So Close

Chapter 23

“Move your hand down slightly” I directed before changing the ISO settings to work with the lighting. Zayn responded, wetting his lips slightly and remaking the pose.

“OK, now curl your pinkie slightly, further away from the cornor of your mouth… okay, that’s perfect.” I explained as he followed. His dark eyes and eyelashes stormed into the camera with such vigour that it surprised me everytime I looked back through the images.

“You have a face built for modelling, ma’ dear.” I smiled as he pulled a stupid pout, one eye dropping into a wink as he dropped the pose I had been directing. I laughed slightly, quickly snapping a photo before hushing him back into position.

Inspired by the evolution of Annie Lebowitz’s Rolling Stones covers, I was doing a series of potraits on a white backdrop.

You had to submit three different collections for the scholarship. I was doing a portrait collection, a series of pieces focusing on the degredation of buildings with a motif of rust and a collection focusing on the reinvention of famous characters.

Zayn was currently shooting for the portraiture and tomorrow we would be attempting to reinvente Danny Zuko. I had been in contact with a neighbour who was going to be acting as James Bond. I also had asked Charlie to pose as Jim from Rebel without a Cause. The aim was to show that as the world changes and we grow up, the characters we loved when we younger need to develop too.

I took a few more photos of Zayn looking positively perfect before I called it a day and sent him to go and ask Dad when dinner would be ready. He came back a few minutes later to tell me that Dad had gone to go and pick up some pizzas.

In this time I had pulled out my laptop and connected my camera to it. I was scrolling through the photos, looking for one that was truly reminiscent of Zayn’s character. There were a few that caught my eye particularly and I dragged them into a folder.

“Why do you have seven of the same pose?” Zayn asked, looking over my shoulder. I didn’t turn around, my focus on the screen.

“I will be putting together a contact sheet. That’s basically a few of the same picture and I choose the best one. It could be better because of anything from motion blur and lighting, to a wrinkle or lack there of.” I explained as I moved on to the next pose.

“So, photography is actually serious for you.” Zayn confirmed and I chuckled, nodding my head.

“Since I got my paycheck for the wedding boutique shoot yesterday in the mail, I would say so.” I smiled, as he took a seat nenxt to me on the white tarp I had laid out for the shoot.

“How are you coping with everything?” Zayn asked quietly and I stopped scrolling, putting down the computer and facing him.

“What do you mean?” I asked, pulling a strand of messy red hair behind my ear. Zayn shot me a look as if to say ‘you know what’. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared back before he rolled his eyes.

“How are you coping with basically only having me to hang out with?” He asked. I scratched my cheek and smiled as sincerely as I could, placing my hand on his upper arm.

“Im ok. Like Actually. I am happy that anyone is still speaking to me. I should be asking you though, you are basically in the same boat. The girls aren’t speaking to you because you are speaking to me and Harry is on Sky’s leash at the moment and the boys are angry that you didn’t tell them. Niall is too busy with his girlfriend to notice anything anymore, especially not us, and I am being a bit of a downer, so how are you?” I finished and Zayn leant back, opeing is mouth wide as he laughed.

Zayn’s laugh was infectious, just because his personality and looks were so defined, cool and precise that when he opened his mouth to cackle, it was so separate from that image. The laugh was carefree, dorky even that you would match it to a scrawny kid with glasses who writes Doctor Who fan fiction. Not a brooding, kind hearted, social, sexy teenager.