The photography class dimmed my already crappy mood from the second I walked in. It was stuffy, small and dark, with only one window (which of course was closed). There was a chalkboard, rows of desks, and a teacher's desk. Just fabulous. I had just gotten over school, and here I was right back in it again, two days later. There were only two other people in the room and I wasn't the least bit interested in talking to either one. One of them was Nick Grey, and the other was Bailey Talbot, who was in my English class last year. I liked artsy people really, but this girl always took things overboard. For example today, she was dressed in a long flowing neon green dress that went to her ankles. Let's just say, her dyed pink bangs did not go with her outfit choice well.
I took the last seat behind Nick and clunked down my bag with a clunk on the floor. I looked around for a teacher but there was none. Sigh. This was going to be a looongg summer.
Suddenly the door to the classroom flung open and a frazzled, older man shuffled in, his arms piled high with papers, books, a camera, and God knows what else. "I'm so sorry I'm late!" he called in a heavy British accent. I looked over at Bailey but she watching this scene with a look of boredom, as though she'd seen it take place a million times before.
With a crash, all the various materials stacked in the man's arms fell to the ground. When the camera hit the ground, half of the lens snapped off and made Bailey laugh—I'm sorry—cackle wickedly.
"Oh, bollocks!" the man shouted loudly, and knealt down slowly and with a grunt and began to pick up his belongings.
"Let me help you, sir", Nick said kindly, jumping up from his desk and squatting down on the ground. With that, he began to pick up the spilled papers and books.
I sat there in my seat, watching the scene, feeling like a huge asshole. Here an old man had dropped all of his stuff and I had just sat there and watched it with my mouth hanging slightly open like a stupid fish and did absolutely nothing! Way to go, me!
After all the things had been picked up and Nick had returned to his seat, the old man shuffled again to the board.
"Hello, clahss. I'm Mr. Lavendale" he said, his accent ringing throughout the classroom. "Wellcohme to photaaaahgraphy clahss". He looked around at our faces and frowned.
"I know for a fact that none of you are here for pure pleasure", he said, looking at me. Of course, me being stupid me, blushed a bright red.
"You're here because you messed at some point during your school year. So to go onto the next level of you're education, you most take a summer course. And that is why you are here". He paused and glared at all of us for a few seconds before continuing. "Since you are taking this class for school, I'm going to treat this class as if it is school. In return, I expect you to treat this class with the same attitude. Understood?"
We nodded.
"Good", he said, with a slight smile. He turned to the blackboard and picking up a tiny piece of white chalk he quickly scrawled across the board the word "PHOTOGRAPHY=?" When he finished, he put the chalk back and swiveled back to face us.
"What does photography mean to you?" He asked us.
Immediately, Bailey and Nick's hands shot in the air. Now instead of blending in, I just looked like an idiot for not raising my hand.
"Miley", Mr. Lavendale called. I looked up confused.
"Um…yes?" I asked softly.
"What does photography mean to you?" He repeated himself slower this time, as if he was talking to an idiot.
"Um…" I said, flushing, "I didn't have my hand raised".
"I know", he nodded, still glaring at me.
"Um, well". I gulped and looked around. Nick and Bailey were both staring at me intently, waiting for me to answer.
"Um, to me photography means saving memories?" I answered finally, more as a question than a statement.
Bailey snorted and turned back around her chair to face the teacher.
"That's a good meaning for a beginner." he smiled politely at me. "Care to add onto her answer Bailey?"
"I'd love to", Bailey replied in a sickly sweet voice, before turning to face me. Her eyes glared at me with pure satisfaction and her mouth twisted into a proud smirk. "To me, photography means a way to show people how I see the world through my eyes".
"Wonderful answer, Bailey", Mr. Lavendale applauded. Bailey looked right at me when she smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Lavendale", she said while looking directly into my eyes.
"However", Mr. Lavendale began, after finishing clapping, "There is no right or wrong answer. For instance, to me, photography is expressing my emotion through photos. And that idea", he continued as he erased the writing on the chalkboard, and began to write something new, "is the basis for the first, biggest, and only assignment in this class".
When he stepped away from the board it read in narrow letters, "ASSIGNMENT #1: 100 PHOTOS OF HAPPINESS".
"Class, your first assignment is exactly what the board says; Everyday for 100 days, you are required to take a picture of what made you happy each day".
Bailey and Nick both started to raise their hands but Mr. Lavendale interrupted their questions. "There are no rules as long as you complete 100 pictures, and please try to be honest. Don't cheat and take all 100 the first day. And take pictures of things that make YOU happy. No one else. Are we clear?"
We all shook our heads yes.
"Good", Mr. Lavendale smiled, "Good. So Miley, you and Nick can take your photos together to make 200 and Bailey, if you wouldn't mind, you can work alone".
Bailey glanced quickly, but longingly at Nick. She swallowed hard. "Yes, that's alright".
"Wait, what?" I interrupted loudly. Everyone turned to look at me, but I didn't mind. "We have to work in partners?"
"Well, yes, I believe I made that clear a moment ago". He replied matter-of-a-factly.
"But, why?"
"It's for the experience, love". He grinned and raised his eyebrows.
"But, but—" I could feel Nick's eyes burning a hole in my skin, but I ignored it.
"Love, you're working together for the project. Now, I think you should stop you're complaining, because you're coldness towards pairing up with Mr. Nicholas is rather rude".
"I'll work with Nick", Bailey interjected loudly and eagerly.
I looked at Nick, and watched as he did as best to hold back a look of disgust.
"No, no", Mr. Lavendale shook his head. "Miley is working with Nick, as assigned".
I narrowed my eyes and stared at him for a moment, emulating pure hatred. He stared back, emotionless at me for a few minutes, before clapping his hands.
"The assignment begins tommorow, and it's due a day before the final day of this class. Try to have fun. Class dismissed!"
I shot out of my desk and tried to hurry as quickly as I could.
"Miley, wait", a voice called in a soft voice.
I turned to the direction of the voice and their stood Nick, messenger back in hand, flannel, button down shirt open to reveal a casual gray t-shirt, and slouchy jeans that skimmed the floor and covered the ankles of his black converse sneakers.
"I'm sorry I'm not the person you wanted to work with, and personally, you're not the person I'd want to work with, but I really have to get a good grade in this class, and I know you do too. So, for the sake of passing, let's just agree to tolerate each other, alright?"
I nodded a little shocked. I'd never heard Nick say so much at one time. "Um sure. Do you have a cell phone?"
"Yeah", he unbuckled his messenger bag and pulled out a scratched up old flip phone and tossed it to me. "Add you're number".
I quickly did, and then pulled my blackberry out of my pocket and passed it to him. "You too".
I watched as he slowly typed in his information and then handed it back to me. "Thanks. I'll call you tomorrow so we can start working on the project".
"Kay", I softly answered.
"See ya". He brushed past me and I watched him walk out of the classroom, and down the hallway until he turned a disappeared around the corner.
I shook my head. "What an odd kid", I mumbled, before shuffling out of the classroom and towards the exit with the extreme dislike of this class hovering like a rain cloud over my head.
Bad ending I know. This wasn't a good chapter, either I know. It's just because I have the middle and ending all figured out, I just need to establish the beginning first. Okay, so thanks for reading and let me know what you think.
P.S. I was thinking of doing this assignment myself. You know making a tumblr page or something and posting a picture of what makes me happy every day for 100 days. What do you think? Should I do it?
PLEASE REVIEW!