Snapshots

Chapter Five - Question Marks Are A Girl's (Or Boy's) Best Friend

Aru wouldn't deny that the practice pictures looked cool.

Even if she was wearing a hoodie and jeans in the pictures, they didn't make the pictures look bad.

"So we're going to make you use this pose," Aiden began, showing her a photo of Aru on the wooden elevation, with her braid over her shoulder, and her feet tucked under her. "Because this is the most candid photo out of all of these, and, with the right dress, and the right backdrop, it'll look the best.

How was Aiden so calm when Kara was glaring at both of them from the wall?

'Aru. Get away from him. Now.'

That was when Aru realised that hers and Aiden's shoulders were touching, and that her head was leaning in front of his.

Aru jumped away. 'Sorry Kara.'

'You better be.'

Kara walked over to them, and she touched Aiden's shoulder, mimicking the position Aru was in not even a few seconds ago. "You capture really nice pictures." She said, with her sweetest voice.

Aiden cleared his throat, and, if Aru wasn't as near to him as she was, she wouldn't have noticed the slight discomfort in his eyes.

Aru assumed it was because he didn't want to be all crushy-wushy with an audience, so she decided to leave.

"So, like, I'll just see myself out–"

"No, Shah."

Aru looked at him. His tone seemed slightly pleading. "But my work here is done?"

'Idiot.' She told herself. 'Why did you say it like a question?'

"Shah, we need you here.'

Kara disentangled her arm from Aiden's, and for the first time, Aru couldn't understand what Kara was trying to say.

"But you don't? I'm just the model?"

'Great. Let's keep asking questions.'

"Exactly?" Now his tone was like he was posing a question.

"Aiden, Kara's literally right beside you. Why don't you show her the pictures?"

Aru really had to get going if she wanted to stay on good terms with Kara.

"Shah, you're the model, not Kara."

'Can't this guy take a fucking hint–'

And then Aru did the worst thing possible.

She stayed back.

Kara was definitely going to give Aru The Terrible Sister Silent Treatment™.

Aru tried her best to salvage her relationship with her sister.

"So, Aiden." She started, using her hand to help her lean on a table.

'What do I do with my other hand??'

"You and Kara look like a cute couple."

That was not how she meant to say it. She'd meant to say that both of them looked nice side-by-side, not insinuate that she thought they were a couple.

Aru conducted a mental countdown in her head as Kara looked horrified and Aiden looked confused.

Three.

Two.

One. "But Kara's just my friend?"

Kara awkwardly laughed. "Yeah, Aru. We're just friends, not dating. Could you imagine how it would be if we were?"