Perfectly Photogenic [Ryan Sitkowski Love Story]

Chapter 25

"I'm going to miss you like crazy. Well, at least I get to see you before you leave for work." Ryan smiled as he packed up his things.

Today Ryan was leaving for the other half of the Graveyard Shift tour this morning and I was pretty bummed out that we were going to be separated for two months. People would think two months isn't so bad, but believe me, it is.

"Call me as soon as you get to your first stop."

"I will. Come here." Ryan said pulling me into his arms.

He tightly wrapped his arms around my waist as my arms were wrapped just as tight, maybe even tighter around his neck. I buried my face into his chest and inhaled his scent so that I could embed it into my memory. Ryan pulled back and stared at me long and hard with a smile on his face.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting a good look at you. I want to remember you just like this."

My hair was in a half messy bun and I had on a pair of grey sweatpants and a red T-shirt. To be honest I looked like a train wreck.

"I look like a mess."

"Nonsense, you look like a million dollars," Ryan stated pecking me on the forehead.

I smiled at him and placed a quick kiss on his lips and helped carry his luggage to the car. We put the last of his things in the trunk and we hugged each other one last time before Ryan pulled out of the driveway to head to the bus terminal. I waved goodbye and walked back into the house and got myself ready for a day of work.

I threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a white blouse, and my brown suede ankle boots. I brushed my teeth and brushed out my hair and applied a light coat of eyeliner and mascara. Ryan's departure had me saddened already so I skipped breakfast and gathered up my equipment to take it out of the car. I got into my car and drove off to the studio to see Emilee's car already parked outside.

I pulled the keys out of my pocket and unlocked the studio's doors and got my things out of the backseat of the car. Emilee came in a few seconds later and placed her camera down on her desk. She looked like she didn't get much sleep last night.

"You look lousy," I stated as I set up one of my tri-pods.

"Austin and I fought, fought until three this morning. I'm living with a man child!"

"Sorry to hear that."

"To be honest, some days I love him and other days I just want to beat him up."

I chuckled at Emilee's comment as I continued to set up my workspace. "I'm not going to bail you out of jail when you finally snap, remember that."

"I'd bail you out if you and Ryan were in my situation. Speaking of him did you miss him leaving for their tour this morning?"

"No, he made enough noise this morning that I'm thankful it did wake me up. Two whole months feels like a lifetime to me." I frowned.

"It'll go by quick."

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Later in the afternoon, Emilee was busy with taking a customer's photos and I was busy with setting up an appointment and the type of prints my customer would want. Thirty minutes had passed and he finally decided what he wanted and I marked him down in my book and thanked him for choosing our studio.

"I was wondering if I could set up a photoshoot?"

I looked up and gasped when I saw my ex-boyfriend James standing in front of my desk. I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure I wasn't going crazy.

"Can I ask what you're doing here in my studio?"

"I've been trying to get a hold of you, but you won't answer my calls or texts."

"My number is changed and that's all you need to know. Now please get out of here before things get ugly."

"What is with you?"

Emilee stopped for a brief second and looked over at James and raised her eyebrows. She looked over at me and mouthed: Are you okay? I sighed out of annoyance and got up from my desk and waved James to the back of the studio with me. I shut the door halfway and stood across from him with my arms folded.

"We've been broken up for almost a year now and being broken up has been the best decision I've ever made. You gaslighted me throughout the entire relationship, you were extremely rude and nasty to my friends and you never gave a damn about me, to begin with! So please do not come into my business and try to woo me back with your bullshit because it's just not going to work, James."

James just rolled his eyes and sighed before smashing his fist against the wall beside my head. I flinched and stood frozen in place and held back the tears as he walked out of the room. I put my hand over my mouth and slid down to the floor as I quietly sobbed to myself. I calmed myself down and fixed myself up before walking back out to the main floor.

Emilee was alone and sitting at her desk and looked up at me when I emerged from the back room. She furrowed her eyebrows again and pointed to the front door. I just shrugged my shoulders and sat back down at my desk. I shakily pulled my phone from my bag and tapped on Ryan's name.

Brianne: So how far are you from Pennsylvania?

Ryan: Longways, how's work?

Brianne: My ex just showed up here and was a complete douchebag

Ryan: Uhh what!! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?

Brianne: He punched the wall in the back of the studio, he's lucky he didn't break any of my equipment

Ryan: You should've thrown his ass to the curb, scream and make a scene

Brianne: We had customers in here

Ryan: So? I've only been gone for a few hours and shit has already hit the fan

Brianne: Well I don't have a crystal ball! I didn't know he was going to come in here so don't pin all the blame on me, Ryan

After I sent that text I didn't get a reply back and I was pretty scared that I just lost the best relationship I ever had. I'm mentally kicking myself in the ass for this one. I dropped my phone on my desk and rested my head in my hand and let silent tears fall from my eyes.

"Everything okay over there?" Emilee asked.

"I'm not sure?" I said staring down at my phone.

Oh god, what did I do?