Eye of the beholder

Chapter 1

"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving."

I woke up, still wearing my faded blue jeans and my White and Red striped T-Shirt with the little pocket on the right side of my chest. I looked down at the cat snowball, the most common cat name in all of history, but it wasn't my fault, it was my 10 year old sister who named her. Snowball was laying down on the pile of dirty clothes that I had on the floor. The only reason she was laying there, was because it was probably the most calm place in the whole house. During all the shuffle of a normal Tuesday morning. All the kids getting ready for school; parents yelling, kids screaming and rushing and trying to find book bags and pack lunches. So I didn't quite blame her for laying down on a pile of dirty, old, musty, stinky clothes.

I got up off of my bed and looked in the mirror as I pulled off my shirt. I looked at my body, self consciously. I wasn't fat, but I was definitely not physically fit. I stared at the few stringy hairs that curled out of the middle of my chest, contemplating whether I should shave them off or not.

I grabbed the blue plaid shirt out of my closet and put it on quickly before I could judge myself too much. I looked as my camera as it just laid there on my dresser. I grabbed it, along with my bright red book bag that I've had for the past 8 years. It still had my Initials on it. Sure it was cool when I was Ten years old but now I'm a senior in high school and it isn't quite the coolest thing in the world anymore.

I walked down the stairs and saw all Nine pairs of shoes lined up next to the door. They belonged to all of my siblings. I heard all of them eating breakfast at our kitchen table and watched as my mom tried to feed the baby who was sitting in the high chair. "Are you doing anything after school today?" She asked right as my hand made contact with the doorknob. "Yes, Meg and I are going to take some pictures at the park." I said slowly opening the door trying to inch myself out the door. I watched as my mom rolled her eyes.

She hated that I spent so much time with Megan but she was my "Model." She was the only one who would let me take pictures of her in the forest, or on the bridge, or wherever and whenever I felt like going out to work on my photography. "It's okay mom, we won't be out long, I promise." I say as I finally get out the door and start walking to school.
---
As I walked down the street I looked down at my black vans as they smacked against the ground with every step. Next thing I know I hear Meg's white convertible pull up next to me. "Hop in, I'll give you a ride to the greatest place on earth." She says laughing and turning down the radio at the same time. I opened the door and watched as her pink finger nails lingered towards the radio again turning up the latest song by the Chainsmokers. Lord knows what the song was actually called though, I never listened to the kind of music.

"So where are we going today after class?" She asks grabbing the wheel with one hand. "Where ever you want, you're the model." I say rolling down my window and feeling the nice fall wind on my cheeks. "Alright, there is that bridge right on Krocker Road, we can go take some pics on the bridge and underneath it if you want." I hated when we called them "pics." It felt like it did no justice to the art and passion that lived inside that photo.

As we pulled up to the school and watched as all the kids walked into the front entrance, stumbling and walking slowly like a bunch of zombies. I grabbed my red book bag off of the floor of Meg's car. "Thanks for the ride." I say opening the door and as I get out of the car. "Where do you want to meet after school?" She asks as she runs her fingers through her beautiful, brown, wavy hair. I often caught myself realizing how beautiful my best friend was. I imagined all the guys she could be spending her nights with. The Quarterback of the football team, The coolest guy in school, or even the smartest guy in class. To be frankly honest, none of those people were me. I was just the mysterious guy who walked around school with a camera wrapped around his neck. Sometimes I just wish I had a bigger impact on people in this life.