Ghost Euanio

chapter 7: Photo Day Is Not The Tea

Naemh woke up at 7am sharp in a cold sweat. Everytime she closed her eyes, she heard the shutter of a camera and it was ruining her. Today was the day: School photo day. Naemh shakily put on her uniform and wandered out her front door, so shaken that her signature headband wasn’t perfectly centered. Her hair was so flat and it made her head look so square. She was so preoccupied with the thought of her impending doom that she didn’t even bother to fix it. 

When she arrived at school, Canus was standing in a group with NAEMH’S friends in the quad. Naemh had had enough with Canus’s bullshit. Canus saw her and started to presumably say ‘hello’ but Naemh cut her off. 

“Ha, yeah lol, I'd like to be pals or something, we can be buds.” she stuttered out on impulse before she could stop herself by growing some fucking balls. Naemh ducked her head and walked away, defeated by her own cowardice. 

Naemh heard hurried footsteps coming towards her and she sped up, assuming it was Canus, but saw Anabella coming after her, since she was an actually decent friend, not some heartless rancid bitch that doesn’t even care that her friend is clearly upset. 

“Naemh,” Anabella said breathlessly, from all the running “I-I wanted to ask you something.” Anabella took a deep breath, clearly nervous. 

“Why don’t you just ask Canus, huh?” Naemh snapped. Anabellas timid aura shifted slightly to annoyance, but she continued to speak to Naemh.

“I.. I was wondering if you wanted to.. Maybe.. Catch a movie this weekend?” Anabella averted her gaze and blushed.“Flushed Away is hitting cinemas near me and I-”

“SORRY,” Naemh cut her off indignantly, “THE ONLY MOVIE I WATCH IS SPIDER-MAN!”

“Oh…” Anabella’s face faltered, “We could watch Spiderman if you want?” Naemh drew in a sharp breath.

“Uhhh I don't leave the house, I have to study for the science test.” With that, Naemh whirled around and galloped away, blissfully unaware of the importance of Anabella’s confession.

Naemh arrived at the library and pulled out her gigantic pile of books and worksheets, ready to study. Halfway through the fat fucking textbook, she looked up to see she was sitting at the same table as Canus the whole time!!!!! 

Canus smiled at Naemh and happily said: “Hey pal! How is your study sesh going?”

Naemh hissed and scurried away to a different table. Canus followed her due to the glare at the previous table. This went on for an hour. Naemh was desperately trying to get away from Canus, who was just trying to be buds as Naemh promised they would be.

Naemh was finally saved by the ring of the school bell and she quickly left Canus and went to Japanese class, forgetting that Canus would be there too. Naemh was so upset she would have to be in class with “heinous Canus”, until Mr Matsujun announced that there would not be a Japanese class that day.

“Okay everyone, we are going to leave our bags here and head down to the Citadel for school photos!” Mr Matsujun proclaimed, happy that he would not have to deal with Sibe today. Naemh froze in place. Suddenly, having to sit with Canus seemed highly attractive, but the class had already begun to file out. Against her better judgement, Naemh followed her class closer and closer to the building where her picture would be taken.

Sibe was howling and having a tantrum at the front of the class line. It really brought her back to good times. 

Outside the citadel, she saw Gingemen and DeShawn groping each other as they waited. She stared a little too long at the gay couple, though it was only because she would actually miss their men antics. 

Next, Naemh saw Mr Jahusafet, roaring. She chuckled at his iconic behaviour. 

She then passed by the three Jays -- Jordan, Jorge and Jaques -- crowded around a picture of 2 animated fish kissing. All three were laughing at the beautifully cinematic image. Naemh shook her head in disbelief at how unfunny they were.

“Hey Naemh!” Jordan exclaimed, shoving his phone towards her. 

“Fish kiss :•)” Jorge added through his spanish accent. Jaques said nothing.

Naemh spat and continued walking towards the entrance. They did not warm her heart. She passed Micah on the way who ran up, straightened Naemh’s her bow, then left, before naemh could stutter out a word, as not to set off her dangerous anxiety about uncentered hair bows. She was almost at the Citadel when Mr Case came up to her, laughing menacingly, and ripped the bow out of her hair. It was okay though, since he was her favourite teacher. 

“Good luck, Miss Christophorous,” he spoke through his laughter. “You were an amusing student.” Naemh was trembling now, she was terrified about what was to come. She moved past Mr Case, finally entering the citadel. The previous class had just finished with their photos as Naemh’s class entered. Naemh saw Anabella picking up her bag as she made to leave the citadel and ran up to her.

“Bella!” Naemh said, “I have to tell you something important!” 

“Where’s your hairbow?” Anabella sounded slightly disappointed. “Anyway, you look lovely, Naemh!”

“There’s no time for that, Anabella!” Naemh screamed at full volume. “I need to tell you something I should have told you long ago!” Anabella looked confused and startled, but let Naemh continue. 

“I am in grave danger,” Naemh started but was interrupted by Canus approaching them and putting her arms around the two of them. 

“Oh, Naemh, I have been looking for you everywhere!” Canus screamed, matching Naemh in volume. “We should get in line. I want to be first!” Naemh was a 10 on the Richter scale. Canus tried to pull Naemh away, but Naemh resisted, desperately attempting to reveal the truth to Anabella. Anabella sensed her tension spiritually and tenderly took Naemh’s hands in her own. Naemh almost cried at the feeling of Anabella’s deathly cold hands encasing her warm, currently alive ones. 

“Don’t worry, Naemh. I’m sure the photo will look great,” Anabella said sheepishly, “It’s you, after all.” Naemh looked in horror at Anabella’s blushing face, as she was pulled away, trying to hold on to Anabella’s clammy hands.

Canus dragged Naemh away as Naemh began to holler at Anabella.

“Analbella!” She called out, one final time. “I loved you!” tears were streaming down her face, but Canus just kept dragging Naemh away. Anabellas eyes widened in shock! She was too happy to even notice the past tense. 

Canus pulled Naemh into the line, and Canus walked into the booth to have her photo taken.Canus quickly came back out, cheerfully telling Naemh it was her turn. Naemh was frozen in fear… who would defrost her!?!?!? Canus picked up Naemh, who was rigid, and placed her down in front of the camera.

Naemh began to weep as the photographer positioned and repositioned her, desperate to take the perfect photo, knowing that he could never achieve it. The camera shuttered and Naemh trembled harder, knowing what- who- was coming. 

“Ahah,” the friendly photographer man chuckled, “We might have to try that once again, I think you shook! We can’t have a blurry photo now,” Naemh saw the photo he had taken flash up onto the screen and wailed at the sight of the boy right behind her. She knew these were her last moments, her final breaths. 

The camera flashed again and she squinted against the sudden light. She prepared herself for what was to come… but nothing happened and Naemh breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he wasn’t going to hurt me after all… As she turned to leave the photographer called out to her, causing her to pause in her tracks and turned around to see the photographer and the screen that previewed the photo that was taken.

In the photo, Naemh was squinting. Behind her was the boy, his hands almost wrapped around her throat, which went unnoticed by the photographer. Naemh struggled to breath as the photographer readied the camera.

“Say cheese!” the photographer screeched. Naemh smiled weakly, the anguish visible in her tear-filled eyes. She heard a truck horn in the distance. Naemh felt dizzy, her throat tightening and her breaths grew shallow. The snap of the camera was drowned out by the screeching of tires.