Pose

Chapter Three: The Newest Member On The Team

(Corrine’s point of view)

       The next morning, I woke up to a pillow smacking my head.

       “Ow!” I moaned into the one I had my face buried in.

       “Get up! I’m bored!” Cedric whined childishly.

       “What time is it, asshole?”

       “Six AM.” He said it as if it was humanly normal to be up this early.

       “I hate you, Cedric.” I muttered as I dragged myself out of bed.

        “Awww, you make my heart flutter, Corrine.” God bless him, he had the balls to smile brightly at me. At six AM! “Let’s go get food! I’m hungry.”

        “You think like a five-year old sometimes. And the worst part is that it’s irresistible.” I reached up and pinched his cheek. “Sho unbeweivably adowable!” I said in a baby voice.

        “The only reason I’m letting you do this is because I know you’re not a morning person and because you had a rough awakening. And because you’re cute when you hate people.” He pinched my cheek. “Sho unbeweivably adowable!”

        I growled a little.

        “Oh-okay, didn’t think you hated mornings that much. Food!”

        “Fine, fine, let me get dressed and then we’ll go out for breakfast.”

        “Yay!” He literally skipped out of my room.

        Oh dear God, it still amazes me that he’s related to Jason. I should probably call or text to tell him to tell him that his brother is visiting…

        I grab my phone from the bedside table and sent a quick Cedric is visiting. Staying in our guest room. Not sure for how long. Will keep you updated.

        I dressed quickly in white lace patterned jeans and a black sweater paired with black flats and grabbed my favorite black shoulder bag.

        Cedric and I found a cute little café with outdoor seating. We talked about a lot of random things that meant nothing, but was still worth saying because it was better than any silence. But then, he asked the question that made it all awkward.

        “So, where’s Jason?”

        “Shanghai, I think. I’m not quite sure. Lost track.”

        Cedric’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? I thought he’d be here, considering your gallery and your career blooming.”

          “Well, in his defense, ‘some people work for a living.’” His words quoted. Hmmm, I wonder if Nathaniel ever has that problem, his jib not being taken seriously…

        Where in the hell did that thought come from?

        There was a thick silence for a second in which I avoided eye-contact with Cedric completely even though I felt his eyes on me. Cedric, and his fun loving personality, seemed to seem like the kind of person that would never understand something deep or particularly emotional, but he did, way, way, way better than I would like him to.

        “You feel guilty.” He said finally.

         Now I looked at him.  “And why would I?”

        “Because you think you have no right to feel upset.”

        “I’m not upset, Cedric.”

        “You are. It upsets you that Jason doesn’t support you the same way you do him. And it isn’t wrong to feel what you feel. You are fully entitled to feel whatever you want; it does not have to be justified. And hell, if you want to be justified then here; your feelings of disappointment and neglect are reasonable, your feelings of shame and guilt are not.”

        “Does food always bring out this smarter side of you, or is it something in the London air?” I teased.

        “I don’t know.” He gasped dramatically. “What if I’ve been drugged and now some hidden part of my brain has been triggered into consciousness? The weight of the world is in my hands!”

        I groaned. “In that case, the world is doomed. Hello, Armageddon. Tell you what, while you have the world in the palm of your hands, I’m gonna go to work.”

(Nathaniel’s POV)

        “I hate this goddamn contraption.” Kelly complained.

        I looked up at my younger sister from my seated position on her office couch. “What contraption?”

        “This!” She gestured to the PC in front of her.

        “Contraption is a word usually used if you’re talking about some kind of gadget that is rare and new and extremely complicated, and even unknown. You, my dear, are dealing with a personal computer.”

        “Not what the dictionary says!” She stuck her tongue out.

        “Whatever the hell you’re discussing, I think you should know there are many types of dictionaries, so you better be careful about what you’re saying.” A feminine voice with an attractive American accent that had a faint English lilt in it said.  

        We both turned toward the door where Corrine was standing.

        “We’re discussing the word ‘contraptions’.” I clarified.

        She looked at Kelly. “If you’re searching for desktop again, just—“

        “I am not looking for desktop!” Kelly defended.

        “Uh-huh. I totally believe you. Not even doubting in the slightest. Nope. No way.” Corrine said.

        “You’re a terrible liar.”

        “Aww, thank you!”

       Kelly flipped her the bird and Corrine blew her a kiss before saying, "alright, I’m gonna go ahead and show Chris the pictures I took for his article. God, perfectionists.”

        “No, wait, there’s something I need to tell you!”

        Corrine leaned against the door, “Okay, tell me.”

        For once, my sister got serious. “So, as you can see, the amount of work going on around here is increasing, and we need one more photographer. So, meet the newest member on the team!” Kelly said and gestured to me.

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CHAPTER THREE

So my exams are finally over and I'm freeeeeee!

Sorry for the delay and the crappy chapter, it was supposed to be longer actually. 

Anyway, 

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