My Mystery Love

Chapter 3

August 29, 2016

"Wow, Tessie! Can you believe we will be starting Junior year tomorrow?" Morgan asks excitedly as we sit on the motionless yellow trolley.

"Yeah, yeah! Now sit still its impossible to get this shot with you moving around like a crazed maniac."

Morgan lets out a coy smile and giggles to himself.

I peer into my viewfinder on my camera and try to get the right exposure for this shot. After a few adjustments, I begin to focus on my subject.

Click.

Well, let me see.

I jump over the benches and make my way towards him.

After getting the image on the screen, I turn it towards his awaiting eyes.

While he checks over the picture, I look over Morgan. Man how he has changed. Literally, MAN how he has changed. Morgan is no longer that sarcastic young boy I met in middle school.

Well.

He's still sarcastic don't get me wrong. But his hair is longer and he wears his curly brown hair down, he has shot up and is 5'11" while I am at a impressive 5'3". I feel like I could still be mistaken for a middle schooler, while he fits the stereotype of a high school baddie.

I'm awoken from my daydreaming when Morgan pushes his long locks out of his face and my face reddens.

"You should have taken it from a lower angle", he states.

"My face burns even more", and I reply, "W-w-hat?".

"Look", he points. "The sun is shining perfectly if you kneel a little lower it would give the photo a nice natural light".

Suddenly, I forget my former embarrassment and begin to defend myself.

"Maybe if you stopped growing I wouldn't have to crouch down", I slipped out.

Once again, my cheeks began to warm up and I regret my choice of words.

Meanwhile, Morgan began smirking like an idiot. I punch his shoulder and not so politely told him to shut up.

"Hey, I'm hungry. Lets get pizza." He declared while standing up and stretching.

I begin to stand up, "Fine, but you're paying".

Morgan reaches forward and replies. "Alright, but you have to let me do something."

I lift one eyebrow and begin to question his statement, when I feel the strap to my camera being taken off around my neck.

"Noooo, Morgan. Please don't," I whine as he configures the settings.

"You want free pizza don't you?"

Damn him. Using my greatest weakness. Food.

A sigh escapes me and I shrug, "Fine, but no pineapple."

"Of course, who do you think I am? A freak or something."

I watch as he finishes fixing the settings to his preference, while I fix my long brown hair to look kind of presentable. Morgan kneeled down as he moved me into a position so that my head was resting against one of the polls on the trolley.

Click.

"Now, how about I critique your work mister professional photographer?"

He clicked on the image playback button and showed me the image.

Why is he so perfect? Its becoming kind of a nuisance.

The picture had the ideal lighting, the focus was crisp and clean, and the background was blurred the right amount.

"Are you serious? I'm the one in a photography class, how are your pictures always flawless?!?", I exclaimed exasperated.

"Well, I have to thank my perfect model for that."

Smooth.

I swear at this point my cheeks will be mistaken for tomatoes at this point.

At this point I just wanted a nice warm slice of cheesy goodness.

"Whatever, its pizza time. Or should I say its my FREE pizza time?"

I point out as I grab my camera back from him.

"Yeah. Yeah."

We both jumped down from the trolley and made our way further downtown.

I love this place. Its one of my favorite places in town. There are shops of all sorts, you can get ice cream, clothes, you can find a whole assortment of stuff. But what I really love, is that even with all of these businesses its oddly kind of quiet. Yeah you get the occasional group of kids running around or some college kids on a date. But in all, its a refuge in a town of people rushing to get here and there.

I hear a ding next to me.

Looking over I see Morgan reaching into his back pocket for his phone. After a moment of seeing his eyes glance over a message, he closes his phone and looks at me.

"Do you mind if two people join us?"

That's odd. Morgans never had people join us before.

"Do I know them?" I question.

His face contours into a thinking position before he replies.

"You might. They're Daniele Piper and Gloria Wenson."

Hmm. I ponder over both,"Oh, I think I know Gloria! Does she have curly red hair?"

"Yeah, and Daniele has medium brown hair with streaks of lighter brown. She also plays softball for the high school."

"Right, I think I may have had a class or two with her."

"So is it alright if they join us?"

Uhh. I was kind of hoping to talk alone with Morgan.

"Pleaseeee, as my bestest best friend?"he pleads.

Ouch. Yep. Morgan and I are best friends. Best friends. Sigh.

Morgan continued to beg.

"Alright, if it means so much they can tag along," I fake a smile.

"Omg you're the best! I'm gonna buy you the best pizza around!"

A small chuckle escapes me.

What's the worst that could happen?