wait, what?"

James opened his mouth to deny it, to say anything, but no words came out. His throat felt tight, his body tense, and all he could do was stand there, hoping that they would stop before they did any real damage.

Markus shoved him one more time, hard enough to send James stumbling back a step. But they didn't push him to the ground, didn't beat him this time. Instead, they laughed, their voices echoing down the hall as they turned their attention to some unlucky freshmen passing by.

"You're lucky we're feeling nice today," Markus sneered, waving him off. "See you around, freak."

They moved on, leaving James standing there, his heart pounding in his chest, his skin crawling with humiliation. Sandra was still standing there, looking at him with a mix of confusion and sympathy.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her earlier playfulness replaced with concern.

James forced a smile, despite the sick feeling in his stomach. "Yeah," he muttered. "I'm fine."

Sandra hesitated, as if she wanted to say more, but she let it drop. "I'll see you at the party?"

He nodded weakly, watching her walk away, his heart still racing.

By the time the last of the students filtered out of the hallway, James was left standing alone, the weight of the encounter pressing down on him like a boulder. He couldn't shake the stinging words, the way they had alluded to his obsession with William, the shame of it all.

He hurried out to the parking lot, head down, climbing into his car and gripping the steering wheel tightly. His mind spun, but one thought kept rising above the others.

Maybe William would be at the party.

With that, he started the engine and drove home, feeling the tangled mess of emotions simmer beneath his skin. His bruises still ached, but the real wound, the one they had cut into his soul with their words, bled silently inside him.