Happily Unhappy: Season 1

Season 1, Episode 2: I Put Your Picture Away

On Monday at school, Ophelia waltzes down the second floor hallway toward trauma club, a little skip in her step. She knows that she and the other members of the club only did one exercise so far but she already feels chipper about being in a group that has gone through hurt like she has. Even if they only threw bottles with things they wanted to let go of in the lake, it's a step. And that step is worth something.
"Hope you didn't start without me," Ophelia singsongs as she makes her way through the door of the classroom, finding Josie and River already seated in two desks in the back of the classroom. Aisha is seated by herself to the right side, while Honor is in the front row, thumbs flying over her keyboard. Ms. Torres is perched on the edge of the teacher's desk.
"Can't start when two of our members are missing," Josie mutters.
"I called it," River says, raising his hand. "I told Josie that Troyan was going to back out. I don't think he runs with our type of people."
"You don't know him," Aisha politely counters, spinning her silver rings around her fingers. She looks back at Ophelia. "He'll show up."
The bell rings and Ophelia locks eyes with the others, including Honor, who is now stuffing her phone into her bag. Ophelia clucks her tongue. "Okay, then I guess we'll get started."
"So how is this gonna work?" Josie raises her hand, holding her elbow with the other. "Because no offense, but I don't really think I could handle you talking for an entire class."
Ophelia purses her lips. "I'm going to pretend like you didn't say that."
"That's why I'm here." Ms. Torres takes a few steps toward Ophelia in the front of the room, fiddling with her watch. "I want you guys to have as much control over this club as possible. I don't want it to feel like a class and I'm pretty sure all of you can agree."
"Pretty much," Josie answers for the rest of them.
"Okay, well part of the motivation behind this was that we wouldn't have to do something each and every day," Ms. Torres continues. "Sometimes we can just sit here and treat it like another study hall. Whatever you guys want. But, there needs to be something being done so Aisha and I talked about you all bringing something to the table."
"What kind of something?" Honor wonders.
"You know, taking turns coming up with exercises," Aisha answers for her. "Whatever helps."
"Works for me." River waves over to Aisha but she simply looks away.
Ophelia remembers Aisha mentioning something about being somehow related to River. They share a grandfather or something along those lines, so they're distant relatives and Aisha isn't the type to go waving down her very distant cousin.
"Okay, so as you all know Aisha and I are part of the photography club," Ophelia begins, kind of shooing the guidance counselor out of the way. "So I was thinking we could do something artistic, in the form of art. Preferably photography."
Honor squints. "Uh, do we have to be good at it?"
"No art is bad," Ophelia recaps the quote she lives by. "I was thinking of self portraiture. Claude Cahun was famous for her portraiture, especially since a lot of them she would take she'd be disguised as something else. I don't think I'm the only one in here that tries masking things with faces and clothes, right?"
No one says a word, a silent agreement.
"So what do you say?" Ophelia proceeds when no one says anything. "Self portraiture this week?"
"Sure." River shrugs his shoulders. "Why not?"
"We can help each other though, right?" Aisha asks. "Troyan might need a little guidance."
"So?" Josie barks. "I get that you want to include everyone in here but is Troyan really one of the faces we want other people in the school to see when they hear about this club?"
"Yeah, he's kind of a poster boy for bad boy right about now," River chimes in.
Ophelia ignores the others and looks at Aisha. "Yes, we can help each other. We have until the end of the week."

After trauma club, Aisha slings her bag onto her elbow as she saunters down the hallway, her heeled knee high boots clacking against the linoleum floor. She uses her thumb to scroll through famous self portraits on Google, trying to gain as much inspiration as she can. She's familiar and comfortable with photography, but only if she's taking photos of other people. She tries not to take too many of herself, rather uncomfortable by her own intimidating reflection. But, Ophelia passed around examples of good portraits that show enough emotion and don't need too many words of explaining.
"Aisha, hey." Troyan jogs up to her side, his backpack bouncing against his back. "Sorry I missed trauma club."
She glances at him. "Where were you?"
"I had to meet with a correctional officer about community service," he answers and then realizes what he's actually saying and he clears his throat. "Anyway, I was going to text you and then realized I didn't have your number."
Aisha isn't sure if that's his way of trying to get it but she isn't offering it. She stops at her locker, twisting the combo. "We're doing self portraits this week. Basically showing or covering as much as you want with whatever you're... having trouble with."
Troyan nods his head but doesn't look confident about any of this. "Okay, sounds cool."
She studies him after taking her math book off the top shelf of her locker. "Let me guess. You've never picked up a camera before."
"My phone doesn't count, does it?"
"A phone is no camera, no." She digs for her math notebook. "I'm a little offended you would even say such a thing."
"Sorry, but I'm not the most artistic."
"Don't apologize for being you, silly," Aisha buttons her bag. "I'll help you."
He arcs his brow. "You'd do that?"
"Ugh, please don't flatter yourself too much," Aisha jokes with him, shutting the door to her locker. "I'm nice to everyone... for the most part."
That makes him grin. "Okay then, should we meet somewhere? Tomorrow after school? I uh, have another meeting today."
She nods her head, taking a few steps backward down the hall. "Works for me. I'll see you then."