Mark My Words

13 | 20/20

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The girls' team lunch table was filled with blue and white jerseys the next day when Sami walked up, bleached hair shaggy as per usual. He hesitated a few paces away, computer in hand, and let out a low whistle.

    "Lookin' good, ladies!" he said, and Rosalie and Ray were certain half the table swooned a little. Alyssa turned a pink before remembering how bitter she was about not being in the lineup. She looked away with a scowl. "Oof. Rough day?"

    "Don't mind her," Rosalie insisted, patting the table across from her. With Ray on her right, and Joanna on her left, that gave Sami only one other option.

    "Everyone's been pissy. I'm convinced it's because we're all PMSing," Joanna said.

    Sami hesitated, half in his seat half out.

    "Blood can do that to a woman," Joanna added.

    Rosalie threw her hands up in annoyance. "Sami, you've practically been living with me for seventeen years. Don't bail now!"

    "Well, I was just thinking..." he said, lowering his laptop down slowly. "You were angsty last night. I just want to know my chances of survival."

    "Zero percent. Everyone dies," Joanna said.

    "You are not helping one bit," Rosalie said. They stared each other down, glaring, before Rosalie turned back to Sami and said, "How'd the pictures turn out?"

    Instantly he was back in motion, dropping down and turning the computer around for her to see. "I think they turned out well! Let me know which ones you like most. I narrowed it down to these ones."

    Rosalie leaned forward over her tray of food and pushed her drink aside for the sake of her own roiling anxiety. Ray leaned in, eyes alight with excitement.

    The photo was one of Rosalie at her window, tying her hair up. She had her prewrap loop between her teeth, profile haloed by the fading sun. The lighting was rich and golden, and carried through all of them. The warmth turned dramatic when put up against her brick wall of plants, Rosalie in her desk chair, pulling off her socks.

    Her favorite, by far, was the portrait. It was head-on, vertical, and she knew that whatever she chose would be the format with which Sami continued the remainder of his shoots. She had her jersey off, tucked in her hands to obstruct the Knights logo. Her old sports bra was tattered on the hem, and the noticeable marks of her chewed-up hangnails made her smile. This was what Sami was looking for.

    "This one," she said, and Sami beamed. "I also really liked the one of me by the window."

    "I liked that one too! Gosh, you know me so well," he said, giddy.

    "What are you doing with these?" Joanna asked, and Ray snickered.

    "Why, you want one?" she said, and Rosalie jabbed Ray in the boob for it. "Ow! Hey!"

    "It's for my AP Art portfolio," Sami explained. "I'm painting portraits of all my friends. Which... Ray..."

    "What? Me?" Ray squeaked, and instantly shook her head. "No way. I'm not a model."

    "You don't have to be a model," Sami said with a roll of his eyes.

    "Rosalie's a model though. You've set the standard," Joanna said, and Rosalie put her head to the table to hide her flushed cheeks.

    "Joanna," she groaned, and she just knew Joanna was grinning. She slammed her fist down on Joanna's thigh, and Joanna immediately shrieked and slapped her away.