I leaned back, casting a glance at what was Harry’s floor. He was leaning against his wardrobe, with his laptop on his lap and Sam, Sammy’s boyfriend, leaning towards him to read whatever they had found. Revision, hopefully.
I was on his bed, with Sammy, Lina, and two more friends from our photography class, Belinda and Rahama, who, coincidentally, were lesbians and happened to be going out with each other. Olly was on the floor, with Dan’s head on his lap. They’d worked out. I felt like a right top notch matchmaker. Olly was reading a textbook whilst Dan scrolled through Facebook on his phone. Lina’s new boyfriend, Deren, was a no-show. I think he had practice for his footie club.
We had been revising for over three hours now, and my brain was hurting. I huffed out a breath and glanced at the window. It was dark outside. I huffed out another breath, but no one seemed to take notice. I stretched my legs on the bed and glanced at Harry, who had his eyes on me, an eyebrow raised.
I offered him a smile, and he mirrored it, raising an eyebrow at my discarded laptop. I shrugged, mouthing, “I’m tired.”
He smiled in understanding, but went back to his revision. I didn’t know if I should feel hurt he had lost attention so quickly or proud he was going so well.
“Guys,” I said out loud, and pretty much everyone stirred, glancing up at me. “Hi. I think I need to go on a Starbucks run. We’re probably going to be here all night.”
“Get me a latte. And a brownie. I’m fucking hungry,” Belinda groaned, and Rahama nudged her.
“Language.”
“Sorry,” she said, and I tossed her a notebook and one of my pens.
“Write down what you want and pass it around.” Belinda began to pull out some money, but I intervened. “Hey, it’s okay. It’s on me.”
Belinda put her money away straight away. “Free drinks? Awesome. You’re a babe.”
I glanced at my laptop. The analysis of my photographs was already done, and I was waiting on an email from Jake, who said he had something to talk to me about. I only had two days of exams left, then college was over and I’d be moving out. Thank God.
We’d booked a holiday to Ibiza, for a fortnight in July, and I couldn’t wait. Harry, me, Dan, Olly, Deren, Lina, Sammy, Sam, Rahama, and Belinda were going. Someone nudged my side as I was slipping my jacket on, and I turned to look at who it was.
“Hello,” Harry said, a lazy grin on his face. I noticed he had the notebook in his hands, open to a page filled with scrawny writing everywhere.
“Hiya,” I smiled, trying to get the notebook from his arms. He lifted it above his head, meaning I wasn’t able to get it.
“Give it,” I groaned.
“No.”
“I want to get back to revision ASAP.”
“Me too. So, hurry up.”
“Are you coming with me?” I asked in surprise, and he nodded.
“Well, Bre, it’s dark, late, and you’re armed with a wallet. Money, plus a pretty, young woman. Hm. Do you honestly think I’d let you go out alone?”
“Alright, no need to be so dramatic,” I grinned. “Come on,” I shrugged, stepping towards the door.
He followed me and we walked towards his car, hand in hand.
He tried to open the car door for me but I swatted his hand away and called him a name before stepping into the car myself.
“I’m capable of opening a car door myself,” I told him.
“You are one of the many reasons chivalry is dying.”
“Chivalry was never alive,” I said, sticking my tongue out.
He chuckled.
“Right, so, I’m assuming you aren’t going to let me pay?” He questioned, as he got into his car.
“Nope.”
“Right.” He nodded. He began driving and it was quiet at first until, five minutes into the journey, he said, “Any plans for next year?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like, are you going to come back to college?”
“I was going to. Are you?”
“I was planning on dropping out.”
“You were?” I turned to look at him.
“Yeah. Maybe, go and pursue a career in singing?”
I looked at him in surprise. “Really?”
“Yeah. Wait, that’s dumb, right?”
“No! Not at all.”
“So why are you looking at me like that?”
“I just didn’t expect it, is all.”
“Oh. What about you, any future photography plans?”
I scoffed. “No.”
“Aw, well that sucks. You should reconsider.”
“No thanks.”
We went through the drive through and I ordered the drinks. Once we had collected them and I had paid, I turned to him.
“So, like, what do you mean by music career?” I asked.
He wet his lips. “I don’t really know. I had a band in high school.”
“You had a band?”
“Well, I was in one. I was the lead.”
“Awesome, why’d you break up?”
“I didn’t think it was what I wanted to do.”
“I see.”
“So, maybe, like, a few gigs at pubs?”
“What, you want to sing at pubs for the rest of your life?” I asked.
“There isn’t really anything else I can do.”
“Don’t bullshit me. You should apply for, like, the X-Factor!”
“The X-Factor?”
“Yes.”
“That’s such a cliché.”
“Hey, it could work out well.”
“I don’t think so.”
“I think you should. I mean, why not? It’d be awesome.”
“We’ll see.” He was trying to drop the subject. Well, he wasn’t getting away that easily.
“Promise me you’ll think about it.”
“I have thought about it.”
“No, you need to think about it properly.”
“Hm.”
“Please?” I sighed, dragging out the ‘e’.
“You drive a hard bargain. Would you wear, like, a shirt or something that says ‘Go Harry!’?”
I scoffed. “Seriously?”
“Hey, I think it’d be cool,” he said defensively.
I smiled at him. “If it made you happy, then, yes, I’d wear a shirt like that.”
“I might actually consider it, then,” he said enthusiastically.
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“What did you want to talk to me about?” I asked Jake.
“I have an exciting offer for you.”
I adjusted my textbooks in one arm. “I have, like, ten minutes before my next exam, so this idea must hurry.”
He chuckled. “Well, I have gotten you an apprenticeship.”
“Apprenticeship? Really?”
“Yes, with the magazine People [A/N: I know there is a People magazine, but I made this magazine up.].”
“People? That’s huge!” I said, in awe. I would be able to work for People? I grinned, and he laughed at my reaction.
“It is. I sent them a few of your photographs, and they loved them!”
“I can’t wait! Is it, like, weekends?”
“See, that’s where there’s a problem.” He said, wetting his lips.
“What problem?” I asked. Had my new dream been ruined before it had even began?
“It would require you to move out of college.”
“Move out?”
“I don’t want to say drop out, because you aren’t dropping out. It’s a full time apprenticeship. It starts in September, and they will pay for your accommodation for a flat near the headquarters. It’s huge, and it’ll look good on your CV.”
“So, I wouldn’t finish college?”
“Well, look, you would, but you may not have a full degree in everything you wanted. If you did this, you’d have a good chance of getting somewhere in your life with photography. You have amazing potential, Brenna.”
“Right…”
Did I want to do this? Of course I did. But, was dropping out of college the right decision to make? I wanted to work in the photography industry, but I needed time.
“So?” He asked.
“I need time to think. It’s a lot to process.”
“Right, of course. I just need an answer within the next week. I know you’re moving out tomorrow, so you could just email me.”
“Okay. I will. Thanks for finding this apprenticeship for me.”
“No problem. I honestly do believe you have a lot of potential.”
I flashed him a smile before hurrying to my next exam. How was I going to do this exam with these many thoughts whirring in my head?
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A/N: A lot of people are confused about last chapter. BRENNA HAS STARTED HER PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS. SAMMY AND LINA ARE HER CLASSMATES AND JAKE IS HER PROFESSOR. I hope that clears it up for you!
I hope you like this, I have a ton of exams this week so everything has been drabble-y. if you don’t, it’ll improve soon, I promise!
Not that I have a lot more left to write……………..:)
not proof reading is becoming an awful habit of mine D:
xoxo