Photograph - Ethan Dolan

Chapter 1

I leant over the side of my chair to pick up the pen I just dropped. My fingers grazed the pavement, and I feel how hot concrete path is getting. As I sit up again, I pick up the pile of paper next to my laptop; I have to touch the pad to turn it on again. Once I'm reorganised, I adjust my sunglasses, look into the coffee shop for a brief second to see if the queue's gone down, and then start this essay again.

"Hey, can you do me a favour and take our photo?" I look up from my work and and squint, attempting to make out two tall figures.

"Yeah, sure, I guess so," I answer in a confused tone, not sure why they ask me out of everyone else around them.

"Thanks, means a lot, it'll be quick don't worry" one gets his phone out and hands it to me. He blocks the intense light, and the first thing I see is the blue strand of hair hanging over his forehead, the light bouncing off it, contrasting with the intense darkness of his natural colour.

"Give me two seconds, I'm about to leave anyway." I put my laptop and notes back in my messenger bag, slid my phone into the back pocket of my shorts and stand up to take the phone from the stranger.

"Thanks again," the other guy says. I can now see him a bit more, he's a bit taller, not much. They were clearly twins.

"It's okay, where do you want your picture taking?"

"Oh, we're actually just wanting a picture next to the coffee shop," the taller one replies. "It's artistic, don't you think?"

I look at the outside of the building; looking at it from their perspective, the colours compliment each other and give a warm-welcome vibe to the small town. "I guess so, not what I would imagine as a prime background for modelling."

The blue-haired one laughs. "We just like having photos of where we visit, we live in LA so a little coffee shop in a small town is refreshing."

I nod and smile, and hold his phone up as a gesture that I'm ready when they are. They sit down at the table and I take some photos. This carries on to us moving inside for a few minutes, then down the little street next to it.

I anxiously pass the phone back to them; they clearly knew what they were doing, I just hoped the pictures were of their standard. "If I had my camera, the shots would have been better."

The taller one looks up from his brother's phone, "No, these are great! Thanks, we don't usually come across people who'll take photos for us."

I smile at him, "It's a pleasure, honestly. You're actually fantastic models." A thought comes into my head. "Would you mind if I took photos of you at some point? I'm studying at the local university, but I do photography in my spare time. I'm Louise, by the way." I attempt to give my friendliest smile, but I know it turns into a smirk which normally throws people off. I stick my hand out in their direction.

Blue-hair shakes my hand first, "I'm Ethan, and this is my brother Grayson." The other one then shakes my hand. "We'd be up for it, it's just we have a tight schedule at the moment."

Grayson steps in. "When are you free? We're only here for another four days."

I try to think of my timetable, as well as my projects and assessments I'll have at some point. "I can do tomorrow night or the day after, just about all day?"

Ethan looks at Grayson; some sort of silent exchange goes on, as cliche as it sounds, it almost looks like twin telepathy. They both turn to me, Grayson nods and smiles, Ethan answers: "Tomorrow night sounds great, where would the photos be taken?"

I think for a second, and an idea crops up, but I'll have to ask about it. "Tell you what, I have an amazing place in mind, but I'll need to get in touch with someone tonight about it. If we can't do there then there are other places we could do, like the beach. But if I give you my number, and you call me tomorrow morning? I'll have an answer by then."

I slide a piece of paper out my bag and rip the corner off, writing my number on it with my name. It isn't my neatest handwriting, but it's tidy enough to read with some ease. Ethan takes it from me and smiles even more.

"That's great, I'll give you a call."

I smile again. "I have to head off now, but I'll have an answer for tonight. If you have any questions about anything, don't hesitate to call me."

I shake hands with the twins again. They are both attractive, but when I shake Ethan's I can't draw my eyes away from his. His slightly edgy look was almost a complete contrast to Grayson's, who was stood in jeans and a t-shirt. Ethan: his top had a distressed look to it, almost like he had cut it himself, and his jeans looked like there were more holes than fabric. Not normally the type of guy I'm attracted to, but I don't think anything of it.

I smile at them one last time before I turn around. "Thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow."

Thinking back on it, I really should have thought about the attraction; that was the first of many mistakes.

Only short, but it's a start to the story I guess...