East Chapel Academy

Chapter 16- Marcus

    This is hopeless.

    I've been standing in front of my closet, half naked, for the past hour. And Nia is going to be here any minute. I groaned, "Fuck my life."

    All we're doing is studying, but here I am, wasting time looking for a damn shirt.

     This will be the first time she's seen me out of that stuffy uniform, and I want her to think I dress well. Do I wear a button down? No, that'll be too formal. Should I wear a t-shirt? I don't want to look sloppy.

    I sighed, pulling another shirt from my closet. I wonder what she'll be wearing, like it matters. She'll look good no matter what. If you can make the traditional East Chapel uniform not look like a frumpy Scottish man's kilt, I'm sure they can look good in anything. I bet her ass would look hot in jeans. 

    I shook my head, trying to remain focused on the task at hand. God, even when she's not here she distracts me.

    "Marcus!"

    I jumped at the sound of my Mom's voice coming through the intercom in my room. Putting in an intercom system was one of my Mom's worst idea, was almost as bad as the time she made us all go vegan. I blame Lavender's parents for that one.

    I clicked the button on the wall, responding, "Yes, Mom."

    "Can you come downstairs, please?" she asked.

    She's here.

    And I'm still half naked.

    "I'll be down in a second." Quickly, I pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. I slipped on some sneakers and rushed out of the room, but not before spraying myself with some cologne. An essential step, according to my father.

     I took the steps two at a time.

    Dear God, please, let today go well.

    "Mom!" I looked around the living room, there was no Nia or Mom to be found.

    "We're in here, honey," my Mom called from her office down the hall.

    Walking into her office, it was just her and E.J., and I instantly knew what she had called me for. 

    "Mom, do I really have to take pictures of you today?" I asked unable to keep the dread out of my voice. I came all the way downstairs, and Nia's not even here.

    "It's just a few photos Marcus, we'll be done in no time," she said from her new white leather office chair. It was made to look like a throne, ridiculous, but it was a gift from some furniture designer in Italy. "Now go get my camera."

    I sighed, and grabbed the camera from her desk. This is a weekly thing. She's always getting me to take photos for her blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, you name it.

    Having a blogger for a mom isn't the worst thing in the world, I get free photography lessons. And companies send us free stuff sometimes.

    "Make sure you get my good side," she said angling her body to the side.

    I took the first photo. "I always get your good side." You can't capture something that doesn't exist.

    My mom was younger than all my friends' moms, and she was more beautiful too. Nick made sure to tell me so whenever he came over.

    She wore heels to compensate for being so short. Her once long hair had recently been cut, so it now fell right at her shoulders. It had been dyed blonde too, but naturally, her hair was dark brown like mine and E.J.'s. That was one of the only things we had inherited in the looks department.