where the time went- chloe price

blood bank.

ONE WEEK LATER

mark's dark room was so much different than i could ever imagine it to be. it was so much more and so much better. i had been in the room for almost an hour now and i still couldn't help but let my eyes wander and take in the marvellous, professional and bright space. from the exterior of mark's home you would have no idea that a large, underground bunker was built underneath it.
i exhaled softly out of nervousness when my eyes landed on nathan, he was laying on the couch in the room scrolling through his phone. ever since the day i walked in on mark yelling at him in the classroom it has been like i was walking on eggshells around him, he has been so snappy and short with me recently, but only me. weirdly enough, engaging fully in conversation with his friends and victoria, which is who he is usually so short and snappy with. it did make me sad, of course it did, he was my best friend and i loved him so, so much, but i also understood that he was nathan, and he needed his space at times. so, i was giving him space.
mark was also in a weird mood, he seemed to be sighing a lot and checking his phone almost twice every minute. both of their moods combined made me feel anxious and uncomfortable but i knew that i was safe here, we were underground for god's sake. nothing bad was going to happen here.

"well, the model's aren't turning up," mark sighed from his desk breaking the silence in the room. i looked over at him as i sat on the arm rest of the chair with my arms across my torso. he was slumped in his chair staring at the desk with his head in his hands, nathan let out a soft chuckle before i looked at him with confusion.
"careful," nathan sighed, "last time this happened he used me as a model... he might use you," he spoke as he continued to stare at the screen of his phone, i furrowed my brows and stayed silent, not wanting to draw attention to nathan's statement, but it seemed to be too late. mark immediately perked up and looked at me, i shook my head stiffly,
"that's not such a bad idea," he spoke, his voice echoing throughout the room,
"nathan," i whispered through my teeth and he just shrugged in response,
"it would help out a lot," mark said as he looked at me with gentle eyes, i gave him a worried look as anxiety sprouted in body, "from the pictures you've showed me, rosemary... you're a natural. and besides, your face won't be in them. it would help me out a lot," i sighed gently trying to hold off a response, "please," he begged,
"okay," i whispered just trying to put him out of his misery as i uncrossed my arms from my chest when i stood, "fine,"
"big mistake," nathan huffed as he sat up on the couch, still not making eye contact with me. mark started to go through his cupboards finding supplies for the shoot, the clanging of objects banging against the metal doors. i turned to face nathan fully,
"nathan..." mark warned from a few meters away, nathan sunk into the couch as he sighed, he finally looked up at me, his eyes harsh. i furrowed my brows and gave him a confused look, he just shook his head slightly before looking down at the ground again, his movements were stiff and i could tell that anger or frustration was spilling out of him.

mark then directed me to the large white space in front of the camera he had set up on a tripod, i stood there awkwardly at first, not knowing what to do with my limbs or how my posture looked, suddenly over thinking every movement i made and every breath i took. mark stood behind the camera and laughed softly as he looked through the lens, i closed my eyes in embarrassment for a second as my cheeks flushed, he started to walk towards me, my hands landed on my face,
"this is stupid," i mumbled through my fingers, "just... just get nathan to do it,"
"no. it's okay to be nervous," he spoke calmly, i breathed out a laugh under my breath, his large hands wrapped around my wrists as he pulled them back down to my body, he stepped away again before speaking. "just be natural, okay? relax. would you prefer to sit down?" he asked, i nodded softly and smile gently at him for being so patient with me. he nodded in response before walking away and grabbing a chair from the corner of the room, i looked at nathan briefly who was staring at me intently, but seemed to be looking straight through me. almost as if he was beginning to forget who i was, and was just staring at my body.
i looked away from him, felling intimidated under his stare and watched as mark came back towards me carrying a large chair with arm rests, he placed it behind me and gestured for me to sit down on the chair, so i did. my body fell onto the wood gently, my limbs placing themselves comfortably around me as i waited for mark to tell me how to position myself,
"don't move," he spoke holding one of his hands out towards me as he started to look through the lens again, suddenly i froze in position but was cautious not to make my body look tense and harsh. "great work," he whispered once he snapped numerous images, the flash burning my iris' but i kept my eyes open and soft. suddenly he stopped and stood straight, his eyes looking into mine, i furrowed my brows anxiously at him, "you need something more,"
"something more?" i asked him, my voice soft, his nodded curtly before turning on his heel and walking towards a metal trolley on the edge of the room, nathan's eyes did not leave mark but i looked at him for answers which he did not give me. i listened as mark has his back to me but delicate tings of metal echoed throughout the room as he fiddled with objects on the trolley, just as i opened my mouth to ask what was happening, my phone started ringing loudly from my back pocket, i reached into it and slid out my phone just as mark turned to face me, but my eyes stayed on my phone. frozen as my heart rate rose into my throat, i stood up stiffly from the chair my eyes not leaving the screen,
"i'm sorry," i whispered without looking at either of the men and walking towards the large safe door to exit the dark room, my legs carrying me up the stairs and i appeared in mark's lounge room again.