Chapter Text
~ Skeeter Malark ~
She watched her. Her ginger hair flying in the wind. Her sparking smile as she read. Her eyes glided swiftly across the pages she’d written, efficiently, as if running out of time. Skeeter zoomed in closer with her camera lens on the girls notebook, sonnets. She was writing sonnets. She counted fourteen carefully scribbled lines in almost perfect handwriting. Everything about this girl was beautiful, she was beautiful.
“Attention Skeeter.” Skeeter nearly dropped her camera, a blonde haired boy with square glasses and a blue uniform that could classify him as nothing other than a nerd stood before her. He was exactly the sort of person Skeeter did not want to be around, she got bullied enough without his help, “I see a fellow photographer is enjoying this excellent weather.”
He was using one of his so-called clever little tricks to get her to talk to him. Maybe he could guilt trip some into joining his little clubs but she was not about to join the crowd, “You know what else is excellent?” He continued, his voice ringing annoyingly in her ears. She wished she had some sort of escape, “The photography club!”
“Stuart for the millionth time I’m not joining your stupid club.” She hoped this time he would finally listen to her, “And stop sneaking up on me! It's getting creepy…” She said this as if she hadn’t been trying to take a photo of somebody without their knowing, she’d decided a while ago that that was simply her creative spirit, nothing more. Nothing at all.
“Aw come on! Why not give it a shot?” He pleaded, a plea Skeeter would not be falling for.
“Because clubs are for-” She thought of how to finish her sentence without offending him, “you know…people like you.” Skeeter finished, then realized it wasn’t exactly the right thing to say and quickly added, “No offense or anything.”
“Oh…good. I almost got offended.” He rolled his eyes, she knew she hadn’t exactly been too kind about it but he wasn’t exactly being kind, following her around and what not.
“Look, all I’m saying is it’s just not for me.” She gave him a sort of smile, hoping that would be the end of the conversation.
“How do you know?” He asked in a clearly exasperated manner, “You haven’t even tried it yet! Mr. Brown showed me some of your work and you're pretty talented!” Skeeter wondered to herself if he’d still think that knowing the reasoning behind her work. The woman that was unknowingly behind her work. She was almost certain he wouldn’t, nobody would which is why she would keep it a secret.
“I think you’d make a great addition to the club! Especially considering the fact that there are not a lot of members.” Skeeter held her laugh, thinking she knew exactly why there weren’t a lot of members, “You don’t know how you feel about it unless you give it a go!”
“Thanks for that, but I’m good.” Skeeter turned to walk away.
“Oh alright. I respect your decision.” Stuart said and Skeeter tried desperately to walk away before he added on like she knew he would, but of course she didn’t, “But if it helps I’d like to say something else”
~ Emily Taylor ~
She watched as he lifted the bottle to his lips and drank. She’d really tried to stop him in the beginning, she really had but it was no use. He was lost to the taste.
“I really wish you wouldn’t drink.” Emily sighed, her ginger hair falling over her shoulder as she leaned forward, looking to the floor. They sat on a small ledge, separating grass from concrete. She swung her legs back and forward, trying to forget the image of him that night, drunk on the couch.
“I know.” Emily looked up to see Bobbie had lifted the beer from his mouth, “But it's hard.” he finished.
“I know and I’m sorry.” Emily sighed, “I’m really glad you're okay. It was scary seeing you like that on the sidewalk-”
“Can we not talk about that? Heather already beat me up enough for it already.” Bobbie looked into the distance, “Stuart fucking sucks, why would he get a motercycle that doesn’t work. I know that prick intentionally did it.”
“Why do you hate him so much?” Emily crossed her arms, “He seems like a fine boy to me.” Bobbie looked over at her, emotions playing across his face before he quickly shut them back away with another sip of beer. Emily winced at this but there was nothing she could do to stop him, he was addicted, she’d tried everything.
“Is that what you see? That he’s pretty?” Bobbie asked in a tone that sounded amused but Emily wasn’t exactly sure that's how he was really feeling, he was good at hiding his feelings. And after everything he’d gone through it made sense.
“Not- not like that.” Emily laughed, as if she’d ever thought of a man as pretty or handsome or anything of the sorts. But that wasn’t exactly something she went around telling people, and no matter how much she cared for Bobbie she wasn’t exactly sure he’d be accepting, “You know what I mean. He seems like an okay dude, nothing much wrong with him, he's just smart.”
“He’s a nerd.” Bobbie stated.
“And that matters because?” It was a genuine question, she’d never much understood why anyone would think of a nerd as less than anyone else for the simple fact of being a nerd.
“He’s smart.” Bobbie looked at her as if this made a difference.
“So you’re jealous?” Emily asked.
“No, he's so different from us.” Bobbie said.
“Us?” Emily looked at him.
“Me.” Bobbie reworded.
“So I can’t be with you because I’m smart and different?” Emily scoffed.
“No- no you're different from them.” Bobbie tried to comfort me.
“How?” Emily raised an eyebrow.
“You’re- you’re you.” Bobbie shrugged and Emily scoffed.
“You make absolutely no sense. I think Stuart is a nice person and you’re just trying to hide that you really wish you had a life like him.” Emily teased.
“I’m not.” Bobbie crossed his arms, to seem tougher or something of the sort.
“Sure you aren’t.” Emily gave him a soft smile as if comforting him and laughed at the annoyed face he made.
~ Skeeter Malark ~
Skeeter stared out the window at the sky, secretly praying it wouldn’t rain so she could see her, take photos of her. Gray clouds were slowly getting closer and closer and she was worried they carried rain, rain that would not allow her the precious time she could she her, see Emily.
There was a sharp tap on her shoulder, “Something else on your mind Skeeter?” She looked up in horror to see that her teacher, Mr. Brown was staring right at her.
“N-no sir.” Skeeter bowed her head in embarrassment.
“As it should not be. If I catch you like this again it will be detention.” Mr. Brown announced to Skeeter in a voice so loud she thought the whole school would hear. She cursed herself as people all around the room turned to stare.
She generally tried her absolute best not to attract attention, meaning this was exactly the opposite of what she wanted. She spared a glance towards the clock, ten minutes until she was free.
“As I was saying we’ll be stepping into the dark room later this week too..” Skeeter cut his voice out, although she loved photography she hated this class, with all of its long lectures instead of just getting to the point. But if she wanted to go into photography she’d have to deal with it.
The bell ringing was a blessing to her ears, almost as if all her problems had been solved, almost. She ran out of her photography class in a hurry, carrying her camera along with her. She hoped and hoped Emily would be there. Emily, Emily, Emily, Emily. She repeated the name over and over, a blessing to this world. Emily, Emily, Emily, Emily.
When she reached her normal spot near the grass Emily was nowhere to be seen, which was normal Skeeter supposed she might be a little early. She would just take photos of the trees while she waited.
Ten minutes passed, maybe she was staying behind with her teacher?
Twenty minutes, she could be checking out a book?
Thirty minutes, the sun rose right above, the gray clouds from earlier having faded and still no Emily.
Forty minutes, she began to look around frantically, hoping for even a small glimpse of ginger hair.
After she hit the fifty minute mark she realized there would be no Emily. Not today. Her demeanor shifted immediately. She hadn’t realized it but the small bits of Emily she saw every Tuesday had become the highlight of her weeks, something she could look forward to. And now, without seeing Emily, she realized there had been no point in the day.
Would she have sat through all those lectures if there hadn’t been a thought of Emily in her head? Would she have stuck around to sit alone for lunch if she hadn’t been so excited to see Emiy? Would she have stayed after Heather's cruel comments without Emily? She knew the answer to these questions, absolutely not.
The pictures had become routine, something important, something she could rely on, or so she had thought. She wasn’t exactly sure why she had thought Emily would always show up, people had other things to do. Especially Emily, someone as beautiful and smart as her ought to have some sort of plans. Maybe even a date- she couldn’t let herself finish the sentence even in her mind because it would hurt too much. She knew Emily wouldn’t be like her and that if she ever found out about what Skeeter was doing she would surely be freaked out.
Who would want someone like her to take pictures of them? No one. She was a freak, a freak nobody would ever love. A tap on her shoulder woke her from her internal struggle. She really hoped it wasn’t Mr. Brown again.
“Looking for someone?” Skeeter turned slowly, as if a punishment and raised her head only to freeze in shock. She knew those shoes, that green dress, that stance. She looked up further, only confirming her suspicion. Behind her stood Emily.