Alraieze

Chapter 2

-- Debt --

I never even knew we had a darkroom, and now the chemical smells were going to be my demise. Also not helping my breathing was me being trapped between green eye's broad-shouldered body and the table he was currently developing his film on. 

It never occurred to me that I could die by something else I didn't understand and like it.

My head hit his chest again and he looked down at me like he could see right through me.

It was a really, really small room. 

"Are you sure that I can actually help-" I started for the 100th time.

He cut me off with a reminder, "$2500." 

I blushed in embarrassment realizing I was being a huge burden on someone I didn't even know. My entire existence just seemed to be a concoction of mistakes and almost good enoughs. Turned out his camera was borrowed by the school and because neither of us had money right now, the school said if we replaced the professional photographers they usually hired for events we wouldn't have to pay them back.

The only problem was that I had no clue how to work a camera. Green eyes was the one who convinced the school that this was a fair trade.

"I know, I'm really sorry." I started backing up naturally when he turned to me, overwhelmed with everything him. "Seriously, sorry."

"Wait!" He said, reaching out but I had already bumped into the table where another open bin of solution was sitting. Soon, my pants were soaking and the bin was on the floor. This time no crack, but a lot more obstruction to my pride.

It was silent as I watched what seem to be him physically counting to ten before opening his mouth again. "Are you okay?" 

"Yes," I breathed, embarrassed once again.

"I have a pair of sweatpants," he was saying as he removed his gloves.

"I'm not taking your sweatpants, but I can't miss the assembly today either. My teacher-" I dropped to the floor after realizing I trailed off too much. I tried to ignore the cold running down my legs as I started cleaning up.

"What about them?" He questioned as he attempted to clean the floor with me. 

"I don't know," I said. Really, my teacher did not like me much because I skipped that period a lot of the time I had doctor appointments and was usually more behind in that class. I've never wanted to seem like a slacker, but I couldn't exactly choose most things in my life.

"Take the sweats," He said eyeing the multitude of patches and streaks of darker jean.

"No, th-thank you," I  cursed myself for stumbling again. "I'm already causing so much trouble for you. Please."

"You're a stumbling mess, not a burden." He rose and threw out the paper towels soaked in developer. When seeing my confusion he chuckled, "Please take the sweats?"

"I don't know..." I trailed off, thinking about me sitting in that auditorium reeking of chemicals. With the way the developer fell it seemed like I'd genuinely peed my pants. I groaned in frustration and bit my lip.

"So you want to stay wet?" He bent down and peered at me. I could smell peaches on his breath he was so close. Both of his arms trapped me between him and the table.

"Overwhelmed," was all I could squeak out and he immediately backed up, letting out a loud laugh. My entire body was still on fire even with the distance.

"Sorry." He laughed a bit when he realized I was just shocked, "Come on, I have an idea then."

"This does not sound good," I commented truthfully.

We finishing developing photographs for the photography club. He said I would just have to deal with it for a couple more minutes because 'photographs don't wait' or something. Thankfully, when we exited, there was no one in sight since everyone was probably already flooding the second floor trying to sardine squeeze their way into the theatre.

We made our way down the hall and he instructed I wash off my legs as much as possible in the girls' locker-room near our gym.

I eyed him suspiciously, "Are you going to steal my pants?"

He waved a videocamera in the air, "Who do you think I am? Go before someone thinks you have Parkinson's."

I frowned, "This would not be the first time."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

"I know."

"You are still standing here."

"Okay, okay," I stealthily managed to get in without anyone there. I took off my pants and since the developer was already everywhere, just opted to wash my entire bottom half and wrap myself in the provided school towels. After soaping and washing my jeans as much as possible as well, I used another towel to clean that as well.

Then, I put them back on and they stuck to me like a second skin. I walked out, incredibly uncomfortable. And my skin was still itchy because of the hydrogen peroxide. I hope I didn't develop a rash.

"Beautiful. Come on," He nodded his head toward the theatre, a stupid grin on his face.

"You can't ju-just say that to me," I said.

"Alright, ugly." He opted for and I deflated.

----

Sunrises were always one of the most beautiful phenomenons to me: a mix of breakfast oranges and lilac purples and blushing pinks. I was sitting on top of a corporate building near our only seaport. I was at the edge and I swung my legs out into the open nothingness below. I had a cup of coffee in my hand and half a bagel in the other.

Ah, silence.

"No swinging please," green eyes gruffed and I heard a click followed by a mild curse. "The shutter speed is slow and you're not helping."

I groaned and cursed the Gods. One of my favorite places besides Andrea's was now ruined. Just to spite him, I bit into my bagel quickly and blinked rapidly at the lens as he took another shot, hoping that the ShUtTer SpEEd couldn't capture the action.

He gave a defeated sighed and sat next to me, plopping the now much larger camera in his lap. I peered at him inquisitively and he looked down at me with mild frustration.

"As much as I adore taking photos of you, Angel, I'd much rather you just give me cash and we be on our way."

"I don't have any, I'm really sorry. I thought that the school's solution was... good?" I offered. Then I realized what he'd call me and stuttered, "My na-name is Alraieze."

"Pretty," He said and raised the camera to his eyes at the sunrise taking more shape in the distance. The sun cocooned him in a soft golden glow almost as if he were dripping with honey. If anyone was an angel, it was him.

"I'm Kai," He finally said. "Kai Johnson."

"Hi, Kai," I said and then inadvertently smiled at the rhyme.

I heard the camera click.