Max took one last search through her bag to make sure she still had the photo. "Phew. Thank God." She breathed out loud. She knew not completing the assignment didn't really matter considering the person that was her teacher and the fact that it was just another stupid selfie, but she felt this was more about making an impression on her classmates.
After all, she needed to be close to them.
She stepped into the art classroom. It was odd, a still-innocent part within her wanted to jump for joy - she was living out her dream after all - but the horrors that started and ended in that classroom heavily trumped that small feeling. It made her feel sick. The sun shone brightly through the classroom window, almost blinding Max. At least it was warm. Max's hoodie was haphazardly slung over her shoulder, and she suddenly felt very subconscious about her pasty arms. She looked around, hoping to find a familiar face to start a conversation with so she didn't have to talk to Jefferson, who at this stage was standing at his desk, talking to none other than Victoria Chase. Max rolled her eyes. Eventually, Max found Kate Marsh, sitting in her usual spot in the back corner. There was a spare chair at the same table that Max took. No more sitting by herself at the centre-back of the classroom.
"Hi." Max smiled sweetly.
"Oh! Hello." Kate looked startled briefly, as if Max had interrupted her daydream.
"You ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Sorry, just a little out of it, I guess."
"Don't apologise." Max smiled. "I'm probably worse than you at that." Max frowned. "As Jefferson loves to remind me." Max thought to herself.
Kate giggled. "You're funny. My name's Kate, by the way."
"Max. Short for Maxine, but I hate that name." Max extended her hand.
"Max it is then." Kate smiled and shook Max's hand. Max sat down in the chair next to Kate, right next to the computer. Max briefly wondered if any of Jefferson's photos were stored there and shuddered.
"Did you bring a photo for the assignment?" Max asked.
"Yes. It's simple, really." Kate shrugged.
"Well I hardly think this is going to be graded." Max said. "I'm fairly sure this was just a cool icebreaker, to get to know everyone through photos."
Kate nodded. "It's very clever, actually. Most icebreaker games are so tedious, but this one is actually relevant to what we're doing. Mr. Jefferson seems like a smart person."
"Yes, that he does." Max nodded, trying her best to hide her scowl. Max took her photo of her bag and rested it on her desk. "A polaroid selfie, how on brand." Max thought. Jefferson sent out an email to all his students the weekend before, tasking them to take/find a photo of something that's important to them, or shows who they are as a person. Obviously they had to have taken it themselves, so that people could critique the photos as they were passed around. "Positive criticism only at this stage please." Jefferson had said. Max rolled her eyes. She had chosen her photo carefully - a way to subtly say "Fuck you!" to Jefferson. Max was in the centre, with Chloe and Rachel on either side. It was hard for Max's short arms to get them all in frame, but Max managed, and she felt like it came out great, which Max realised was a rare feeling for her. Maybe it was the way Rachel and Chloe look so happy and full of life. Max escaped from a timeline where Jefferson had killed them both, and now Max was about to present a photo of them to him. It was petty revenge, but it was something. Max grinned. Victoria was moving to her seat in the back left corner of the classroom, so Max raised her head, ready to hear whatever bullshit tirade Jefferson was about to go on.
"Sorry we're late!" Came a rushed voice from the door as Stella and Hayden rushed in.
"You're not late at all." Jefferson smiled. "I was only just about to start."
Stella smiled and nodded a thanks, and they sat down at the front left table.
"Ok! Assuming that's everyone, welcome! As you probably already know, my name is Mr. Jefferson, and I will be guiding you through your photography course for the next one or two years. I say guiding because teaching implies you don't already know your stuff, which you do, otherwise you wouldn't be here. Isn't that right?"
Several nervous giggles rose from different areas of the classroom.
Jefferson nodded. "I'm also only here to help you kickstart your own career. I'm not gonna do it for you, only you can do it."
Max felt Jefferson's eyes on her as he spoke. She didn't dare look, that would grant him too much satisfaction for Max to bear.
"Assuming you got my email," Jefferson continued. "I tasked you to bring a photo to class that speaks to everyone about who you are, or represents what is most important to you. How you interpreted that was up to you, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you have to show. I'll start to give an example." He got up off from Daniel's desk and walked to the front of the classroom.
Max wondered why he insisted on having his back to almost half the class. Did he like the idea of everyone having his eyes on him from all angles? Was he just insistent on being closer to Kate, Victoria, Taylor, and herself? Max shuddered. There were only two boys in the classroom, and it was obvious that Jefferson wasn't interested in Stella and Alyssa, so him choosing to face the girls at the back instead made Max's skin crawl. "If only I analysed him as much in the original timeline as I am now. I wouldn't have had to live through all that bullshit." Max thought. She shook her head. "That was out of my control." She breathed.
"Hello! My name is Mark Jefferson, I'm 38 years old - yes, I know I'm old - and this is a photo of what is most important to me, and I'd like to share it with you guys." he reached underneath his desk and pulled out a large framed photo. "This is of my class from last year. They represent the legacy I pursue at Blackwell. Guiding students to become the artists they aspire to be."
Max swore she saw Rachel Amber in the photo.
"I hope to recreate this photo with you guys at the end of class, so you can use that as inspiration to further your own legacy."
"Wow, arrogant much?" Max whispered to Kate, who just shushed her. Max remembered that not everyone at this stage knew what Mark Jefferson was up to. Kate was respecting Jefferson as he spoke, as she always tended to do when others were talking.
How painfully naive.
"I wouldn't be an esteemed photographer if I didn't believe in myself, for those of you who may find my manner… self-absorbed." Jefferson said. He didn't point fingers, but he may as well have gotten Max to stand up and repeat what she said. "I'll pass this photo around so you can have a good look at it." He handed the photo to Alyssa, who simply nodded and handed it to Daniel. Daniel spent about a minute looking at it before passing it to Stella. The photo made its rounds around the class, each taking only a few seconds before passing it to the next person.
"Daniel spent the longest looking at it. Huh." Max thought. She looked over at Victoria, who had placed the photo on her table, resuming her conversation with Taylor about whatever bullshit they tended to talk about. Kate sighed and got up, walking over to Victoria's table and picking up the photo. Victoria looked at her and giggled. Kate just shook her head.
"This is a really nice photo. They all look so happy and friendly." Kate smiled. She handed the photo to Max, holding it so they could both see.
"That's Rachel Amber." Max smiled. Rachel was in the centre, perfectly framed by her less-visually appealing classmates.
"She's very pretty." Kate said. "How do you know her?"
Max slid her polaroid across the table to Kate.
"Oh! Well that explains it." Kate laughed. "You three must all be good friends."
"That's one way to put it." Max replied. "We're living together at the moment. The girl with the blue hair is Chloe. We've been best friends since we were kids. I moved to Seattle about 5 years ago. Chloe felt lonely. Luckily Rachel came along. Pretty much saved her life."
"Wow. That got… dark." Kate's smile dropped briefly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that." Max reassured her. "When Chloe told me about Rachel, she was super excited. I knew I couldn't wait to come back to Arcadia Bay. You can imagine how excited I was when I found out I got into Blackwell."
"Dream come true."
"Yes." Max said. "Yes it was. Can I?"
"Sure." Kate said, handing her the photo. Max took a good hard look at it.
"It is an incredible photo." Max sighed inwardly. "Rachel looks happy here. Hayden's here too, and so is Dana. Few other people I can't recognise, but they all look like family." Max looked at Rachel again. "Can't wait for that to become a reality." Max stood up and walked over to Jefferson's desk, placing the photo down. She went back to her seat without looking at him.
"Wonderful." Jefferson beamed. "Now, who would like to present their photo first?"
No-one dared make eye contact.
"Anyone at all?" Jefferson asked again. "Alright, looks like I'll have to choo-"
"I'll go first!" Victoria thrust her hand into the air.
"Now there's a surprise." Max thought sarcastically.
"Perfect. Nice to see some enthusiasm. Especially from someone with as strong a name as yours."
Victoria blushed and looked down at the ground. Max rolled her eyes. Victoria skipped up to the front, a small framed photo in her hand. "Ahem." She cleared her throat. "My name is Victoria Chase. I've been a Blackwell student since I was a freshman, and I've always wanted to do photography. As soon as I saw the email, I knew exactly which photo I wanted to use." She turned her photo towards the class, which featured a large crowd in front of an ornate fireplace. "This is my whole family all together for the winter holiday season, which is a very rare occasion for us. One of the few times Chanukah coincided with Christmas."
"That must have been very special, I'm sure." Jefferson smiled.
"It was, Mr. Jefferson. This was taken a few years ago, back when I was first properly getting into photography. So my Dad and his side of the family are on the right, holding the jewish candles, and my Mom and her side of the family are on the left, holding the crosses. Even though there are a lot of differences between each side of my family, we love each other all the same. Family has always been truly important to me, and I hope that by the end of this year, I can call all of you my family too." Victoria smiled sweetly. Max wanted to punch her. Max sighed. She so badly wanted to hate Victoria, but she knew how she absolved and how frightened she was when Mark Jefferson kidnapped her. Victoria seemed like she was finished, so Max joined the others in applauding. She handed the photo to Mr. Jefferson and he passed it to Alyssa. It made the rounds just like last time, except this time Taylor walked over and handed it to Kate. Kate smiled.
"This is a really nice photo, Victoria." Kate called over to Victoria.
"What? Oh." Victoria was clearly caught off guard. "Thank you, uh…"
"Kate."
"Kate. Thank you." Victoria smiled.
Kate turned to Max. "Take a lot at this, Max. Isn't it magnificent? Two families of two entirely different religious backgrounds coming together in harmony! It makes me feel so blessed. And they're framed so well too! Victoria must have spent ages to get them all to fit."
"She certainly does have a big family." Max breathed as Kate handed her the photo. "My God, Kate's right. Victoria has a good eye. And they all look so happy."
"10 cousins." Victoria said, interrupting Max's thoughts. "3 from my mom's side and 7 from my dad's."
"Wow." Max breathed. "This is a very impressive photo, Victoria. For a lot of reasons. Thank you for showing it to us."
"Thank you, Max. That means a lot." Victoria nodded. She looked down at her lap, a sad look in her eyes. Max was reminded of when she got Victoria covered in paint. It was the same, sad, insecure look that Max was all too familiar with.
"Poor Victoria." Max thought.
"I guess I'll go next." Kate said.
"Ok. Come on up." Jefferson smiled. Kate stood up and walked towards the front of the classroom, her shoulder brushing past Jefferson as she did so. Max shuddered.
"Creepy bastard." Max scowled. "He may as well have 'guided' her by the small of her back."
"This is a photo of the Christian Youth Group I mentor. Both of my sisters are members who help me out from time to time. We take part in numerous community service activities, including support the Meals on Wheels Program. I love them all to bits and I'm so glad I was able to share my photo with you all." Kate's smile was contagious. Jefferson looked touched. Once again the photo made its rounds, starting with Alyssa and ending with Max. Max handed the photo back to Kate.
"This is really good, Kate. You give me confidence. In not only myself, but for humanity. Everyone's so selfish these days and it's nice to see people who care."
"Thank you, Max." Kate replied. "That makes me feel so blessed."
Max grinned. "The pleasure's all mine."
One by one, the rest of the class shared their photos. Max was impressed by most of them, although she felt a little uncomfortable with Hayden's "party vibe". Stella's was most upsetting. Max didn't know much about her, but she knew she had a rough life. This assignment allowed Stella to give insight on just how tough she had it. For whatever reason why Jefferson decided to give out this assignment, Max wasn't sure. It was 1% of their entire photography grade, and everyone was guaranteed an A+.
"Mark Jefferson's generosity knows no bounds." Max murmured to herself sarcastically. Thankfully no-one heard.
Stella was on the verge of tears, explaining her story on how her little brother got very sick and the efforts she took to look after him. When the photo was passed around, everyone regarded it very seriously. Stella was holding her little brother on her shoulders, the camera resting on the grass in the distance. Max was impressed by the amount of effort used in getting the right focus.
"How on Earth did she afford such a nice camera?" Max thought. She shook her head. "Shouldn't bother with such trivial details. I should just appreciate it for the good photo it is."
Taylor's was also quite sad. A selfie with a firefighter in uniform. Apparently he was a trainee firefighter that she used to date. While on duty, he died trying to save a woman trapped inside a burning house. Neither of them survived. The local fire department established a plaque and a photo just for him.
Daniel and Alyssa both shared about other areas of art that interested them - Daniel's drawing, as Max predicted, and Alyssa's former band. Max blinked. She had no idea Alyssa used to be in a band.
"Aaaaand lucky last! Come on up." Jefferson smiled sweetly at Max. Max wanted to throw up, both in disgust at Jefferson and fear from the class.
"Okay." Max cleared her throat. "Hi, everyone. My name is, uh, Max Caulfield. For the past five years I've lived in Seattle, but I moved back to my sweet home town of Arcadia Bay to pursue a career in photography. I've lived a pretty normal life, with a few messed-up bits here and there."
"I guess that's normal, huh?" Jefferson joked. The class laughed.
"Y-yeah. Anyway. My photo is very special to me. You won't be able to see it from here…" Max pulled out her polaroid and held it up. "These are my best friends. They've been through so much, both with me, and with each other. We're living together at the moment, and I couldn't ask for a better group of people."
"Hey, that's-" Jefferson started to say.
"Rachel Amber, yes. And Chloe Price."
Numerous people from the class started whispering to each other excitedly.
"You're living with Rachel Amber?" Hayden asked. "Luck-ee."
"Don't worry, I'll put a good word in for you."
Hayden laughed. "No way would I ever go against Chloe. I have enough dignity and sense to not get my ass kicked."
"So you're sensitive…" Max recalled an almost forgotten memory. She hoped to see Warren soon. Max made sure to talk briefly during science earlier that day, but it wasn't enough.
"You're smarter than most, Hayden."
"A polaroid? Are you serious?" Victoria scoffed.
"Hey! I like my polaroid. Trusty and has been with me for a long time."
"Now now, Victoria. Need I remind you that we said only positive criticism at this stage." Mark Jefferson asked. "I certainly do not want any mockery or bullying happening in my classroom EVER, especially today. Got it?"
"Yes sir, Mr. Jefferson." Victoria sighed. "Sorry Max. It's pretty cool. Polaroids are… unique."
"I'm a unique sort of gal." Max smiled. "Actually that's a lie. Look at me."
The class laughed. Even Victoria giggled.
"How come you chose that photo, Max?" Alyssa asked. "No offense, but it's pretty generic."
"No no, none taken. That's a good question." Max nodded. "Victoria's photo was about how the differences in her family refuse to separate them. Stella's photo showed that the bond between her and her brother can beat any hardship. Kate showed how strong humanity can be if we work together to help out."
The three photographers mentioned all blushed.
"So what mine represents, is that despite all that we all have gone through or will go through in the future, we always have each other to fall back in. That despite everything, it's still us. We're still here. We spit in the faces of those who speak out against us. That together, we can do anything. I love these girls to pieces and nothing nor no-one will ever take that away from me."
"Wow, Max. That's really quite powerful." Daniel said. "Rachel Amber is an admirable person, as is Chloe, even though I haven't met her. You are really lucky to know them."
"Thanks, Daniel. I am lucky. They're superb."
"If you don't mind me asking, how come they're so important to you?" Stella asked. "I mean, I've met them both, and they're pretty cool people, I just wanna know why they're so important."
"Well, it's like I've said. We've been through thick and thin." Max took a deep breath. "Chloe - the girl with the blue hair - and I have been friends since we were kids. Around the same time I was about to move to Seattle, Chloe's dad died."
Harsh whispers flew around the classroom.
"Oh shit I remember that!" Stella cried. "God that was an awful time for her."
"Language, Stella. This is still a classroom." Jefferson scolded. Stella apologised. Victoria seemed angry that the class was so interested in the photo. Max couldn't blame her - after all, it was about two people she seemed to hate.
"When I left, things were very hard on Chloe. If Rachel Amber hadn't had come along , then…" Max trailed off. "Rachel and Chloe were very tight, I'm sure you all know."
Giggles circulated around the class. Victoria pulled a face.
"Rachel's family life was also fucked up, but I'm not gonna get into that. Chloe and Rachel went through hell on earth just to find the answers they needed. When I moved back to Arcadia, everything was different. Rachel and Chloe accepted me back in with open and loving arms, and we formed a bond stronger than familial blood could ever make. They were tough as nails, nothing could stand in their way or separate them. And yet, they have been nothing but kind and loving to me since I came back, and I love them for it." Max smiled and looked at the photo. "So when I see them in this photo, happy and smiling, I remember that despite all the pain and suffering we have endured, we're still here, all together, and we have these happy moments that we can latch onto. That's what this photo means to me."
"I see you've put a lot of thought into this photo. It's impressive." Jefferson beamed. "The expressions you use in this photo - so fiery yet so... innocent."
Never had Max wanted more than to erase her memory than right then. She started coughing. "Thank you, Mr. Jefferson." She handed her photo to Alyssa, who then resumed the same order of passing it around. Max looked at Victoria as she sat back down. Victoria stared at the photo for a long time, her face an enigmatic array of emotions. Mostly anger. She handed the photo to Kate and sat down in a huff. Taylor looked confused.
"Max, that was very brave of you. I didn't know there would be so much meaning behind one simple polaroid." Kate said.
"To be honest? I took it last night. We had a pretty insane day yesterday and it was nice to just chill."
"I'll bet. You were at the store that was robbed, weren't you?"
"It wasn't robbed. We stopped the robber. Then I saved Victoria from getting hit by a car." Max replied.
Max could see Victoria shudder out of the corner of her eye.
"Wow Max. That must have been scary."
Max nodded. "It was. But Chloe and Rachel were there, and they helped me through it. I really did mean what I said." She glanced at Jefferson. "I love them, and I would do anything to keep them safe. And I mean, anything."