Photobomb: A Loving Annoyance

Chapter 00: The Spark

WALKING down the street yet again, felt strange, but for Beverly, it was a familiar sense of strange. She assumed it was because of her sparks.

People's eyes are all different, especially the eyes of an artist. Think of it as the eyes of a child. The spark normally fades around adolescence, people beginning to lose the hope and accepting reality for what it is. The rare few, the ones with the eyes of the artists, their spark never fades. It's as permanent as skin and as bone.
It tatters and tears and fractures, but always heals eventually.

Beverly had heard about what life without the familiar spark was like. Absolutely dreadful, in her opinion. It was almost impossible for her to imagine life without the vibrant pops of colour and the feeling of the warm, spring wind flowing through her hair.
The way she felt when she smelt the familiar scent of pastries, which never failed to excite her childish tendencies.

Taking a sip of her coffee, she was brought back out of her dreamland, approaching the doors of her current photoshoot.

She was no celebrity, thank God, she thought. Beverly never really enjoyed attention. Okay, that's a lie. She enjoyed appreciation and recognition for her work, even if it seemed like anyone could do it. Her sparkless assistants and colleagues knew otherwise. She was truly gifted. She had an eye for photography, after all. Even celebrities acknowledged her skill.

Beverly tended to ignore the praise though, taking her insecurities as a way to improve. She was stubborn. Everyone knew that.

Opening the doors to her shoot set, her face changed back to her usual cold, distant expression with a frown only her close collegues were accustomed to. Beverly sighed, taking another sip of her coffee, exhausted. She just wanted to go home. Thank the heavens it was Friday today. She would have 3 days of rest. That's right, lucky Beverly doesn't work Mondays.

"BEV- uhh I-I mean Ms. Dunn!! You've gotten a very urgent call, Ms. Dunn!"

Ah. That's a familiar voice. Turning to face the voice, she was greeted by a childhood friend, Lori Arrosa.
Lori had supported Beverly, despite how her spark had faded. They met in Elementary school, third grade. They bonded over how different they were to each other. Now, Lori is Beverly's assistant, and she couldn't ask for anyone better.

"Nice save Lori, and thanks for your help. Did a new agency call?" Beverly tilted her head to the side, with a small smirk.

"Mmm~ Moneyyyyy~" Beverly thought, almost laughing at her own joke.

"Ah, yeah, an agency you've worked with before. Castleje-"

Instantly, the slight smirk Beverly once had, dropped. She stared blankly at Lori before turning away, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, no. Not happening. Sorry Lori, I'm not taking their offers anymore,"

"We don't have any other choice, Ms. Dunn! This is your dream since we were little. You have to keep it alive,"

"Here, I wrote down their number. Just take it and call once. It's a really good offer,"

Beverly glanced back at her friend, flinching when she saw Lori's puppy dog eyes. They always made her weak. Stupid manipulative Lori Arrosa.

"...for me? Please Bevvvvv..?"

"Agh, fine, hand me the number. I'll call..."

"YAY!! Thank you Ms. Dunn, you won't regret itttt~"

Lori quickly gave Beverly the paper, her instantly shoving it into the back pocket of her jeans. Sighing and shaking her head, she put down her coffee and walked over to the models and crew she was working with.

Her sparks were shining again now, the paper in her pocket crumpling with every move she made. That only made her sparks shine brighter, a small smile making a way onto Beverly's face.

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, WE HAVE 5 MORE HOURS TO GO. LET'S GET BACK TO WORK!"

END OF CHAPTER 00