For A Picture of You
Chapter 2
"Smile for the camera, Blaine!"
"Screw you, Hummel," Blaine snapped testily as he walked quickly from the restaurant towards his car. He was happy that his wayfarer sunglasses hid the dirty looks he couldn't resist throwing the photographer's way.
"I know it breaks your heart, but I'm not interest," Kurt said sarcastically, grinning at him from behind his camera. "Now really if I were you, I would smile. Wouldn't want your fans to see you sulking."
"Really Hummel, I'm not interested in your games today," Blaine replied. "This town has photographers for literally anything under the sun, couldn't you get a better job than being my personal stalker?"
Blaine hit a soft spot, Kurt had to admit. There was a time when he had idealistic dreams of being a Broadway star or doing something with fashion. But when it came down to it he had to be practical if he was going to survive the competitive job market, and really he had to make a living somehow. He was good at his job, and at the end of the day he had a good salary, and a roof over his head. Even if there were times when Kurt hated what he'd become and how he reached his current position.
"I'm not sick of having a steady paycheck," Kurt quipped, rolling his eyes. "So please make my job easier and smile for the camera."
"You're despicable," Blaine said in a venomous voice so low, it was a wonder Kurt could hear him at all. He quickly snapped a few shots before Blaine had opened the door to the car and closed it behind him.
Kurt was considering his next move when his cell phone started to ring. He pulled it out and glanced at the caller ID and sighed loudly before answering.
"Kurt here."
"Kurt, get to the office now. We need to have a meeting."
"It will be awhile," Kurt replied. "I'm all the way in West Hollywood."
"Well then I certainly hope you have some good shots of Anderson to make up for it. Hurry up and get here."
"I'm on my way," Kurt said, hanging up the phone.
"What do you got?" Sara, Kurt's boss demanded almost the second he walked into the conference room.
"Nice to see you too," Kurt scoffed as he set down his camera bag on the table before sitting down. There was one other occupant in the room and Kurt was certainly not happy about it.
"What is he doing here?" Kurt demanded, pointing at the young man seated across from him.
"Manners Kurt," Sara scolded, sitting down at the head of the table. "Chandler is here because I asked him to be, the same as you."
Kurt frowned but kept quiet, he looked towards Chandler and glared at him coldly. He couldn't stand even sitting in the same room with him, and that was putting it mildly. When Chandler Kiehl started working at the magazine a year ago, Kurt had quickly befriended him. They had similar interests, they were both gay, and while Chandler had wanted to date, they had firmly remained as friends.
That all changed when some of Kurt's photos disappeared from his desk before he could show Sara, and Chandler took credit for them. Soon after that Chandler was interfering with Kurt's shots and sabotaging him every way he could. Kurt was furious of course but he had no evidence against him. Kurt couldn't think of what made Chandler change so drastically, except that he was probably mad at Kurt for refusing to go on a date with him so much. Now they never talked, and while Kurt wanted to stab Chandler repeatedly with a sharp object, he resisted the temptation.
"Kurt, show me your pictures," Sara told him.
Kurt pulled his camera out of his bag, turned it on and passed it over. Sara quickly flicked through the shots he took that morning and then sighed dramatically, pushing the camera back towards him.
"Those are not the shots I want," Sara complained. "Those are not the pictures that keep this magazine in business!"
Kurt frowned, but he kept his eyes on Sara. Even so, he could still feel Chandler's smug expression wafting towards him.
"Blaine Anderson is one of the biggest names in both the music and movie industries and stories about him SELL. Kurt you have provided some of the best photos in the past but frankly that just isn't good enough anymore. Over the last few months your photos of Anderson have been boring, and we need something to keep people talking," Sara said.
As Kurt listened, he felt himself growing more and more annoyed, especially when he heard Chandler laughing quietly. Kurt already outed Anderson, what else could he do to the guy?
"Chandler has been doing stellar work lately and so I'm offering you both a challenge. You two are my only candidates for the Photography Editor position that has recently opened up. It would be a hefty promotion with a high salary, better benefits, and field work would be cut down to zero. You would be responsible for choosing the photos that go into the magazine, and how the spreads will be done. Whoever gets me that magazine selling shot of Blaine Anderson, will get the job."
"May the best man win Hummel," Chandler said, grinning cockily at him.
"Oh he will," Kurt snarked, before standing and leaving the room.
That position was Kurt's way out, he needed to get the job. No longer would he have to follow celebrities at all hours of the day and night, no longer would he have to feel guilty about what his job was doing to people. No longer would he feel embarrassed when people realized he was a paparazzi. He would get the job, and if he had to walk all over Chandler to do it, then so be it.
"Kurt, we haven't hung out in ages!"
Kurt looked up from his laptop to give his best friend an incredulous look. "We are hanging out right now."
Rachel Berry sighed dramatically which wasn't unusual for the actress. After leaving high school, Rachel had originally gone to New York City and had struggled for years to be a Broadway actress. Then she received her big break on a LA based tv show that was about the dramatic life of Broadway stars. Hollywood could be an incredibly lonely place so Kurt was glad to have at least one of his friends nearby, despite the fact that their schedules kept them far too busy most of the time.
"Sorry Rachel," Kurt apologized, closing his laptop. "Work has been crazy lately since I'm trying to get a promotion."
"Really? What kind of promotion?" Rachel asked, interested.
Kurt quickly described his meeting with Sara and the offer she made.
"Kurt, that's amazing!" Rachel exclaimed. "You are going to get it."
"I hope so," Kurt replied. "I just have to submit a good photo of Blaine Anderson before Chandler-I'm-like-an-overly-excitable-chipmunk Kiehl."
Rachel sighed, and Kurt knew very well that she didn't like how he tormented celebrities against their will. Still she changed expressions quickly and grinned at Kurt, "Well then how would you feel about being my plus one at a celebrity fundraiser I'm going to tomorrow night?"
"Celebrities hate me, " Kurt muttered.
"You are going to be my date, they will have to be nice to you. Plus they will probably get too drunk on the free champagne to ever care. Plus Blaine Anderson is going to be there."
"Too bad I won't be able to bring my camera then" Kurt joked, but still this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. "I'll go."
"Great," Rachel grinned. "My driver will pick you up at seven."
AN: I'm not even going to make an excuse for why this update was so late, just say that thank you so much for the reviews and I really hope you liked this chapter!
Also I will soon be starting to post info and chapters up on my new LiveJournal so follow me there for fic updates. Username is cbrown03. My twitter and tumblr handles are also on my profile.