Merfolks ⚢

Chapter 3 Partners

KAYLOR

After dinner, we presented our pictures to Mr. Ainsley and he was pleased with them. However, the way he criticized mine was longer and he even told me to practice my full manual mode skills and not just to rely on the other settings of the camera.

"Tomorrow's activity would be different." He then said. "Like I mentioned last night, our topic would be Food Photography and I will pair you up in twos and that will be your pair for the rest of the week. The odd one, Mr. Iko, will get lucky because you'll be paired with me."

"Ack, no," Iko whined with a sour face.

"Relax," Empress reassured him. "In fact, you are lucky to get paired with Mr. Ainsley. He's good in this."

"Yeah, good, but working with intimidating people destroys my creativity." Iko shot back.

"Jeon Cavanagh and Empress Kovall," Mr. Ainsley called out.

"Oh, you got Jeon. Aren't you lucky?" Iko teased his best friend.

"Shut up, Iko. I'm more concerned about the assignment than him." Empress said. "I had hoped to be paired up with Kaylor."  She looked at me and I felt flattered. "I like her." She continued. "She is a sweet, funny, and smart person. Doing the assignment together would be fun."

If they are paired, then that means - our moderator announced, "Kaylor Castillo and Morgana Cross."

Empress and Iko could see the color drained from my face then I winced.

"No!" I cried in agony. What a cruel fate. Not enough with the lack of courage to dwell on Rosa's old home, I was paired with the devil herself for this project. Morgana will take this opportunity to make my life difficult.

Empress looked at me, her distressed friend, and tried to comfort me. "Come on Kay, Morgana is not so bad." Even that sounded lame to her ears. So, she went over and hugged me. "You can come and find us anytime, okay? Let us know if she's mean to you." She has grown protective of me.

"Nah, don't worry guys, I can take on her. Now, go meet and talk to your partners. I'll see you guys at dinner."

MORGANA

  "Oh great, I get the freeloader," I said once Kaylor sat beside me in the living room.

"How do you know that I am? We haven't even started working yet. Not that you are wrong though, I am a freeloader and I expect a lot from you." Kaylor shot back with an evil smile.

"Oh, you little shit." My face now was as red as my lipstick from fury.

Kaylor giggled at my expression and it was annoying.

"I'm an excellent photographer and you better don't ruin my reputation!" I hissed. It's just my luck to be paired with the impudent one. This new girl came in, charmed half the club, stole Jeon's attention, and now is sitting beside me rather close to my liking.

"I get it, let's put our differences aside, and do this like an adult okay, truce?" Kaylor offered her hand.

"Fine!" I shook her hand roughly.

I looked at Kaylor, a thought suddenly occurred to me. Maybe I had approached this the wrong way. If I'll continue like this, Kaylor might badmouth me to Jeon.

A smirk snaked its way into my lips as a brilliant idea just struck me right then. I can use Kaylor to my own advantage. Why didn't I think of it before?