The Eyes of a Photographer

Chapter 2

She sat in her writing class later that day, more focused on the call she had to make to John that night than the piece she was typing.  It had been a long time since Rose had had any sort of not-strictly-platonic contact with a man in a very long time.  She found herself fixated on him, though she wasn't sure why.  He didn't mean anything to her, she'd just met him, after all.  There was no reason for her to think of him at all.  

Pinching the bridge of her nose, she forced herself to take a deep breath.  She was being foolish, acting like a hormonal teenager.  Only kids fixated on someone like that. 

Then again, a traitorous part of her mind reminded her, he had told her that she was beautiful.  And not only had he told her as such, but he was going to take pictures of her that he didn't even need for an assignment.  He'd wanted to. 

She sighed heavily and tried to focus back in on her writing piece.  It was going to be a very long day if she didn't reign in her mind and keep herself in check.  She'd call him that night and wouldn't think about him until then.

***

As it turned out, Rose thought about him a lot.  She thought of him all the way back to her door, mostly because her jeans were ripped from their meeting that morning.  She entered her dorm and tried to explain the situation to a studying Martha as she threw her books back into their rightful places. 

"What?" Martha whipped her glasses off and threw them on her desk.  "A bloke tells you he wants to take pictures of you and you don't question it?"

"Well, I did question it, but I guess I... Oh, I don't know, Martha, there was something about him," Rose said, scribbling down John's phone number on a sticky note to transfer to her phone later.  She didn't want to lose it in the meantime.

"You don't go nuts over blokes," Martha pointed an accusing finger at her, "You just don't.  I don't know, Rose, that's a little fishy."

Rose flopped back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling.  She considered Martha's words for a few moments.  "I'm gonna do it."

"Rose!"

"I am!" She pulled her phone out and dialed John's number before she could think better of it.  "Now hush up."

John answered on the second ring.  "Hello, Rose Tyler!"

Rose blinked in surprise.  "How... How'd you know it was me?"

"I wasn't expecting a phone call from any strange number but yours," he replied.  "I take it you'd like to set up our photography appointment?"

Rose nodded before realizing that he couldn't see her.  Was she really caught up in him already?  "Yeah, yeah I would.  I need a date, time, place, and what you want me to wear," she said, all business.  She pretended not to see Martha roll her eyes at the tone. 

"Probably nothing," she mouthed, and Rose felt her eyes widen at that.  It was something she refused to consider. 

"Ah, yes.  What are you doing tomorrow?" He asked, and she heard shuffling about on his end, as though grabbing for a calendar and pencil.

"I've a free day."

"Perfect!  Shall we convene at the old church around three?"

Rose wrinkled her nose.  "The old church?  That's a weird place for pictures, John."

"Ah, yes, but the scenery is beautiful!  Do you own any formal gowns?  Flowing things?"

She didn't.  "Hang on," Rose said in a rushed voice and covered the receiver.  "Martha, do you have any long, flowing dresses?"