I was typically an attentive friend, but something about lunch made me tend to daydream far more often than usual.

I was currently inside one of my favourite memories- the day I turned 15. My parents had actually managed to be home, and they invited Isla and Bella on a trip to the city with us. They took us for lunch, and then followed close behind us as we strolled the busy streets, window shopping. I remember the feeling I had on the drive home, squished in the middle seat between my girls, watching as my parents held hands while they both sung to the 80's music they had on the radio. I was so full in my heart. That was the last birthday I spent with my parents.

My phone vibrating in my pocket pulled me back to reality.

Mom:

Extending our trip- found this amazing yoga retreat in Bali. Wish you were here! No phones allowed for the week so I'll call you then. We love you.

Attached was a selfie of the two of them, my mom's long dark hair braided to the side. My dad with his long brown hair and unkept beard kissing her cheek. I pursed my lips before returning the phone to my pocket, not bothering to reply.

My parents were good people. They were kind, loving, generous people. They just weren't ready to be parents. As soon I turned 16 and they deemed me a reasonable age to basically live alone, they jetted off to fulfill the adventures of their 20's that they missed out on while they were raising me. My dad used to be the lead guitarist in a once really famous band, my mom was a free spirit trust fund girl. They met at Burning Man while my dad was performing, mom got pregnant at 19, and the rest is history. My mom then started an all natural, vegan, cruelty free skincare line, which she then sold for millions.

At first, I loved having the freedom to do what I pleased, but I'm starting to feel the loneliness a lot more lately.

Although as I'm constantly reminded by the public school that is Lakeview High, I should be grateful that I'm so privileged, so I try to look on the bright-side. Our town was a medium sized tourist trap, an hour away from the largest city in the state. While rich people flocked to it to have houses on the ocean, it was also shared with the working class that were born and raised here.

"I don't want to spend the weekend watching you surf again Isla, that's all we did last weekend." Bella groaned, snapping me out of my thoughts. Isla rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to argue when I decided to finally intervene.

"Okay, listen. How about we spend Saturday morning at the beach, watch Isla surf, get some sun, have lunch at The Pier, then drive to the city and watch the band that Bella wants to see. We'll spend the night in the city and come back Sunday and go back to the beach if we feel like it?" I offered, glancing back and forth between them.

Both of them seemed to think about it, no doubt trying to find a way to point out that it wasn't fair.

"I guess that works." Isla said as she lifted the pizza on her plate up to take a bite.

"Fine, but we have to actually leave after lunch, so we can get ready at the hotel and make it to the club on time. You guys still have your fakes, right? I think it's an over 21 place." Bella said as she gathered her salad on her fork.

"What would you two do without me?" I chuckled as I took a bite of my apple. "You're like a couple that fell into lust and then realized you have nothing in common."

"Hmm... like you and Evan? Yeah, we noticed the tension this morning." Isla said as she raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

I sighed and took a moment before I answered them. "I was hoping you didn't but I'm not surprised you did. I don't know, he's just been so sexual lately, it's getting on my nerves."

Bella laughed softly before answering. "I mean, you still haven't given it up to him and it's been almost a year, Indie, I'd almost be more worried if he wasn't."

I took a bite of my apple while reflecting on her words. I know a year is a long time to make a boy wait, but I thought Evan understood. Hearing my mom bitch and moan, in the most loving way, about being a teenage mother had long lasting effects on my brain. He always nice about it, until lately.

"Indie," I heard a voice from beside me say. I looked up to see Brock, a guy from the lacrosse team standing beside our lunch table.

"Hey, Brock. How are you?" I smiled as I looked up towards him, while ignoring the kicks under the table coming from Isla.

"I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie this weekend?" He blushed as he asked.

"Oh... thanks for asking, Brock, but I'm not sure if Evan would like that so much," I said as I shot a confused glance at Bella, before looking up at Brock again, who looked embarrassed now.

"Oh shit... Sorry. I just assumed, uh, you know what? Never mind. I, see you later. Isla, Bella." He spat out, finishing with a nod towards each of the girls and abruptly turning on his heels and walking out of the cafeteria. I turned towards my friends who were wearing a look of shock and confusion that I'm sure was similar to my own.

"Well, that was fucking weird." Bella finally said, Isla nodding and agreeing with her.

"Very." I said as the bell rang, indicating the end of lunch. I shook the encounter off as we disposed of our trash and returned our trays, then walking to our lockers once again. I noticed more eyes than normal watching us as we walked down the halls, indicating something was spinning on the rumour wheel. I had no idea what it could be, and I doubt Isla and Bella did either. Since we only really talked to each other, we weren't usually on the receiving end of gossip.

"What class do you have now?" Bella asked, pulling me out of my paranoid thoughts.

"Photography." I mumbled, one of my least favourite classes. I took it thinking that it would be an easy credit, but I was disappointed to discover that I was not a talented photographer.

I sat in the back of my photography class, trying to ignore the pointed whispers that were surrounding me. I was almost certain now that I was not being paranoid earlier, but there wasn't much I could do about it, except try to ignore the many glances that were being cast my way.

"Good afternoon class," our teacher Mrs. Wilson began as she stood at the front of the classroom, grabbing the attention of the most of the students who reluctantly pulled their attention towards her. "Today we are starting our midterm projects, which will result in 30 percent of your final grade."

That pulled the attention of the stubborn ones who were still whispering amongst themselves.

"The assignment is to comprise a portfolio that portrays a story, all pictures need to maintain a unifying theme throughout. What theme and what story you choose, is up to you," she paused while eyeing the class, "and your partner."

The class reacted instantly, everyone turning and making eye contact with their hopeful partners.

"I've already chosen the pairings," Mrs. Wilson continued, causing a collective groan across the class. She grabbed a piece of paper from her desk, reading off the names of the pairings. I listened attentively for my name, hoping for a partner who was at least more proficient at operating a camera than I was.

"Indie Adams and Chase Sutton," she rattled off. I didn't recognize the name, so instead I searched the classroom to see who might possibly be looking in my direction.

I scanned the first front rows, finding nothing until my eyes fell on a guy in the middle row who was turned towards me. He had shaggy, wavy brown hair which was partially covered by the hood of the grey hoodie he was wearing. When our eyes met, he flicked three fingers up, a small half smile on his lips and a upward flick of his chin, before turning back to face the teacher. Once Mrs. Wilson finished reading the pairings, she gave us the rest of the class to brainstorm ideas with our partners.

The class instantly shuffled, everyone switching desks with each other so they were sitting with their partners. I saw Chase stand up from his seat, grabbing his bag from the floor as he made his way to me. I watched him as he did, taking in his appearance further. As he made his way closer to me, I realized how tall he was, no doubt he was taller than Evan. He had a checkered button up layered over his hoodie, with black jeans. I smiled at him as he sat beside me.

"Hey, I'm Indie, Indie Adams," I said as I extended my hand out to him. He placed his bag on the floor as turned towards me, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"I uh- yeah I know who you are," he muttered, in a tone that some would consider rude. I felt my smile turn, as I dropped my hand.

"But, I'm guessing by that introduction that you don't know who I am. So, hi, Indie Adams, I'm Chase Sutton," he continued in a tone that was friendlier, he must have noted my reaction. I brought my hand back up, and he met me in a brief handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Chase Sutton." 

I watched as he rolled his lips inward, forming a line. He looked down at the floor, "yeah, sure. Nice to meet you."

I turned my attention back towards the front, as Mrs. Wilson was now at our desks, handing us a sheet of paper. I took two, passing one to Chase before running my eyes down the paper, which was an outline of our assignment. I noticed Chase do the same, pulling a note book and a pen out of his bag and flipping towards a blank page.

"So, it says here that we're supposed to discuss our likes and dislikes in photography, show each other our work and then come up with some ideas together," Chase said after a moment of reading, his eyes never leaving the page.

"I have some of my work here," he continued with a glance up towards me. He seemed startled when he found I was already looking at him. He dropped his eyes, returning to dig in his bag and pulling out a leather binder and handing it to me.

I picked up the binder, noting how heavy it was. I noticed how Chase turned his attention away, not showing me his work as I assumed he was going to, instead focusing his attention on the floor and fidgeting with the sleeve of his hoodie.

I opened the binder, and was stunned by the first photograph I saw. It was a black and white landscape shot, seeming to be in some sort of cave by the water. The waves had folded on top of the rocks, and he must have taken the picture at the perfect time, just as the water was crashing down on the rocks. It was beautiful, and haunting.

I flipped through the rest of the pictures, taking my time with each of them. He seemed to focus on landscape shots, most of them involving water. I did notice a few candid looking portraits, also in black and white. I kept going until I had seen all of the pictures, before going back to the beginning and starting again.

"Holy shit," I finally muttered, my eyes stuck on the first picture. Chase turned back towards me when he heard me, his head snapping up to look at me. I didn't return the look, however, as I was instead tracing the picture of the rocks with my fingers.

"I- uh- what does that mean?" He asked, I noticed the strain in his voice. I flicked my eyes back to him, and saw he looked nervous. I'm sure he wasn't nervous at my reaction, he had to know how talented his was. He was probably just uneasy showing people his work.

"You're like, really talented." I said with a genuine smile. His face seemed to relax at my words. I bit down at my lip, my turn to be nervous. I didn't want to show him my crappy portfolio.

"What's the matter?" Chase asked me, his voice wary.

"I don't want to show you mine." I gave him a small smile, feeling myself blush. I watched as his face fell.

"Oh okay, I'm sure that..."

"It's just that your photos are so amazing, and I suck at photography. I kind of feel like I'm showing my stick drawings to a professional painter." I cut him off, not letting him finish his sentence. His eyes darted back to my face, his mouth upturned as he gave me a small laugh.

"I'm sure they can't be that bad." He said with amusement hinting in his eyes.

"They are," my own laugh escaped my lips. I glanced at the clock on the wall, sighing as I realized I spent most of the class looking over his pictures. "Shit, we're almost out of time. So when can you get together to work on this?" I looked back to find him still looking at me. 

"Oh. Um, whenever honestly," he rushed out, his eyes darting between me and his portfolio that was still open on my desk, clearing his throat. "Whenever works for you."

"I know it's last minute but I'm pretty busy this weekend. Any chance you'd want to work on it tonight?" I asked him.

"Uh- yeah, yeah. I can do tonight." Chase said instantly. I smiled at him, and he hesitantly returned a smile back.

"Okay. You want to come to my house, say around 4:30?"

He paused, looking like he was calculating something in his head. "Where do you live?"

"Over in Orchid Ridge Estates," I replied, telling him the name of our neighbourhood.

"Shit- I don't know what the bus schedule is like to get over there. I can find out though," he muttered as he pulled out his phone.

"Oh, no. I didn't realize you would have to take the bus, I don't think the buses run to that area, anyways. I can come to yours, if that's okay. I just have to drop my friends off first," I said. I didn't want to make him go out of his way.

He glanced down to the floor again, "okay sure," He said quietly.

"Great. Here give me your phone. I'll put my number in there so you can text me your address."

Chase looked both surprised and conflicted, like he didn't want my number in his phone or something. Maybe I did something to piss him off, although I'm sure I've never talked to him before. I would have remembered. After a moment he unlocked his phone, tapping on it before he hesitantly handed it to me, it was already opened to contacts. I quickly added my details, leaving my first and last name and handed it back to him as the bell rang.

"So yeah, just text me your address. It was really nice to meet you Chase," I told him before passing him back his portfolio, grabbing my bag, standing and exiting the classroom.