I love but I don't..
"Pair me up with someone else!" Rose shouted.
It was Wednesday. 20 minutes into my last block. Mr. Oliver has paired us up for a project. We had to take a photo in our chosen photography style and turn it in by Friday. I had been paired up with Theo Williams, a sophomore who was as interested in photography as I was. However, Rose was paired up with Taylor Pearce, a guy I assume she hated.
"Ms. Andrews for the last time, the decision has been made. You have to do the project with Mr. Pearce."
I could tell that Mr. Oliver was losing his patience at each word.
"You don't understand." Rose whined desperately. "Please! just- look! how about you switch Zachary with Taylor. Please Mr. Oliver I'll do anything-"
Wait. No no no-
"FINE! Alright. If you're quiet for the rest of the year."
Oh fuck me.
"Well, guess that's it." Theo patted my back. I looked at him in disbelief at what had just happened. Theo went to sit next to Taylor who stared at Rose.. angrily? It was hard to tell from afar.
Rose had made her way to my desk. A hint of a smile was placed on her lips instead of her everyday scowl.
"To make this easier on ourselves," she pauses her words as Taylor tries to get her attention, but she turns back to me, her usual dour face back again. "My place at 5 today. No earlier or later. By 6:00 we need to be done."
She was so.. frustrating.
I didn't reply. Not like she had an interest in a response anyways since her attention was glued on her cellphone.
Probably texting that guy she was making out with in the parking lot.. I thought. I was slightly annoyed. She should be talking with me about our plan for the photos like the rest of the groups we're doing. Her little boyfriend can wait.
—•—
I stood outside Rose's house at 4:59 P.M. with my father's Canon in one hand and MacBook in the other. I glanced at my phone and waited for it to read 5:00, when it did I rang the doorbell. Her house wasn't necessarily big nor small. Just enough. It looked empty and gloomy. Not a car or life in sight.
She opens the door and without saying a words leaves to god knows where. I awkwardly walk inside, closing the door after me. I waited for her to come back. My eyes looked everywhere, from photos hanging on the wall to walls with holes in them. Did she do this? She doesn't seem like the violent one, but then again neither do I.
"HEY! Uh.. Zac! Could you- come here. Please." Her tone is different than that of school. It's not venomous or angry, calm almost. "I'm in the second door when you make a left in the hallway."
I place my belonging in the kitchen counter and followed her instructions. The door was opened and what was inside I did not expect whatsoever.
"I'm sorry he wasn't supposed to be here. My mom.. she uh- she was supposed to take him. Today's her day, but she got a call-"
"Hey." I cut her stress filled ramble. "It's fine. I always wanted a little brother anyways. It'll be okay." I crouch down to the curious toddler's height. "I'm Zac, what's your name?" Instead of replying he hides behind Rose, head peaking out ever so slightly.
"His name's Sage. Our parents have- had a thing for plants and herbs." She replies for him, picking him up when he became fuzzy.
I follow her around the cozy home and saw more pictures being displayed around the house. They all looked happy, too happy. Rose finally stops in a room I assume is her bedroom. It's.. feminine. Quite the opposite of what I expected it to be. There wasn't anything wrong with it, she's free to like whatever she pleases, but it was nice to know she had a secret personality at home far different from that of her school one. She placed Sage on the floor, but not before handing him a pacifier and toys.
"Let's finish this quick before he needs to eat."
—•—
"Slightly tilt your body- more more- THERE! sorry there. Yes! Perfect." I took a few more shots. "Look straight at the lens. Give me your best 'Rose' look." Taking the last shots I look through the gallery. These were.. surreal. She was surreal.
40 or so minutes have passed. Rose and I had agreed on a portrait. It took some time before she agreed to be the model, but I finally convinced her. I don't regret it.
"How are they?" She asks.
"Absolutely beautiful. I can really see how you are like as a person through them." I answer truthfully.
I notice her blush.
"Oh.. and what do you see?"
Rose picks up Sage and motions me to follow her down to the kitchen. She sits him in a high chair and goes to grab food from the fridge.
"A breathtakingly beautiful girl who could and would kick anyone's ass if they mess with her or anyone she loves. She is also brilliant but chooses not to act on it since there are too many problems that are eating her potential away." I tell her all this, my eyes never leaving hers. Said eyes widen and hide from mine as she turns her back to me to feed Sage.
"T-That's stupid. Got it all wrong, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce."
I smile. She was nervous because I actually had gotten it all right. Rose had also made a joke, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce being the owner of the first photography that is known. She was comfortable enough to make a joke and while it was a minimal thing I appreciated it.
I open my MacBook and transferred the images over. Deleting a few repeated ones, the number went down to 5. Rose places Sage in a playpen when he's done eating and sits beside me. I took out the ones she hated which left us with 2. We each liked a different one so like the adults we are we flipped a coin. I won.
"So uh.." I cough awkwardly to get her attention. "Should I go?"
I wanted her to say, "Stay." but of course she didn't. It's for the better. I was doing an awful job at trying to forget her anyway. There was something that made me want to speak to her, to see her.
Her name is fitting. A rose, so beautiful to look at but once you get close enough to touch you get pinched by the thorns. The thorns are like the walls she has on herself. She once experienced someone cutting them to acquire the beauty she possesses, but they yanked her from her safe haven to watch her wilt.
