errorYou must be logged in to review this story.
Picture Perfect
folder
Romance › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,695
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Romance › General
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
2
Views:
1,695
Reviews:
3
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Chapter 2
She made it home without a major incident, which was a miracle in and of itself considering how hard she’d been crying, especially in the beginning. Throwing her keys onto their hook by the door she shrugged her jacket off and let it fall in the hallway not caring that she would hate herself in the morning when she tripped over it on her way out. The uncomfortable heels she’d been wearing the whole night met a similar fate as she made her way towards her darkroom. She was so tired of having nights like this. All it would take was one wrong look, one come on, one familiar situation and she’d break down.
Cami knew deep down that she probably should get help for all the issues that Luke’s accident had caused, but the thought of sharing all that with anyone was almost scarier then facing it at all. Stopping in her room she slipped her shirt over head. Looking in the mirror by her desk she couldn’t help but feel disgusted with what she saw. The scar still stretched down the length of her side, arching from just below her right breast to the top of her hipbone. It was the only reminder of that night that she couldn’t hide away some place and ignore.
She ran her fingers down the length of it thinking of the accident. Her eyes felt drawn to the drawer in her desk where she knew that the letter was buried under the piles of wedding invitations that never got sent, and the box where her ring now sat. With trembling fingers she pulled the drawer open and let her hand close over the small crushed velvet box. She pulled it out slowly feeling it’s emotional weight settle over her almost immediately. She opened it slowly and felt her breath catch in the way it had when Luke had been down on one knee in front of her. The minute he had slipped it on her finger she had never wanted to take it off again, but back then she had never wanted to let go of him either. In the end she’d had to do both. Cami pulled it slowly out of its resting place reverently. It was amazing the amount of power it still held over her, even though she hadn’t seen it for two years. Turning it over in her fingers the tears sprang to her eyes as she caught a glimpse of the inscription. Now, Always, Forever. It was almost funny how much that had meant to her once and now looking back it only felt like a lie, because here she was sitting alone in the house they had once shared with no hope of him ever coming back.
She slipped it on and closed her eyes as she laid back on the bed and took a deep breath. If she tried hard enough she could almost feel him next to her. Hogging the bed like always, practically suffocating her in his attempt to get closer. All things that she had hated at the time, that she wished for now. He’d laugh hysterically if he ever heard that she had even thought that. She felt the smile come to her face as she remembered the many arguments they had had where she had threatened to kick him out of bed if he didn’t learn not to sleep on top of her and still manage to steal all the covers at the same time. They had always ended in laughter and promises that she’d never kick him out of bed. Thinking of those fights made the tears that she had been holding back finally spill over. Those were the worst fights they usually ever had, at least until that night. Curling up she let the emotion take over her and hold down, just for tonight she’d face this. At least that was a step in the right direction, wasn’t it?
//
Cami awoke the next morning to the sound of her phone ringing somewhere on the bed next to her and she reached for it blindly.
“Hello?” She answered trying her best to force the sleep and tears from her voice. Crying herself to sleep always did a number on her voice and she wasn’t surprised when she all but croaked.
“Miss Reynolds? This is Alexia Ryan’s assistant calling about the lunch the two of you had talked about.”
“Oh, right yes.” Cami sighed looking at the clock, growing angry at herself when she saw the bright flashing 9:27 twinkling back at her.
“I’ve set up a lunch at three for you at Renari. Does that work for you?”
“Sure, I’ll be there.” She said hanging up the phone before the conversation went any further. Standing up slowly she ran her hand through her hair as best as she could. She had to get to work on developing if she was going to get the photos done in time for their lunch. Grabbing a shirt and pulling her hair up into a messy bun she headed to her darkroom to get started.
//
It had been a tight squeeze but she had gotten enough of the pictures developed in time to meet Alexia. They were nestled safely in her purse as she made her way the through the crowded restaurant. She clutched the bag tightly to her side and slid through the last large group of people before Alexia came into sight.
When she finally spotted the young designer her heart jumped into her throat because Alexia wasn’t alone at the table. Next her on either side were the two guys from the band last night. Cami felt the urge to turn and run in the other direction in every bone of her body, she needed to get away before they saw her. This was the absolute last thing she needed after the release of pent up emotions she had given into last night. The pain was still too fresh and she couldn’t handle the idea of spending anymore time with the reason for bringing the breakdown on. Her breathing became labored as she watched Alexia’s eyes notice her. There would be no escaping no, but maybe she could make things as quick as possible.
Forcing herself to begin breathing normally again Cami plastered on her fake work smile and tried as hard she could to stride forward confidently. She began pulling the pictures out of her purse purposely leaving the shots of the band behind.
“Here are the pictures you asked for Ms. Ryan.” She said as cheerfully as she could manage without cracking her facade.
“Oh call me Alexia please, Ms. Ryan sounds like a school teacher or something.” Alexia smiled widely taking the pictures out of the envelope.
“Right, Alexia then.” Cami whispered still avoiding looking at either one of the band boys.
“My girlfriend here is incredibly rude,” the singer she remembered from last night said as he stood up and offered his hand, “I’m Cameron, and I’m sure you remember my friend Ryan.”
After shaking his hand and smiling as warmly as she could manage she was forced to turn in Ryan’s direction no matter how much she didn’t want to. When she did manage to make herself meet his eyes the smile he gave was enough to make her breath catch in her throat for a brief second.
“You drove off so fast I had to figure out some way to stock you.” He teased and she had to stop the anger at him being so determined from showing in her eyes.
“I didn’t realize that you Alexia were dating.” Cami said turning to Cameron and letting Ryan’s statement hang in the air awkwardly.
“What you mean by that was you thought you could get rid of me and you were surprised that we showed up.” Ryan interrupted smirking knowingly.
“Cami? Do you have the other pictures we talked about? The guys were thinking about using some if they could.” Alexia interrupted saving her from having to answer Ryan.
“Oh, uhm, yeah right here.” Cami mumbled her cheeks flushing brightly as she pulled the other envelop out and handed them towards Alexia, inly to have them snatched from her hands by Ryan. The flush on her cheeks intensified as he opened it. She had tried very hard to include pictures of all the band members, especially Cameron like Alexia had asked, but it was quite obvious what her focus of the night had been on.
“Well that’s all the pictures. I hope what you need is in there in both cases. Enjoy your lunch.” Cami said and turned around quickly hoping for a clean escape.
“Wait!” Both Alexia and Ryan called simultaneously and she winced in frustration. The fake smile was pasted back on and she slowly turned to face them.
“I thought when we said we’d do lunch that you’d actually stay till the end.” Alexia laughed.
“I’d love to. I just really should get to the office and turn in some pictures.” Cami lied, holding up her final envelop trying desperately to get away from the uncomfortable situation she found herself in.
“No problem I’ll have my assistant drop them by your office.” Alexia said her PDA already out and ready to call.
“Oh, ok.” Cami sighed trying not to sound too incredibly disappointed that her escape was gone. She knew if she tried any harder they’d she right through her excuses as she’d never been much good at coming up with them to begin with.
She pulled out the final seat between Ryan and Cameron and sank into holding her breath as Alexia chatted away with her assistant on the phone. Focusing all her attention on her hands she studiously ignored the pair of eyes she felt watching her.
“Cami these pictures of us are fantastic. Do you do any freelance work?” Cameron asked as he flipped through her pictures.Cami’s first genuine smile slid across her face as her heard the real sincerity in his voice.
“I do, did you have something in mind?”
He returned her smile and Cami felt herself warming up to him, “The label is starting to talk about completely redoing the website since we’re getting a lot bigger now. If you took some more pictures like this we could make a hell of a layout. Don’t you think so Ry?”
“Oh yeah they’re amazing. How’d you make my eyes look like that?” He asked addressing her for once without the cockiness dripping from every syllable.
“I didn’t. There was just really good lighting and wardrobe I guess.” Cami shrugged and offered him a tiny smile. A light flush came over her cheeks as she met his eyes realized that he knew the majority of the pictures were of him.
“So do you think you could help us out?” Cameron asked and she turned to look at him.
“Yeah I don’t see why not.” She said even though the was one very big why not looking in her direction even as they spoke. Who knows what she’d be getting herself into by agreeing but she wasn’t any position to turn down a paying job that could get that type of exposure. After all if her focus right now was her career then she had to do it in order to gain that extra attention. Didn’t she?
Cami knew deep down that she probably should get help for all the issues that Luke’s accident had caused, but the thought of sharing all that with anyone was almost scarier then facing it at all. Stopping in her room she slipped her shirt over head. Looking in the mirror by her desk she couldn’t help but feel disgusted with what she saw. The scar still stretched down the length of her side, arching from just below her right breast to the top of her hipbone. It was the only reminder of that night that she couldn’t hide away some place and ignore.
She ran her fingers down the length of it thinking of the accident. Her eyes felt drawn to the drawer in her desk where she knew that the letter was buried under the piles of wedding invitations that never got sent, and the box where her ring now sat. With trembling fingers she pulled the drawer open and let her hand close over the small crushed velvet box. She pulled it out slowly feeling it’s emotional weight settle over her almost immediately. She opened it slowly and felt her breath catch in the way it had when Luke had been down on one knee in front of her. The minute he had slipped it on her finger she had never wanted to take it off again, but back then she had never wanted to let go of him either. In the end she’d had to do both. Cami pulled it slowly out of its resting place reverently. It was amazing the amount of power it still held over her, even though she hadn’t seen it for two years. Turning it over in her fingers the tears sprang to her eyes as she caught a glimpse of the inscription. Now, Always, Forever. It was almost funny how much that had meant to her once and now looking back it only felt like a lie, because here she was sitting alone in the house they had once shared with no hope of him ever coming back.
She slipped it on and closed her eyes as she laid back on the bed and took a deep breath. If she tried hard enough she could almost feel him next to her. Hogging the bed like always, practically suffocating her in his attempt to get closer. All things that she had hated at the time, that she wished for now. He’d laugh hysterically if he ever heard that she had even thought that. She felt the smile come to her face as she remembered the many arguments they had had where she had threatened to kick him out of bed if he didn’t learn not to sleep on top of her and still manage to steal all the covers at the same time. They had always ended in laughter and promises that she’d never kick him out of bed. Thinking of those fights made the tears that she had been holding back finally spill over. Those were the worst fights they usually ever had, at least until that night. Curling up she let the emotion take over her and hold down, just for tonight she’d face this. At least that was a step in the right direction, wasn’t it?
//
Cami awoke the next morning to the sound of her phone ringing somewhere on the bed next to her and she reached for it blindly.
“Hello?” She answered trying her best to force the sleep and tears from her voice. Crying herself to sleep always did a number on her voice and she wasn’t surprised when she all but croaked.
“Miss Reynolds? This is Alexia Ryan’s assistant calling about the lunch the two of you had talked about.”
“Oh, right yes.” Cami sighed looking at the clock, growing angry at herself when she saw the bright flashing 9:27 twinkling back at her.
“I’ve set up a lunch at three for you at Renari. Does that work for you?”
“Sure, I’ll be there.” She said hanging up the phone before the conversation went any further. Standing up slowly she ran her hand through her hair as best as she could. She had to get to work on developing if she was going to get the photos done in time for their lunch. Grabbing a shirt and pulling her hair up into a messy bun she headed to her darkroom to get started.
//
It had been a tight squeeze but she had gotten enough of the pictures developed in time to meet Alexia. They were nestled safely in her purse as she made her way the through the crowded restaurant. She clutched the bag tightly to her side and slid through the last large group of people before Alexia came into sight.
When she finally spotted the young designer her heart jumped into her throat because Alexia wasn’t alone at the table. Next her on either side were the two guys from the band last night. Cami felt the urge to turn and run in the other direction in every bone of her body, she needed to get away before they saw her. This was the absolute last thing she needed after the release of pent up emotions she had given into last night. The pain was still too fresh and she couldn’t handle the idea of spending anymore time with the reason for bringing the breakdown on. Her breathing became labored as she watched Alexia’s eyes notice her. There would be no escaping no, but maybe she could make things as quick as possible.
Forcing herself to begin breathing normally again Cami plastered on her fake work smile and tried as hard she could to stride forward confidently. She began pulling the pictures out of her purse purposely leaving the shots of the band behind.
“Here are the pictures you asked for Ms. Ryan.” She said as cheerfully as she could manage without cracking her facade.
“Oh call me Alexia please, Ms. Ryan sounds like a school teacher or something.” Alexia smiled widely taking the pictures out of the envelope.
“Right, Alexia then.” Cami whispered still avoiding looking at either one of the band boys.
“My girlfriend here is incredibly rude,” the singer she remembered from last night said as he stood up and offered his hand, “I’m Cameron, and I’m sure you remember my friend Ryan.”
After shaking his hand and smiling as warmly as she could manage she was forced to turn in Ryan’s direction no matter how much she didn’t want to. When she did manage to make herself meet his eyes the smile he gave was enough to make her breath catch in her throat for a brief second.
“You drove off so fast I had to figure out some way to stock you.” He teased and she had to stop the anger at him being so determined from showing in her eyes.
“I didn’t realize that you Alexia were dating.” Cami said turning to Cameron and letting Ryan’s statement hang in the air awkwardly.
“What you mean by that was you thought you could get rid of me and you were surprised that we showed up.” Ryan interrupted smirking knowingly.
“Cami? Do you have the other pictures we talked about? The guys were thinking about using some if they could.” Alexia interrupted saving her from having to answer Ryan.
“Oh, uhm, yeah right here.” Cami mumbled her cheeks flushing brightly as she pulled the other envelop out and handed them towards Alexia, inly to have them snatched from her hands by Ryan. The flush on her cheeks intensified as he opened it. She had tried very hard to include pictures of all the band members, especially Cameron like Alexia had asked, but it was quite obvious what her focus of the night had been on.
“Well that’s all the pictures. I hope what you need is in there in both cases. Enjoy your lunch.” Cami said and turned around quickly hoping for a clean escape.
“Wait!” Both Alexia and Ryan called simultaneously and she winced in frustration. The fake smile was pasted back on and she slowly turned to face them.
“I thought when we said we’d do lunch that you’d actually stay till the end.” Alexia laughed.
“I’d love to. I just really should get to the office and turn in some pictures.” Cami lied, holding up her final envelop trying desperately to get away from the uncomfortable situation she found herself in.
“No problem I’ll have my assistant drop them by your office.” Alexia said her PDA already out and ready to call.
“Oh, ok.” Cami sighed trying not to sound too incredibly disappointed that her escape was gone. She knew if she tried any harder they’d she right through her excuses as she’d never been much good at coming up with them to begin with.
She pulled out the final seat between Ryan and Cameron and sank into holding her breath as Alexia chatted away with her assistant on the phone. Focusing all her attention on her hands she studiously ignored the pair of eyes she felt watching her.
“Cami these pictures of us are fantastic. Do you do any freelance work?” Cameron asked as he flipped through her pictures.Cami’s first genuine smile slid across her face as her heard the real sincerity in his voice.
“I do, did you have something in mind?”
He returned her smile and Cami felt herself warming up to him, “The label is starting to talk about completely redoing the website since we’re getting a lot bigger now. If you took some more pictures like this we could make a hell of a layout. Don’t you think so Ry?”
“Oh yeah they’re amazing. How’d you make my eyes look like that?” He asked addressing her for once without the cockiness dripping from every syllable.
“I didn’t. There was just really good lighting and wardrobe I guess.” Cami shrugged and offered him a tiny smile. A light flush came over her cheeks as she met his eyes realized that he knew the majority of the pictures were of him.
“So do you think you could help us out?” Cameron asked and she turned to look at him.
“Yeah I don’t see why not.” She said even though the was one very big why not looking in her direction even as they spoke. Who knows what she’d be getting herself into by agreeing but she wasn’t any position to turn down a paying job that could get that type of exposure. After all if her focus right now was her career then she had to do it in order to gain that extra attention. Didn’t she?