The Photo Girl

ღ Chapter 5 ღ

                         "Okay Bailey, your photos look great." my professor, Mr.Turow said as he flipped and examined each photograph. "Thank you. I took them with extra care." I winked, my mind started to drift off to Aven. Could he be any more dreamy? No wait, stop it Bailey, you are NOT going to go out with him no matter what you think of him, even if he's possibly the one for you. 

"Your angles are perfect and the things you take pictures of, oh it's so artsy and brilliant! I love it." he then tied them up with a rubber band and placed it in a small box. "What's my grade?" I asked. "Oh, you'll know when I tell you." Mr.Turow smiled sneakily and walked out of the camera room. I watched him leave, then I grabbed my camera and put it in my case. 

I sighed and pulled my bag over my shoulder, the day for my classes was finally over. I hurried out of the building and was glad once I managed to escape the place. I got into my car and left to the record store where I worked at, it was my afternoon shift and luckily, Desmond and Mere were going to be with me and not some strangers. 

Once I arrived, I opened the double doors and noticed that Desmond was working the cash register while Mere was in the back sorting records out. "My duty today?" I asked, checking the paper. "Up here with me." Desmond smiled up on the platform. I beamed, "Okay then. Mind if I changed the song?" I inquired while messing with the jukebox. 

I put on The Ramones, which is one of my favorite bands of all time, then I sat on the counter facing Desmond. He looked up, "Why hello there. I didn't notice you." he grinned. I rolled my eyes playfully, "Oh please." Desmond's attention was tored away from me as he stared at the customer who had just walked in through the doors.

"Is that the pretty boy you have a crush on?" Desmond winked at me. I hit him softly on the shoulder, not believing him, and jumped from the counter, "Do you need any assistance?" I said as I turned on my heel and recognized the customer as Aven, the boy who lives a few floors below me and who I think is really hot.

Aven smiled slightly, "Nice to see you too." he walked past me and went in the O section of the store. I cleared my throat, "Need any help?" Aven shook his head and muttered a no. I understood and went back to Desmond, "Is he crazy or something?" he asked me. "I doubt it, the boy just likes music a lot." I sat back on the counter and swung my feet, careful not knock anything over. 

Mere walked out of the back room, carrying loads of boxes. I watched as Aven came running to her aid when she dropped a box. "I got these for you." his lips curved into a dazzling smile. "Thank you! Oh, aren't you a gentleman!" Mere beamed and grabbed the box from him, walking away to the cash register. "You need a guy like him. I approve of him already." Mere piled a stack of records in her hand and went to the sections in the store to place them where they belong.

Aven then walked to the counter where I was sitting at. "Excuse me, miss." I heard his deep, husky voice. I suddenly knocked the glass display of the original vinyl record for The Who and it fell to the ground with a loud thud. I screamed out of fear, I did it all out of fear and nervousness. I jumped down with such shakiness and glanced at Aven to see if he was perhaps smirking or trying hard not to laugh, it was too embarrassing to even speak a simple word.

It was difficult but I spoke, "Are you ready to buy?" Aven nodded, obviously pretending not to notice the pieces of glass that were scattered all around the floor. Mere walked up and almost yelped, she hated messes and she absolutely disliked it when someone messed up something else, she doesn't like to break rules and be a 'rebel.' 

"Oasis? Nice choice." I said as I bagged the item, "I love them." I handed him the bag along with the receipt, Aven smiled and went, "What's your favorite song?" I shrugged, "I dunno, any I guess. But then again, I always enjoyed Don't Go Away." 

"That's awesome. It's rare to find a girl who likes the same music as I do." 

Desmond looked severly annoyed with our conversation, "We'd love to stay and chat, but as you can see, you're holding up traffic." he pointed behind Aven and there was numerous people lined up behind him. "Oops, sorry. Thanks though." Aven exited the store and didn't bother to look back. I turned to Desmond, "Since when do you think you could do that to people I'm talking to?" I asked angrily.

"And since when do you think slowing down business is alright?" he snapped. I rolled my eyes, but this time, for real. "Next in line." I mumbled.  

~

"Why don't you shut up already?" I hissed towards Desmond. He rolled his eyes, "I wish, but you keep talking back to me! You know what? I should just quit and find somewhere else to work at." he retorted. "Oh I would be glad if you did!" I screamed. Mere was standing up on the platform and watching Desmond and I fight. "Guys, calm down." she said. It was after of our shifts and the two of us were going at it like cats and dogs, Desmond started the root of the arguement.

"Fine then, I should. And one more thing, I'm absolutely done with the fighting and all the hassles of working in a damn record store with two idiots." he yelled before walking out the store in anger. I let out a breath of calm air and tried to keep myself collected. "What did you do?!" asked Mere in worry, she has this fear of all three of us quitting our job at the record store. It would be such a bummer for her if it did happen, and maybe it might happen today, who knows?

"You're siding with him, aren't you?" I inquired. Mere hesitated for a bit until she answered, "I don't know. I want to be with you, then I want to be with Des. It's a really confusing choice to make you know." I nodded my head in an understanding manner, "What would you do if he did quit his job?" Mere shrugged, "Just continue working here, I guess. If you'll be staying here with me, it won't be so bad will it?" she smiled nervously and stepped off the platform.

I made my way to the exit doors leading out to the back, "I guess I'll leave now." I opened it and heard Mere mutter a bye. I waved knowing she couldn't see it due to the fact that the door was shut. I unlocked my car and drove back home. And boy, it was one of those long drives that for once, you're able to think about anything.

~

When I arrived at my apartment block, I went inside the lobby and towards the elevator where the loft I was living in was located. The elevator stopped and the doors opened. I stepped inside and surprisingly noticed that Aven was standing next to me. He looked at me, did one of those adorable half smiles, and turned back to the buttons, "Where to miss?" he asked me as if it was a ride to a whimsical land.

"9th floor, please." I told him, grinning. Aven pressed the 9 button and the doors closed. We both stood in awkward silence, he began whistling. "How was your day today?" I asked. Aven went, "Okay. It was okay. Don't mind me when I say this, but would you like a drink sometime?" he blurted the last part out. I beamed, "Would you be fine if I suggested that the sometime should be right now?" 

Aven cleared his throat, "Would you like a drink with me right now?"

"I would appreciate it." I nodded my head and smiled. When the 8th floor approached, Aven pressed the stop button and waved his hand in my direction, "Ladies first." I led the way out as Aven followed. "I live right over here." he went the opposite way and down a dark hall. "Doesn't this bother you?" I asked, looking around as if we were in a scary movie. "Not at all. In fact, I prefer the dark much more than the bright light." he told me.

"You can just put your bag down over there." he said, pointing to an empty spot on his sofa. His apartment loft felt like an underground club combined with a Hollister shop, it was dark, a little bit indie, and it had vintage posters plastered all over his walls. "I love it." I smiled. Aven slumped his shoulders, "Eh, I did the best I could. I wanted to go for that dark feel." 

"Well you did it perfectly." I said. 

He went over to his kitchen, pulled out a wine bottle out of the fridge, and two glasses. He poured a light amount of wine in my glass, then in his. We clinked glasses and took a sip each. "What do you feel like talking about?" I questioned. 

"Anything."