The Story Behind The Pictures

{2}

A week passed since the photo shoot, Riley's words still replayed in my head. I opened up the door, And my cat  Dean came and rubbed against my leg. " hey bud." I  walked over to my desk and immediately plugged my  cameras  chip into the slot of my apple computer. This weeks photos looked promising, I had another client a six year old girl who was going to a pageant, the mom was desperate and low on money I guess. "Well I hope I got some decent photos "  I sighed. Dean jumped onto my desk, rubbing his head into the corner of my laptop . "Your an ass you know that right" I knew he wouldn't answer but I still made my point clear and went to work.  I skipped back to Riley's photos. Riley said he wanted natural to little photo-shop done to the photo , since he wanted the photo to show how LGBT people were the same as heterosexual people. I loved the idea . Although he forgot to tell me which site he was going to send it too. ' I'll text him later about it' I sighed not wanting to. Despite the fact I already had to text him the photos, and give him real copies which meant seeing him again. " I wish you were the only guy I had to see dean" I said scratching the side of his head.
                            ~
An hour passed  in the photo editing and pure lack of wanting to communicate. I decided I better send the photos soon rather then go to bed and forget. I soon and delivered the photos to my phone, then texted them over to Riley. Moments later I felt the buzz of my phone from the desk.

Riley: Thanks Daryl! Can't wait to show them!

Me: btw what site and who are you sending them too? Just a general question

Riley: To Dallas pride parade forum. It's coming up. Do you want to go by any chance? My friend bailed. So I have an extra ticket .

I looked at the screen... I had only just started talking to this dude. What made him so friendly to me?

Me: when is it? Can I have some time to think about it ?

Him: September 20th so there's some time. And yeah of course. I was also wondering if you could be my personal photographer

I looked at the screen dumbfounded, he already wanted me to be his personal?I sighed, It was August 12th so I did have some time to think about it. He was pretty nice and secretly stood up for me.

Me: yeah of course! What's your next project?

Riley: my college professor in psychology wanted an average day in the life of me. But the rest is up to you. Can we meet up at my apartment?

I loved the topic. But I didn't know the significance of his apartment to him, he seemed to be a more outgoing kind of guy.

Me: Sure. Thursday at four is an available time for me.

Him: cool see ya then, I live in the northern eagle complex  a little farther off from the lake.

I sat there for a moment, I had just actually made adult plans with somebody other than my friends from high school who'd I have to hound for a picture session. I smiled a bit victorious.
                        ~
That Thursday  I stood at  northern eagle complex it was a cool day but the heat of the building smoldered me. As I waited nervously for my client, was he even a client anymore? We had talked a bit more since last Sunday, I had figured out he had Tumblr too, he posted some of the same fandoms I was interested in,and his writing. He didn't seem like a stuck up author though.  I immediately wanted to follow him on Tumblr we would joke around most of our texts about the shows we watched. 'I'm not ready for a friend' I sighed . I looked at the buzzer and pressed his room number. " Hello? It's Daryl  I'm here for the shoot" I waited a moment " Riley here be down in a sec"  I stood by his door completely frightened. To sound lame I haven't really been over to a guys house since before my transition. I figured since the horrible parties I went to growing up that I'd had my share of rude ignorant guys. ' They don't know how lucky they have it ' I sighed mentally. Looking down at my body 'do I still pass'  just as I thought that the door swung open with the rather enthusiastic Riley smiling on the other side. "Hey" I said smiling back. Though this time it didn't seem fake. I was generally happy to  talk to him he was a pretty easygoing dude. 'Different' I corrected myself as I headed in the place was pretty large but his master bedroom was the biggest. He had a wall of photography on his wall.
" you into photography too? Small world" I said smiling. He smiled. " no not really but it's the photos I've gotten over the years from various photographers" I looked up at them silently judging my own mediocre art. " yours are by far the best" I felt my face brighten. "Really? These ones are amazing" I said pointing at most of them. He smiled at me, he was filled with smiles. "Yours have really moved me"  'Just how long has this guy been looking at my art' I wondered. I really hope he didn't reach my emo phase art. He looked at me for a second . Then looked at the photographs. He stood a little closer to them, I distanced myself then took a shot minimizing the shot so he looked mostly in the photo. He turned. " sorry I saw an opportunity to take a picture" I said smiling a little. "No I want you  to take what looks natural to the eye" he said smirking. Wait what was that about I thought.  I shook my head mentally keep your eyes  in the photos I thought.
                                   ~
"So ,have you thought anymore about Dallas pride? I'd love to have you as an ally" he grinned. I thought about it. I had never been to Dallas Pride. It's a once in a life time offer since I was running on a college kid income. " yeah I'd totally go"  I said. He smiled. As if he'd won the lottery. " wait your friend didn't really bail on you did he?" I looked at him. He held up his hands in defeat. " You caught me. Actually I've been following your Tumblr. And i loved you art since 2009" holy fuck. He was already following me? Since 2009?  To be honest I hadn't payed that much attention to who had been following me. I liked the rush of having my own art  I had created on there "Wow i'm your Tumblr crush?" I laughed. He laughed along. " I guess in a way." He stated bluntly. My face turned red. 'What?!' He laughed even more " dude don't worry about it it's more of fanboying  anyways, a lot of my friends also love your art" From what I remembered  I had like what 19 followers so far, his friends must have been most of them seeing as I only had three internet friends I allowed to follow me on there. " oh thanks" I smiled. 
                            ~
" So Dallas pride! Do you want a rainbow shirt? I have tons" I was still blushing. I can't believe this was happening.... He actually loved my art. And so did his friends! I felt like this was one of those book moments... That shouldn't be happening to me right now. "Um..sure! I'd love one" he headed to his closet, which was a more of a walk in one, and pulled out a rainbow shirt. "thanks dude" I appreciated the shirt more than he thought I did . 
                             ~
It was after five pm. And I was tired beyond belief.We took some creative photos , one of him on his computer one of him  writing in an ink smudged page full of words, one of him holding a cup of steaming hot chocolate by a window sill, and of course the one of him by the photography he collected. I was ready for bed being on my toes all day made me tired . We stood at his door. " I'll go edit the photos later tomorrow after class and text them over to you" he smiled. " talk to you later Daryl." He said " bye!" I said quickly jogging from his apartment door, and out towards the bug. I unlocked it got in and turned on the ac. Still being hot outside. Like I could never escape it. I missed Michigan winters for sure.

                          ~
As I drove down main, I started singing along to  'Chocolate' by The 1975. I had become addicted to the song , which was weird because I had never gotten into drugs. Yet it was catchy and the singer  as an addition I will say was very hot. I pulled into my own apartment. And rushed up to my apartment, Dean of course was waiting. ' Probably wants his dinner ' I thought down at him. He gave me kitty eyes of adorableness. And I pulled out the bag of cat food pouring it into his food bowl them filled up his water dish and started to make my own dinner. Pasta salad, I didn't care about the weight addition, I was addicted to boxed pasta salad. And that day I could afford it. So I started to boil the water. After awhile my phone buzzed and rang  the chime . "Mom is calling better pick up the phone! Mom is calling better pick up the phone!" I smiled. Answering it. "Hey lady" I said. " Daryl Evans!" She exclaimed. " It's almost your birthday , what do you want" I sighed even being twenty-one mom still wanted to celebrate defying my comments on how we didn't need to spend the money on birthdays above the age sixteen. I never really cared for my birthday, probably why I forgot about it till now . " mom I don't need anything ,really" I stated. " DARYL" she warned. I knew better then to test mom.  I sighed out loud " how about a book?" I said. She sighed back. " Daryl it's your birthday, aren't you excited?"
"Mom I really don't care anymore about the whole growing up thing"  I said stirring the noodles pressing the phone closer to my ear. " I never want you to grow up Daryl " she said "your my baby" I smiled. Again mom with her kindness. " But we are having a party, your siblings are coming to town. So you have to come. I love you." She hung up before I could protest. So I texted her

Me: I hate you sometimes...

I put the phone on the counter and ate quickly then headed to bed. Seeing as it was seven pm and I had to wake up by five in order to get ready and be passable for yet another day of college.
'New things were happening.. I really hope not for the worst' I thought before swallowing down my night meds which discontinued my racing mind, and I fell asleep.