He Said I Was Unphotogenic Yet My Photos Shocked The Entire School Chapter 09

He Said I Was Unphotogenic Yet My Photos Shocked The Entire School Chapter 09

After the finalists were announced, the university’s official page posted the feature. My short was first.

The comments poured in:

[She sounds so genuine.]

[I actually want to apply now.]

[She’s not the most stunning, but she’s memorable.]

I read those words and felt a quiet sense of peace settle over me. Being seen didn’t mean stunning everyone. Sometimes it was just someone across a screen saying, I get it.

Claire’s situation turned rough.

The university traced the earliest forum comments to a secondary account linked to her.

She was disqualified from the ambassador selection and suspended from club promotional projects.

I heard she broke down crying to Jason about it.

Jason didn’t rush to defend her like before. He started showing up around me often. At the library entrance. Outside the Public Affairs Office. Just standing at a distance, watching Derek and me discuss shots.

I didn’t want to talk to him.

Until the day before the official promo shoot, he stepped in front of me.

“Emma, can we talk?”

I stopped. His eyes were bloodshot, and his voice came out hoarse. “I watched your final piece. I finally realized why you were always so tense in front of my lens. It was because of me.”

I said nothing.

Jason handed me a photo album, all re-edited photos of me.

Me organizing equipment in the club room from behind. My side profile as I imported files. Even those two messed-up graduation shots, now color-corrected.

He said, “I did see you before. I just…”

I finished for him. “You just didn’t think you needed to really look.”

Jason went pale. “No. I was used to you always being there. Used to you helping me, waiting for me, forgiving me.”

I looked at the album. If he’d given this earlier, I would have cried for hours. Now it just felt late.

“Jason, it’s not that you couldn’t shoot me. It’s that you wouldn’t wait for me to relax. And it’s not that you didn’t know I was hurting, it’s that you thought I’d never actually leave.”

His eyes grew red. “I can change. Just give me another chance, okay?”

Not far away, Claire stood under a tree watching us, her eyes red too, like she was still waiting for Jason to go comfort her. He saw her but didn’t move.

I suddenly felt so tired of it all. I used to be terrified he’d choose Claire. Now I wasn’t even in that equation anymore.

I handed the album back. “I don’t need you to reshoot my photos. I already know what I look like.”

I walked past him. Derek stood under the streetlight, holding tomorrow’s shooting schedule.

He didn’t ask if I was okay. He just handed me a bottle of water.

“Six a.m. tomorrow. Don’t cry, your eyes will swell.”

I laughed despite everything. “Derek, you’re really bad at setting the mood.”

He said, “I respect the shooting schedule.”

Night wind blew past. I walked forward holding the schedule.

This time, no one behind me could hold me back.