Picture Perfect

Chapter Five: A Brand New Day

Sabrina Daniels
I'm sitting on the bay window of my crammed apartment, ten minutes before Francis comes knocking on my door. I stood up and slid my hand through the thin fabric of my dress.
I have no idea why I even agreed to let him stay in my apartment. He's even more irritating in real life than on the news. His music is amazing and all but I can't stand him. It was so hard to make him leave that night. How could someone be so desperate like that? It's not a big deal, the cameras love him anyway, so probably he's supposed to be used to that right?

"Sabrina!" He yelled from the other side of my wooden barrier.

"Would you just chillax!" I jogged out the door, dragging him inside the elevator. The small space rustled with squeaking noises making me uncomfortable.

"So we're just buying a camera then you'll leave me alone?" I asked.

Before he could respond, the lift popped open. A cab appeared a few minutes after Francis called. We were headed towards a nearby mall. It was one o'clock by now and the mall was half empty; probably because it's a Wednesday. Francis suddenly focused on something from a far. He pulled me closer and ran toward a temporary photo booth displayed near the food court.

"Francis!" I bellow, crossing my arms. "Weren't we just here to buy the camera and get going?"

He gritted his teeth. "I just wanted to have fun; maybe you don't know what that even is." He said, leaning against the booth.

Scoffing I counter, "I do know what that is! But I hate being around you so let's get this over with!"

Francis heaved on my arm and whispered. "Just one picture and let's go straight to the department store."

Sighing in defeat, I obeyed and entered the booth with him. The pictures came out and I was impressed at how our faces looked like. He kept them in his wallet and we proceeded to the department store. I looked around for a duplicate of my broken camera but I guess it was too old that it was faced out of humanity. Viewing other kinds, Francis suddenly pulls me toward a cute black Nikon D50. I examine the sides but when I came upon the price I put it back and shook my head.

"Why? You don't like it?" Francis asks unpleased by my gesture.

"I love it but, I can't ask you to buy me something as expensive as that." I said before he asked for a new stock of the camera and actually paying it without my approval.

I presume that he wasn't truly a full on jerk.

I yapped "Thank you" a million times. He was about to speak before a swarm of girls crashed in to us and they started to scream and ask for pictures. They obviously noticed him. Soon enough the paparazzi came by snapping photos of him as well. Great!

With my phone in one of my hands, I paused for a moment outside the DVD store, staring at him from a far.

"Sab," Laura finally says after the fourth ring.

"Can you pick me up at the mall?" I asked shyly, taking two-three steps from side to side. I hugged the camera near my chest and it made me hard to keep my phone in balance on my ear, if I dropped it there goes my chance of getting out of here. I could feel my heart beating quickly and my breathing becoming tense.

"Sure. I'm at the food court. I'll wait for you here." She said before I thanked her and proceeded down to the food court.

On my way I see him gazing at me with a disappointed expression. I try hard not to look back at him. He glances away and smiles with another of his fans.

**
Okay just a quick message:
I am realizing that I've been making short chapters and I don't know if it's okay or not but anyway, even if my chapters are short, I hope you'll still love the story and once you're done reading it/ once you read a chapter I hope I can get your thoughts and opinions so on the next book I plan to publish (Actually have it saved on microsoft haha)  I can make it better. I'm just new to this whole writing thing so I am really having too many second thoughts.
Anyways that's all :)
> B