Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

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librarian_7
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Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by librarian_7 »

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Flash Photography

Turning slowly in front of the long mirror on the back of the dorm room door, Beth surveyed the strapless black dress with a critical eye, smoothing her hands down over the skirt.

Very sophisticated, she thought. Her mother definitely would not approve. Beth frowned. She could hear her mom now, saying again that black wasn’t suitable for young girls. The strapless part would likely leave Mom completely speechless. And not in admiration.

She set her mouth in a stubborn line. But I’m not a young girl anymore, she thought rebelliously. Eighteen and in college isn’t a child. Her mom wanted to keep her confined to childhood forever.

“I almost lost you, Bethie,” her mother kept saying. “You can stay with me a little longer.”

Well, she couldn’t. She couldn’t be a child forever, no matter what the scary lady had done all those years ago. She hadn’t thought about that much lately, and wasn’t sure why it was coming to mind now.

She took one last look in the mirror. There were faint tan lines on her shoulders, from hours swimming and playing in the summer sun, but she still thought the strapless bodice of her dress looked wonderful.

Although…wearing this dress in a dressing room, or front of a mirror in her dorm room was one thing, being seen in it in public was another. She shrugged on a short black sweater, telling herself it was only because the Southern California evening was a little cool, and the lecture hall was bound to be cold, as well. She could always lose the sweater when she got to the reception. If she felt like it. Grownups made those sorts of decisions. For themselves. For now, she wanted to focus on the lecture, and a reception.

Even that sounded excitingly grown-up and sophisticated to her. A private reception, at a gallery. The woman being honored was a best-selling author. Beth picked up her copy of the book, Tour of Terror: An Embedded Journalist with a Combat Unit in Iraq. The blurbs on the cover said it all. “Tour of Terror is a tour de force.” “Journalism at its best…a must read.” “Johnson captures the essence of the ‘boots on the ground’ experience.” Beth’s Journalism 101 prof was an old classmate of the author, and he’d wangled an invite to the soiree for his students. She might even get to speak to the author, although she wasn’t going to be so gauche as to ask for an autograph. She tossed the book onto her bed. Time to get going. It was a long walk across campus to Fitzgerald Hall.

The lecture was riveting, and Beth was floating on cloud nine at the reception. She had dreams of how her own career would play out, how she would crack open scandals and pen her own journalistic masterpieces. Anna Johnson was a shoo-in for this year’s Pulitzer, and short-listed for a National Book Award, too. She was smart, and tough, and talented. Everything Beth wanted to be.

At the bar, Beth hesitated. She had no idea what to ask for. She didn’t want to drink, but she didn’t want people to think she was a stupid kid, either. She looked around, thinking.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asked. He was a cute blonde surfer type, totally wrong for the bowtie and black vest get-up his job required.

“Can I get a glass of orange juice, but with ice and a swizzle stick?” she replied, giving him her best persuasive smile.

“Sure. One virgin screwdriver, coming up.” His smile was understanding. Maybe, she thought, he was a more experienced bartender than he looked like.

While he worked on the drink, Beth fished a dollar out of her purse to put in the oversized brandy snifter that was serving as a tip jar. After a moment’s thought, she added a second dollar. He had been nice.

Turning away from the bar, her drink in her hand, she felt much more at ease in the crowd. She could drift around the gallery now, looking idly at the art as she worked her way closer to the guest of honor.

A movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she pivoted to see the back of a tall, lean man in a long coat who had apparently just turned away. She had a little momentary flash of recognition. The shoulders, the line of his back – surely she'd seen him somewhere before? Then it was gone. After all, she lived on a crowded campus, in a large city. Most of the people here were connected to the University, somehow. She'd probably seen three quarters of them before without being conscious of it. She shrugged mentally. No big deal.

At last, it was her turn to speak to Ms. Johnson. "I really enjoyed your book," she said. "That description of the firefight outside Tikrit was just amazing. Did you ever find out what happened to the men in the squad who got cut off from the main unit?"

"You really have read the book," Ms. Johnson answered, and as Beth smiled brightly, she caught a flash from a camera off to the side. It was the tall man, an expensive camera hiding most of his face. When he saw her looking he turned away quickly and vanished around a corner. Strange. He was probably just an event photographer, she thought.

"– the rest of the patrol got picked up by a unit from another base," Ms. Johnson was saying. Beth realized she'd missed a sentence or so. "I didn't find that out until much later, though."

Beth nodded, and reiterated her admiration, as another person came up to take the author's attention.

Beth spent some time hunting for the photographer, hoping she could arrange to get a copy of the picture of her with Ms. Johnson. He seemed to have vanished, however, and she wasn't able to spot him again.

Still, even without a souvenir picture, it had been a great evening. As she walked across the campus back to her dorm room, she had the oddest feeling that someone was following her. More than once she stopped and turned suddenly, peering into the shadows to see who might be there, but all she saw was the empty sidewalk behind her. It was funny, she thought, but she often felt like she was being watched. She supposed that everyone felt that way, at least from time to time, but to her, it always seemed benevolent. Her mother said she had a guardian angel. Maybe that's who it was.

Her mind turned back to the problem of the picture, and it occurred to her that she needed to approach it like a good journalist. If the gallery had hired event photographers, they'd have a record. All she needed to do was call them. Tomorrow, during business hours, would be soon enough. They’d give her a name and a number, and she could contact him directly. Problem solved.

She was going to be good at this investigative stuff. She knew it. Filled with resolve, she walked a little faster.

Mick was following her. Although not just following. Sometimes he flanked her, circling wide enough to see the grin on her face. It gave him a good feeling, but here she was at the door to the dorm, and it was time for him to get back to the darkroom and see how his pictures came out. He’d almost been caught tonight. His little girl was growing up, and getting smart. He’d have to follow a little further back, from now on.
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by jen »

Lucky

This is wonderful!

Beth is growing into a young woman here and pushing the envelope of what her Mom would allow. A normal, human reaction that has been around as long as their have been children and parents, I suppose. In this case, the debate seems to center around clothes.

And speaking of clothes, sounds like Mick has been wearing that duster for a while now. I guess when you find a look that works for you, you stick with it, huh?

Thank you for this look at Beth's college days!

Jenna

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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by Lucy »

In my book, the duster NEVER goes out of style....but it could "mark" him.

Loved the story spun, and that Beth almost caught the smitten Guardian Angel! :clapping:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by r1015bill »

Great job, Lucky!

Since Beth thought Mick looked familiar in Episode 1, he clearly had come close to getting caught before - maybe several times. I can certainly see this as being one of the possibilities and Mick realizing he has to be more careful.

Sort of begs the question of why Mick stood his ground in Episode 1 and allowed Beth to walk up to him.
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by librarian_7 »

I figure, for outdoor shots, a telephoto lens would mean he didn't need to get too close. But that pic was clearly taken in more crowded quarters.

And thanks for reading, ladies!
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by francis »

Huh, Mick almost got caught. She won't find him in the list of photogs either. A nice mystery to get her teeth into.
I love how you give Beth a personality that matches the one we know from the show, yet she's younger and more innocent here. She's still testing her wings, making grown-up decisions with much more conscious thought than later on.
I love the way you paint the whole background in a few strokes and thus provide a setting for this little adventure she had, and for the almost-meeting with her guardian angel. :hearts:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by allegrita »

I like this little peek into young-lady Beth. She's got a mind of her own, but it's nice to see how, even though she's rebelling against her mom's protectiveness, she's also got a healthy dose of mom's sensible advice still ringing in her ears. I love the strapless dress with the sweater over it. Perfect blend of daring and safe. :laugh:

Mick would stand out wearing his duster inside... but then again, he'd probably always stand out. At least to us. :happysigh: :happysigh: :happysigh: But there's Beth in investigative journalist mode, figuring out how to get a copy of the picture. I hope she gets one from Mick now that she's seen it. It would be a wonderful memento of a memorable night. :hearts:

I wonder if she had a huge flash of, "Oh! It was HIM!!!" :slaphead: when she saw that photo? :chin:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by Marigold »

This is fabulous, Lucky! :notworthy: :rose:

As you can see from my banner, I was drawn to that picture too. I absolutely love the backstory you created for it.

You made this Beth so realistic -- her traits are all there, but they aren't quite as developed as they are when she is older.
librarian_7 wrote:His little girl was growing up, and getting smart. He’d have to follow a little further back, from now on.
I love this! :happysigh: :melts: :hearts:

Well done! Thank you! :hug:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by cassysj »

Oh my. Did I never comment on this? I love almost grownup Beth's mind. Mick does have to be more careful, her curiosity is aroused. :hearts:
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MickLifeCrisis
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by MickLifeCrisis »

I'm with you, Carol! Another gem I apparently missed.

This was wonderful, Lucky! You tied it into the photograph seamlessly. Beth is testing her independence. And this part stuck with me:
It was funny, she thought, but she often felt like she was being watched. She supposed that everyone felt that way, at least from time to time, but to her, it always seemed benevolent. Her mother said she had a guardian angel. Maybe that's who it was.
Thanks for the snippet of college Beth! :thanks:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by MickLifeCrisis »

MickLifeCrisis wrote:I'm with you, Carol! Another gem I apparently missed.

This was wonderful, Lucky! You tied it into the photograph seamlessly. Beth is testing her independence. And this part stuck with me:
It was funny, she thought, but she often felt like she was being watched. She supposed that everyone felt that way, at least from time to time, but to her, it always seemed benevolent. Her mother said she had a guardian angel. Maybe that's who it was.
Thanks for the snippet of college Beth! :thanks:
:blushing: Well, I feel a little stupid quoting myself, but once again I was sure I hadn't read this before. :slaphead: I really enjoyed this backstory to go along with that photo, and I had even picked out what I wanted to quote. I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find that it was this exact same quote I selected the first time! I mean, that's a good thing, right? :shrug:

Great job on a coming-of-age Beth fic! I enjoyed the reread! :thumbs:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by allegrita »

Thanks for bumping this, MLC! I love college-age Beth. :hearts: She's already a reporter in the making, and Mick is going to need to be a lot more careful in the future. :ninja:

I love the way Beth wore the daring dress but put a little sweater on over it. She still tends to dress that way. :laugh:
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Re: Flash Photography (Challenge #139) -- PG-13

Post by francis »

Being watched isn't as creepy for Beth as it might be for others. I enjoyed rediscovering this glimpse into young Beth. :rose:
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